THE MODERATOR: Here with Jenny Shin. Five birdies today. Just what was working for you so well?
JENNY SHIN: The weather. I mean, no wind, no rain. Greens are a little bit softer than Thursday and Friday, so I was able to attack the pins a little bit more.
And I was pretty comfortable out there, so the shots were working out. Had a lot of birdie putts inside 15 feet, which is a bonus at a major.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. What did it feel like inside as you saw yourself just continue to climb up this board?
JENNY SHIN: It was exciting. I've not been here in a while, so kind of freed me up a little bit. It was nice to see that I can do it, so good day.
Q. As you look at the day, what was best in your game today?
JENNY SHIN: Probably ball-striking. I mean, I didn't chip too many times today except for the last hole. And, again, a lot of putts inside 15 feet and paid attention to that during the practice days. Yeah, paid off.
Q. When I talked to you late last year you were saying that you were trying to prove something to yourself, and you were working harder than you had in a really long time. Did you prove something to yourself, or have you at some point in the past year? Is that work paying off?
JENNY SHIN: I think there's a progress. I think I've put myself in contention a lot more times this year than the past five, six years.
Yeah, I mean, I saw my name on the leaderboard quite a few times coming down the stretch. It's only June, so we'll see where I am in November.
Q. Is that a product of working harder?
JENNY SHIN: Smarter. Better. Better quality. I mean, when does trying harder ever work, right? So, yeah, I think I am seeing things and doing things a little bit differently.
And not to be so deep, but there's more purpose. Before golf was everything. Golf was life. Now it's just a job, which is quite surprising, and I love my job, and I want to, again, prove myself that I can be really good at this job.
Q. Has somebody helped you reach that perspective or get to that place?
JENNY SHIN: Yeah. I mean, there isn't one person. There is a lot of people in life, a lot of experience, a lot of -- it's just the things that I've experienced really in life. Yeah (smiling).
Q. Two questions: One is, 20/20 hindsight, you have put yourself in positions to do something. What has been the one thing that has held you back?
JENNY SHIN: That's held me back?
Q. In the sense of winning, I guess, is what everybody wants to do. What's the one thing that's kept you from winning?
JENNY SHIN: Good question. There was a period of time where I was happy not winning. I was happy with playing decent golf.
You know, this is my 13th year out here, so there's -- I'm sure if you ask any player that's been out here this long, there's ups and downs and phases in life, and I think I went through that phase.
So now, you know, I want to win more than anything. Yeah.
Q. The second question is, I guess I was looking at your age. I mean, have you grown up as a golfer in that sense?
JENNY SHIN: Sure. As a human being. I'm not sure if I'm mature, but I definitely have a lot of experience, and I've seen a lot. I've done a lot.
I've just seen a lot, you know, compared to some of the girls out here who are 21 and been out here for three years. I've just seen so much that I have different perspective to things, I guess.
Q. Jenny, you said it on "Drive On." After the two really solid opening rounds, it's been kind of a rough time and it meant a lot to see that good golf and things pay off. A round like today, how much does it mean to see it pay off?
JENNY SHIN: I don't know. It's only Saturday, but you're right. It feels great to be where I am, and again, just knowing that I can be here is a massive improvement.
Yeah, it freed me up mentally a little bit. It was like any other day today. I wasn't as nervous. I wasn't as uptight. I wasn't desperate to leave the golf course.
So, yeah, it's nice. It's nice being where I am, regardless of who happens tomorrow.
Q. One of your shots today, I can't think of what hole it was, you looked a little surprised. It was within 10 feet. What have you been working on with your ball-striking that has maybe allowed for some of those surprises out here at a tricky golf course?
JENNY SHIN: I guess the biggest surprise was No. 16, the par-3. I hit the 7-iron. I expected it to just carry the bunker, but it flew, like, 163, and that's just adrenaline. That's kind of what I was shocked with. I was, like, Whoa.
To pitch too short and still finish before the slope and not roll down, I was just like, okay, the green is a little bit softer that be I expected. That was the surprise.
But ball-striking, I mean, I haven't been working on anything. I mean, I bet my swing hasn't changed in 20 years. I don't know. Yeah, it's the same.
It's just how I see the shot, how I -- it's more of can I do it? How good is my commitment? How much do I trust myself?
Q. Last one from me. T6 at ShopRite, best finish of the season so far. How much momentum did that give you heading into this week playing more New Jersey golf?
JENNY SHIN: It was great. It wasn't even a B game, and I finished sixth. Sure, I was disappointed that I didn't finish in the top 5, but I was, like, hey, considering it was a B game, I still finished in the top 10. I can probably do better.
Q. You were talking about a moment in your career where you didn't find the motivation, and I wonder with golf being something where you can be playing for 20 years. You are good enough. You go through all the phases. You want to quit. You have the motivation and then you find the passion again. I wanted you to talk a little bit about this and what you see around you and also where you found your passion again.
JENNY SHIN: Do we have enough time to talk about this? Yeah, I don't know.
I think I grew up playing golf for my parents. You know, my Korean parents were really strict with me, and I didn't like -- I didn't roll into this game wanting to be No. 1 in the World. I was just happy being out here. Oh, I'm an LPGA TOUR player. I'm one of the best world players in the world.
So I kind of lost where I want to be, what my goal is. Like, where do I want to be in ten years? I didn't have that, so I guess that's where the maturity comes in.
A few years back I just asked myself where do I want to be it in five years, and what do I want to accomplish? How do I want to end this career? I think that's where it really started rolling.
And COVID helped a lot. I was not playing golf for eight months. That was really devastating for me. So, yeah, hated COVID, but loved COVID.
Q. What makes you passionate about golf right now?
JENNY SHIN: I'm a perfectionist in some ways, and you can never be perfect with this game, but I would like to give it a try. So I'm digging my own grave.
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