Q. All right, very pleased to be joined by Lydia Ko after her first round at the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass. I mean, what an incredible scorecard for you. Just what is going through your mind when you're seeing a few of those birdies fall and getting lower and lower and lower? What's going through your mind as that's happening?
LYDIA KO: I think the number 59 did cross my mind by the time I holed my birdie putt on 6, but it wasn't like the pressure was -- like it wasn't like I had a lot of pressure to like break 60. It was just more like oh, it's really cool to be in this position. I think that's my career low score.
I think the lowest score that I had before that is maybe at the Australian Women's Open maybe, somewhere along those lines. Yeah, definitely a fun round to have.
I don't think I've ever actually started a round with four birdies, so it was nice to take advantage of the good start and continue that on my back nine as well.
I think like as every golfer, when things go well you also think about the things that could go terribly wrong as well. I feel like I stayed patient and was rolling it really well. Yeah, I actually put in a new putter this week. Like I've had my old putter for a really long time, like the same model, so it was kind of different just to have something else.
Lottie said on the second hole, like, oh, you got a new putter. I was like, well, at least I holed the first one so it was a good start.
And maybe it's a honeymoon phase, who knows. But you take a more easy day like this on any occasion.
Q. What kind of putter did you switch to?
LYDIA KO: It's a new Scotty Cameron 12. As most people know I have a thing -- I have my love towards Scotty Cameron putters, so it's very unusual for me to change out of my putter.
It's been a while since I have tried a different model than to my prototype that I have.
It just rolled good. Went in the bag on Tuesday and I think even Paul at Scotty Cameron and Tom were kind of surprised that I was going to change.
But I felt like you never know until you play out there and obviously I -- this has only been one round but it's a good start. You know, really couldn't have been any better.
Q. Was it just putting that was working well or what was the key to success out there?
LYDIA KO: I think overall it was pretty solid. I gave myself a lot of looks for birdies. This is definitely the lowest round I've had and the most amount of greens I've hit in a very long time.
So I think a combination of two obviously helps. I felt like the greens were get is faster towards the ends of my round. You know, I felt like then I could be a little bit more compact and simple with my putting. That's always a nice place to be.
But, yeah, you know this is a course that can -- that a lot of players have shot low scores before so you just want to take advantage of a day that's going really well.
Q. ... stay in the moment. How did you that that today? Did it get to where you started to feel excited and you had to quash those feelings down?
LYDIA KO: Honestly the thought came very late in my round and I had to birdie the rest coming in at that point, so I didn't feel -- I felt like it was an added bonus if it did happen. If it didn't, it's fine. Still a really good round.
Annika is the only one that has shot 59, so any record that matches Annika's record is going to be pretty incredible. I felt like I gave myself a good run at it and, yeah, I didn't really feel that much pressure or extra nerves just because I was in that position.
I felt like I holed some putts that I didn't expect to go in and I got a few good breaks and also hit a few good shots. Just a combination where things were going well.
We all know golf is a game of inches. Days when it goes well it lips in and days it really doesn't it lips out. You really didn't -- there wasn't really that much difference in execution.
So you just have to go with the flow. I think because I had that mindset I really wasn't that nervous and 9 and 8 aren't just gimme birdies anyway, so to birdie those and just finish at 60, I'm excited that I finished at that score rather than feeling disappointed that I didn't break 60.
Q. For you, I know you and Paul are really close. He does a good job keeping you light out there. What were you two bantering about? Were you trying to stay in the moment or was he trying to keep you light and easy and breezy?
LYDIA KO: I think our conversations really didn't change. I think the good thing about Paul and I, I feel like our demeanor and like our rhythm really doesn't change that much. I think, yes, I have some moments where it's like mind blown and I'm very frustrated out there or very excited or nervous.
But I think for the most part it's pretty even keel and I think we balance well in that sense. But he doesn't say anything extra. We were just trying to stay hydrated and cool out there. Obviously another warm week here, so I think there was a lot going on that you end up really not thinking about what the outcome is and just try and focus on what's in front of you.
Q. Congrats. Amazing.
LYDIA KO: Thank you.
Q. As best you can, can you describe what the zone feels like? I assume you were in it.
LYDIA KO: What?
Q. Can you describe what the zone feels like?
LYDIA KO: Oh, I felt very calm. Honestly, like when I was younger I hated birdieing the first hole for some stupid reason. I think a lot of people have that kind of superstition. I'm like what happens when you hit it to a foot, right? It's not like you're going to miss that putt because you're worried about what the rest of your day is going to be like.
I got into a really good momentum and I think that is what helped me kind of stay in my zone. I really wasn't out of position that many times so it's a lot easier to be in that kind of rhythm and tempo.
But I think when you're in to the zone you're just focused and there is not as many external thoughts going in and out of your head. You're just focused on what shot you have in front of you and then -- and not get too carried away about the outcome of it.
Staying in the zone is almost like being able to switch on and off between shots and having full commitment when you're about to hit it. Outside of that, just being as relaxed as possible.
Q. What was the best shot you hit today?
LYDIA KO: The best shot I hit today? I feel like I hit a lot of quality shots. There wasn't one where it was like, wow, outstanding, but I holed a really long putt on 13 and I think that was probably the longest putt I've holed in a while.
But in all honesty I hit that actually too firm, so I kind of got lucky in that sense. Yeah, I think that's got to be the best one because just the longest putt. All in all there was no standout, but everything was steady and good, yeah.
Q. How long was that putt?
LYDIA KO: It was like 40 feet.
Q. My last one: The par-5, 7, can you just describe the birdie putt there you had and how close it was to falling?
LYDIA KO: I think it was like around six, seven feet. I aimed inside the hole on the right and it honestly -- I think I hit it a touch too soft and it broke a little bit more than I thought.
Yeah, that would've been nice to hole that one, but who knows, maybe if I holed that one I might not have holed the other two.
It's hard. It's like you can't think about what if. Yeah, I felt like it was a decent putt that I really under-read. Yeah, birdied some other ones that I didn't expect, so kind of just evens out in that sense.
Q. I'm wondering, there is not very many opportunities that golfers will have to shoot a 59 and you seem like you're framing it in a positive way. Why do you think you have that approach instead of the approach of, oh, I just missed out on it?
LYDIA KO: I mean, it's been a while since I shot a double digit under par in one round anyway. I was thinking, man, if it's a par 72 it's 13-under par to break 60. I mean, even if you shoot 5-under you're always happy coming off the golf course.
So I think like people think that sometimes when the course may be easier or a lot of the players are shooting under par they kind of think that, oh, man, that was easy out there. When you're in the moment you really don't think of it like as it being easy.
You're still working hard for each birdie or eagle or par. I think it comes off as being easy and I wish there were more rounds like that, but it never really is in the moment.
So, yeah, I think my demeanor really didn't change because I don't think I had the expectations to break 60 to start off with.
Q. And a fun one: How much 59 gear would you have gotten Kai, tags and collars and shirts?
LYDIA KO: I think 59 would've been my favorite number if I did break 59. Yeah, I mean, 60 still has a good sound to it. Yeah, I don't know. You never know until it happens. I don't know if it's ever going to happen.
Yeah, it would be pretty cool like I said earlier to kind of add to something that Annika has done as well.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports