Q. All right, pleased to be joined by Jin Young Ko after her first round at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. How does if feel teeing it up for the first time in 2025?
JIN YOUNG KO: The time flies so fast. I was practice hard when I have offseason, and, yeah, it was pretty good start of the kickoff 2025.
Yeah, I didn't play last couple years for this event, but 2021 I didn't play with celebrities but they changed to 2022 playing with celebrities and I play with Ryan and Anthony. It was so much fun to play with them.
Q. Probably fun to play with a couple of comedians. How does the game feel heading into the 2025 season? Did you work on anything in particular this offseason?
JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, last year I would say I had little struggle of my game. After 2024 I realize I had to0 much thinking on the course because I really wanted to be better 2022 or 2023 or 2021. I think I had to much greed. That's why I had to many thinkings on the course, and it makes me more -- it makes me more like difficult to think to play or like club decision or wind direction think about it.
I just want to make simple on this year. Golf is already difficult sport, so I just trying to keep simple in my mind.
Q. What kept you away the last couple yards? What perhaps made you decide to come back this year?
JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I mean, I had injury last couple years, so that's why I skipped the couple of years.
This year I came here with my parents, even my dog for winter training. In Korea it's is cold in January so I came here 3rd of January. I spend over three or four weeks in here, Orlando. I practice here.
Yeah, I had chance to play Hilton Vacations, this one, and I'll play next week, too. It's been a while to spend time with my family in January, since like before I started golf. So it is almost over 20 years, so it's very special start to January with my family.
Q. And so you did your winter training here at Lake Nona?
JIN YOUNG KO: No. Actually I played Lake Nona with Lydia twice and I practice nearby other golf club, yeah.
Q. Being able to practice with Lydia here at Lake Nona, did that help you any in the preparation to get ready for playing this event here?
JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I would say yes. I play with Lindy Duncan and Patty and Lydia and I. Lydia always giving me a good inspiration, and she's young but she's still great and great person. She's a great player, as I really want to so many things from her.
Yeah, I'm lucky to have Lydia be my side.
Q. What is it about Lake Nona that you really have to be aware of to score well here?
JIN YOUNG KO: I mean, this golf course is like -- greens are really hard to read the break. They had like sneaky breaks around the hole, so really hard to read.
Just hit and just pray. We'll see.
Q. Of all the celebrities here this weekend anybody you're particularly excited to meet? Anybody you would like to play with maybe?
JIN YOUNG KO: Last couple weeks I went to the Lake Nona performance lab with my physio, and I always seeing the NFL players. I haven't seen them like in my life. That was my first time I saw how they train. They are like crazy. Like they're jumping on legs just over two meters.
So just golf is easy sport I guess. I realize NFL is really, really hard sport. I thought.
And I really want to play basketball player or NFL or like any athlete I want to play with them.
Q. Is there anybody that's really big in Korea?
JIN YOUNG KO: NFL?
Q. Really any of the celebrities here this weekend.
JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, of course. Yeah.
Q. Anybody in particular that stands out?
JIN YOUNG KO: I don't know the names because it's so hard to remember. I'm from Korea. Sorry.
Q. NBA and NFL players are saying golf is a very hard sport, too. What kind of discussions do you have with them?
JIN YOUNG KO: If I can play with them, how did you make success? I just want to asking them.
Q. International Crown year. This time in Korea. How excited are you to tee it up with some Koreans in Korea?
JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, you know, the Korean player, like we had really, really good players on the top ranking, so it's so hard to get in. I need to watch and I need to play really well until that like time.
If I can play International Crown it would be amazing, especially in Korea. I can't wait to play front of my lots of fans in Korea.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports