THE MODERATOR: Okay, hello and welcome to the media center at the 2025 FM Championship. I'm pleased to be joined by defending champion Haeran Ryu. You had a standout here last year. You had the most top 10 finishes of anyone on Tour and you won the inaugural FM Championship. Can you reflect on your 2024 season and your playoff win last year?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah, it was amazing year last year, as I said that, because I don't know why my ball was always going straight and my putt is really good.
Last year I mean, just pretty amazing just say that.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about your playoff win here last year? What was that like going into the playoff and then coming out at the end as the champion?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah, last year I think many peoples remember my score, my first round is 3-under and second one is 10-under, and third round it's 6-over par here, and in the last round I play pretty well, 8-under again.
So that means golf is still hard, and this course is so hard, too.
So, yeah, last year this week, this tournament, it is so, so funny I think because the score is a little bit of weird because it's not normal, right? Many players got a win it's always a great score or it's a hard course and not good score but get a win.
But my score is really good and really bad, so that means, yeah, golf is too hard.
Q. Coming back to TPC Boston this year having already played it last year, what are you looking at this year with what you might change, what you might keep the same?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah, I try just keep the same as last year because this course is like green is not too big and the rough is a little bit longer than on other golf courses in U.S.
So I just try to more keep it straight in my shot and more keeping fairway, more keeping green. That's a good goal for this week maybe.
Q. When you look at the player experience here and the way that FM has supported the tournament and the LPGA, what stands out to you about this event specifically?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah, on other tournament just have dining and at the dinner we buy some food or go to airbnb or cooking. But this week on the first round and second round after the round the FM have the dinner for the player and the guest. That's so thankful that one, yeah.
Q. Welcome back.
HAERAN RYU: Thank you.
Q. Wanted to ask you about you mentioned last year and the rollercoaster that it was. What do you remember between the third round and the fourth round? Did you have to reset mentally? How do you bounce back that final day?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah, last year after the third round I felt it's so bad, so I think I (indiscernible) on IG, Instagram, and then something to the rollercoaster for the golf, the meme for just the close friends, and my friends said, oh, Haeran tomorrow is another day. You can keep doing well. Same as the second round. You can do it again the second round.
I think, oh, that's so hard but everybody said that so okay, I try again. So they make some more confidence for me and good round for the final round.
Q. Just what do you like about coming up to this area itself? What do you like when you're pulling in, coming to the course? What do you like about it?
HAERAN RYU: Normally I like the small green and a little bit tricky fairway or little narrow course.
Here is similar I like this type of golf courses, so I was so exciting I come back to here.
Q. Last year did you get out and see much of Boston or do anything kind of Boston-New Englandy like or anything you're looking forward to doing?
HAERAN RYU: No, but this year my birthday, my caddie ready for my present. So last year at second round I had 10-under and that's my best score in my life, and I got a win, so my caddie got the Boston Red Sox jacket because I love the baseball. So he made the customizing for that jacket for my -- the last name is R-Y-U and my best score 62 and the Red Sox jacket, so that's the pretty good memory for this week, yeah.
Q. The lobster? Are you going to be eating lobster?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah. The LPGA media give me this lobster toy. Now I'm little hungry. Here is the famous lobster roll, right, so I can't wait.
Q. When it comes to a tournament, whether it's the focus or to relax, is music important to you? Do you listen to a lot of music right before you practice or play or afterwards to relax?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah, I think that's important for me because another players cannot listen to music on the course or on the practice, but I want to more focusing for the golf and I don't want listen anyone.
So I think the music is pretty good for me and for the focus for the golf.
Q. Do you listen right before you play?
HAERAN RYU: Yes.
Q. What type of music? Who is on your playlist?
HAERAN RYU: Every time is different, but it's a little more calm and it's slow music. I like that, yeah.
Q. Any particular bands or type of music? Classical? Jazz?
HAERAN RYU: It's Korean music, so sometimes, yeah, this year I went to the Coldplay concert so that week I listened the whole week for the Coldplay music.
These days listen a lot Korean slow music, yeah, that's it.
Q. It helps you relax and focus?
HAERAN RYU: Yeah. For the focus.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports