Q. Joined by Min-G Kim. Min-G, a 6-under 65. That's a career low on the LPGA Tour.
MIN-G KIM: I think I've had it before.
Q. You had a 66.
MIN-G KIM: Good to know.
Q. At the Thornberry Creek in 2017.
MIN-G KIM: Yes. Bittersweet.
Q. So this is a new career low on the LPGA Tour. Ties a career low which you shot last year at the 2020 IOA Championship. Take us through the day and how you managed to find such a low number.
MIN-G KIM: I was just hitting the fairway on almost every single shot and my irons were really good today.
I managed to make a few putts on the first couple holes and that just got me rolling, I guess.
Q. Yeah. You hit 10 of 13 fairways and you had a bogey-free front nine, which I would imagine was kind of a big key to today. Birdies at Nos. 1, 2, 5, 6, and 9. Take us through that hot start and how you settled into a nice groove.
MIN-G KIM: Honestly, I don't even know what I did on the course. I was just focusing on each single shot just shot by shot. First hole I just hit it in the fairway, hit a decent second shot, and just made it.
I guess I got it kind of rolling.
Q. From my estimation you've a career year I would say on the Symetra Tour.
MIN-G KIM: Yes.
Q. You've had a pair of top 10s, several more top 20 performances.
MIN-G KIM: Yes, uh-huh.
Q. What is it about 2021 that has Min-G Kim playing so well?
MIN-G KIM: So during the off season I gained a little bit of distance, and that's helped tremendously, because now all of the bunkers or rough that was in my way I can just clear it.
So that helps a lot.
Q. Uh-huh.
MIN-G KIM: And just my mindset I think is different this year, and that really helped.
Q. What did you do to add distance and how much distance are we talking about?
MIN-G KIM: I think I -- I mean, all the distance holes that I played so far are downhill, downwind, but even then I think I gained at least 15 yards.
About workouts, during the off-season I ran a lot. Did a lot of weights. Even on the season I just do my constant workouts, yeah.
Q. What was the workout schedule? How rigorous was it? Was it pretty rigorous or just kind of steady?
MIN-G KIM: So as of now it's very minimal because I don't want to wear myself out.
Q. Right. During the off-season?
MIN-G KIM: During the off-season I would run roughly four miles every morning, then just help out at the course a little bit, practice, and after that hit the weights for about two and a half hours every day, about six times a week.
Q. Uh-huh, wow.
MIN-G KIM: Yeah.
Q. What's your favorite weight?
MIN-G KIM: I really love Tabata exercises which are HIIT exercises. Not right now, but when I was in peak condition.
And I've really been into cleans? Do you know what I'm talking about?
Q. Yeah.
MIN-G KIM: Yeah.
Q. Nice. I know you mentioned a little bit about with your mentality.
MIN-G KIM: Yes.
Q. Would you say running has been something that's helped that?
MIN-G KIM: No, I mean, I actually got to talk with Nancy Lopez, and she was a huge inspiration. She told me her father wasn't the best coach, but he was the best teacher in life.
And she basically told me every time she had a backswing her father would say, You have a shot. Just try your best. Don't care where the ball goes. Just focus shot by shot. I think that mind thought really helped me a lot.
Q. When did you talk with her?
MIN-G KIM: Mission Inn, and that's when I started playing good, so...
Q. Last year? This year?
MIN-G KIM: No, this year, yeah, uh-huh.
Q. Okay, very nice. Just to have that conversation with a Hall of Famer, what was it like? Obviously some great advice you just mentioned. What was it like to sit down and have her take the time to talk with you?
MIN-G KIM: Well, you know, whenever you meet someone like Nancy you're first dumbstruck and then you're like, Oh, my God, I have to talk to her. I need to learn a few things.
Because like even now, like there are so many things you can learn from such players. So I was mostly dumbstruck.
Q. Awesome. Last one for you. Just the day on the course as far as shooting a nice low number and providing some momentum for yourself for the next three days here at Old American.
MIN-G KIM: Yes/ what do you mean? What was the question?
Q. How did shooting low provide some momentum for the next three days?
MIN-G KIM: Honestly, I don't think it's going to change anything too different. I'm going to go to tomorrow's round just thinking shot by shot, not really looking at the scoreboards, thinking about what I'm shooting. Just focusing on each and every shot.
Q. I love it. Thanks, Min-G.
MIN-G KIM: Thank you, Zach.
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