ADT Championship
Trump International Golf Club
West Palm Beach, Fla.
November 23, 2008

Final-round interviews: Ji-Yai Shin | Karrie Webb | Paula Creamer

Final-round notes

Shin wins ADT Championship, $1 million
Victory is 20-year-old’s 11th worldwide in 2008

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 23, 2008 – South Korean Ji-Yai Shin became the first non-LPGA member in history to win three LPGA Tour events with her victory at the ADT Championship. The Trump International Golf Club layout – known for owning three of the most difficult closing holes on Tour (16 through 18) – was overcome by the 20-year-old Shin, who carded a final-round 2-under-par 70 for her $1 million win. The 2-under-par mark was the highest winning score in ADT Championship history since switching to the LPGA Playoffs format.

New to the playoff format, Shin was steady throughout the weekend, battling windy conditions most of the time, but said she was felt comfortable with the scorecards being erased for Saturday and Sunday’s round.

“My first plan is to survive to Sunday, but I make it my plan, and then I just try do my best,” said Shin, who has earned three victories and more than $1.77 million on the LPGA Tour this year. “But, then I make it the week. So today very big, lucky many times for me.”

Paired with LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Famer Karrie Webb, who regularly plays at Trump International Golf Club, the duo went back and forth with the lead and were tied at 1-under-par through 11 holes. On the par-5, 12th hole, a two-stroke swing in the scoring gave Shin the lead at 2-under-par over Webb at even. Both Webb would bogey the 13th, as well and both would add a stroke on the 15th hole, before Shin nailed her 8-iron from 150 yards to two feet on the 16th hole to card her final birdie and take a two-stroke lead.

“Actually, I'm very nervous that hole, number 16, because it's very tough pin location and very strong winds,” Shin said. “Then I just one stroke by Karrie, so I'm very nervous.”

With 35 career LPGA Tour victories, Sunday’s runner-up finish matched her season-best (also at the Ginn Tribute Hosted by ANNIKA) for Webb, who defeated Shin earlier this year at the MFS Australian Open in a two-hole, sudden-death playoff.

“She didn't miss a fairway today, and I think she only missed a couple of greens,” said Webb, who surpassed $14 million in career earnings earlier this year, second only to Annika Sorenstam. “She's a great ball striker. There wasn't, to me, one sign of nerves out there today. She hit it at the pin 16, 17 and 18. So I don't think she felt the nerves of winning a million dollars.”

This week was bittersweet for 72-time Tour winner Annika Sorenstam as it was her last official LPGA event. Sorenstam did not advance after Friday’s first cut to 16 players.

Of the 32 spots in the ADT Championship, 13 were designated to Winner Event champions, which were defined as official LPGA Tour events with a purse of at least $2 million. The 2008 ADT Championship featured a $1,550,000 purse. The ADT Championship also featured three days of playoffs with a cut after 36 holes. Players started with a fresh scorecard for the third round, which ended with another cut to the top-eight players. After selecting their own tee-times via a live draw Saturday after play, Sunday’s final-round shoot-out began with a fresh scorecard.

Shin played in 10 events on the 2008 LPGA Tour schedule, winning three times and carding three additional top-10 finishes.
LPGA Tour event Finish Qualified via:
Women’s World Cup of Golf 2nd Rolex Rankings; the top South Korean on the Rankings; unofficial LPGA event
SBS Open at Turtle Bay 7th Sponsor Exemption
HSBC Women’s Champions 7th Top player on 2007 KLPGA money list
Kraft Nabisco Championship T31 Sponsor Exemption (as top player on 2007 KLPGA)
U.S. Women’s Open T19 Sixth-place finish in 2007
Evian Masters T15 Tie for third in 2007
RICOH Women’s British Open 1st Top player on 2007 KLPGA money list
Hana Bank ● KOLON
Championship T17 Top-ranked player on KLPGA
Mizuno Classic 1st Top-35 players on JLPGA money list
ADT Championship 1st Winner Event – RICOH Women’s British Open\

Shin by the numbers. ADT Championship victor Ji-Yai Shin, of South Korea, has found herself nearly on top of the world in accomplishments this season on not only the LPGA Tour, but also the Korea LPGA and LPGA of Japan.
11 – victories worldwide: seven on Korea LPGA (KLPGA), three on LPGA Tour, one on LPGA of Japan (JLPGA)
10 – events on the LPGA Tour in 2008; nearly $1.77 million in earnings*
1st – player in KLPGA Tour history to complete season grand slam (win all three majors in a season)
3 – wins on the 2008 LPGA Tour: RICOH Women’s British Open (major championship); Mizuno Classic; ADT Championship
6 – Rolex Rankings’ standing as of Nov. 17, 2008

*does not include $102,200 from Women’s World Cup of Golf, an unofficial LPGA event

Webb earns runner-up honors at ADT Championship. Karrie Webb, a member of the LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame, finished the 2008 ADT Championship in second place, following a 1-under-par 71 (34-37) final round. Webb had five birdies and four bogeys on the final day, but came up one stroke short of the $1 million winner, Ji-Yai Shin. The 13-year LPGA Tour veteran Webb squeaked through the first two cuts as a bogey on the 18th hole of Friday’s second round made her the last player in the 16-player field for Saturday’s third round. She then advanced to Sunday’s eight-player field via a one-hole, sudden-death playoff against Eun-Hee Ji and Sun Young Yoo. Ji and Webb, via a three-foot putt, both made par to advance.

The Australian player was the first-ever winner of the ADT Championship back in 1996, and won again five years later in 2001. Since playing with the current format (2006 to present), the 12-year LPGA Tour veteran has qualified for the final round each time, with a third-place finish in 2006 and eighth-place finish in 2007.

Veterans set, tie ADT Championship best finishes. Led by runner-up Karrie Webb, six of the eight players during Sunday’s final round of the ADT Championship had competed in the event in the past and were guaranteed tournament-best finishes. Only Webb (34-37=71, -1) and Paula Creamer (38-36=74, +2) had ever advanced to the final round. Creamer, the 2005 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year and three-time winner this season, matched her previous best with a tie for third with 2006 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Seon Hwa Lee (37-37=74, +2), who owns two victories in 2008. In the ADT Championship, where qualifying is determined via the LPGA Playoffs, Lee’s best finish had been a tie for ninth in 2007.

For three-time LPGA Tour winner Angela Stanford – who also won the inaugural Lorena Ochoa Invitational by Banamex and Corona Light leading up to the ADT Championship – her previous best finish had been a tie for 17th in both 2006 and 2007 and she managed a solo sixth-place finish in 2008 with a final-round 37-41=78 (+6).

Jeong Jang (40-39) and Suzann Pettersen (39-40) had also hit the tied for ninth mark in 2006 and 2007, respectively, and the two rounded out Sunday’s field tied for seventh at 7-over-par 79.

WD: Inbee Park withdrew during the first round of the ADT Championship.

Final-round interviews: Ji-Yai Shin | Karrie Webb | Paula Creamer

Ji-Yai Shin, 35-35=70 (-2)

DANA GROSS RHODE: I want to congratulate you for winning $1 million at the ADT Championship. You won seven times on the KLPGA, and won the season Grand Slam. You're the first player to do that. You won one time on the JLPGA in Japan, and now you've won three times on the LPGA Tour this year. Can you just talk about this year and how fun it's been?
JI YAI SHIN: It is very, very quick, yeah, this year, because I'm only play 35 tournaments. So, so fast time. Then, yeah, my time won this year, so it's very special.

Because before the year I only won in Korea, but this year I won in Japan and the LPGA tournament.

I can't believe, because last year I only watching the TV, LPGA Tour, but now I play here and then I won, so exciting (smiling).

Q. Can you talk about your shot on 16, to get so close, and how important that was?
JI YAI SHIN: Sixteen, yeah. The first time pick driver, and then about 150 yards, then I hit 8 iron. Then front of pin about two feet, under two feet, yeah, one feet, two feet in between. Actually, I'm very nervous that hole, number 16, because it's very tough pin location and very strong winds. Then I just one stroke by Karrie, so I'm very nervous.

Yeah, but I can make a birdie, and then more get comfortable.

Q. Karrie just said of all the Korean players that she's played with over the years, she thinks that you might be the best one that's come here since Se Ri Pak. How does that make you feel when you hear somebody like Karrie say something like that?
JI YAI SHIN: Oh, well, that is actually Se Ri Pak, she is my hero. And I'm next best she. And then she say just – well, yeah. I'm start next year LPGA Tour, so I'm just ready for LPGA tournament. Because I'm not member yet, so I'm very important next year. So I try to keep going.

Q. Have you thought about what you'll do with the million dollars?
JI YAI SHIN: (laughing) Yeah, everybody asked me, the million dollars. Actually I'm, me and my father talking. Then, first thing is in Korea now it's very cold. I just (give) some charity, and then I am looking for good house in America.

Yeah, because next year I come to this tour, so I need a house. Then I am looking for a good place now. I have younger sister and younger brother will come to here, so I need good house (smiling).

Q. Where are you looking?
JI YAI SHIN: I don't know. There's too many good places (laughing). Because I'm not much time in America. I play in Palm Springs and then Minneapolis and then here.

Q. Don't go to Minneapolis.
JI YAI SHIN: Oh, yes. Sorry.

Q. You don't want to live there. It's too cold.
JI YAI SHIN: New York or something. Yeah. Actually, many Korean player live in Orlando, so just thinking about the Orlando or California or something, I don't know yet.

Q. Does it feel any different winning on American soil? You've won all over the world, is it better, the same?
JI YAI SHIN: No, it is big difference. Actually, first my champion, I won RICOH British Open, I'm so nervous. But this tournament more comfortable because it starts every player even starts.

Then, yeah, just eight players, so I'm very comfortable play. Actually, my first plan is to survive to Sunday, but I make it my plan, and then I just try do my best. But, yeah. Then I make it the week. So today very big, lucky many times for me.

Q. What did you think of Mar-a-Lago, the place you stayed this week?
JI YAI SHIN: Oh, so beautiful. Yeah, so nice. Actually my room is second floor, so nice view, yeah. See the nice view, and nice food, everything is good.

Q. Was there a point in the round where you started looking at the scoreboard and saying, ‘Okay, par, par, par, par will be good enough?' Was there a point? Or did you just keep playing?
JI YAI SHIN: I just try to don't mistake. Because green is so fast. And then strong winds, very tough course. So I'm just thinking to save the par. But on number six hole, I attack the pin, and then I'm in the water.

But I'm thinking – then my shot I'm thinking about just now sixth hole, I have more 12 holes. Just try the driver. But I missed the green. But I make a par. It is very good point today, that hole, number six.

Q. Most people will remember this tournament as Annika's last tournament on the LPGA. Does it make this more special to you that you won a tournament that will be remembered for that?
JI YAI SHIN: Actually, yes. Because she last tournament this week. But I want to play she, we play. But she last tournament, so I no have more chance with play.

Actually, last night in my dream, Annika is, yeah. She have in my dream last night.

Q. Were you playing her in your dream?
JI YAI SHIN: No, just – I'm just talking oh, I want to play you, but your last tournament, so I'm so sad. Just talking something.

Yeah, well, but she's – she's so great player. Everybody knows, yeah she's fantastic.

Q. Do you dream about golf a lot?
JI YAI SHIN: Sometimes (laughing). Yeah. In my dream, actually my dream is number one in the world. Number one, and then I have many respect for another players, so I want my dream is other maybe now start to show players respect for me. That is my dream.

Q. Were there times today that you found yourself thinking about the million dollars?
JI YAI SHIN: No (laughing). I think first is the win. Million dollars is second, always, yeah. I'm just thinking to win, and then million dollars to follow the win.

But now I get the million dollars (laughing). So I'm happy, excited, yeah.

Q. What do you feel is the strength of your game? Karrie said you hit every fairway, and you made all the putts and you didn't seem to have any weaknesses out there. You seemed to be very good at just about everything?
JI YAI SHIN: Yeah, I tried always tempo game. Just keep fairway, just keep green, and make a putt. I just try simple.

Then today, yeah, today was my shot at par was good, really. She is good, too. First nine holes we are very close the score, so I'm a little bit nervous, because she's so great at shot and she's so great putting.

But she's about 11, 12, 13 hole she make a bogey. So I'm thinking a little comfortable, but actually I like to feel more pressure. I like the feel. But anyway, she finished great finish the last two holes. Today very enjoy with Karrie.

Q. You just mentioned that you were feeling a little nervous at the turn, and you also said you were nervous in 16. Karrie said she never detected any sign of nervousness from you. And in talking to your caddie he said he's never seen you nervous either. So how do you keep the nerves from bubbling to the top?
JI YAI SHIN: I am a person, so I feel always nervous and pressure. I don't know, I get the more pressure, I'm little more smiling. Trying the more smiling because the feel is nervous, it's like more hard body.

Q. Tense?
JI YAI SHIN: Yeah, you need relax. So I just try to eat or drink the water and then try more smile.

Q. You said you dreamed of becoming the number one player. Is there a time line in your mind do you see yourself doing that in the next year, next two years?
JI YAI SHIN: I don't know. Actually next year is my start rookie season. Next year I try for Rookie of the Year, not number one next year. Just try step by step, yeah.

Q. And are you still taking English lessons? Do you have a tutor? Are you practicing? You're getting better.
JI YAI SHIN: No.
DANA GROSS RHODE: She's practicing in press conferences.

Q. Just with us?
JI YAI SHIN: Yeah, I'm long time about nine months, eight months with Australian caddie, Dean (Herndon), so little more comfortable for English. Because I am just learning last three years just learning English one month, so, thank you.

Then my time outside Korea play outside the Korea tournaments, so just I try for English.

Actually, many Korean players worry – speak good English, but worry the mistakes, yeah. But me, too, but I try (laughing).

Q. When did you get here? How many practice rounds did you get, and what was your impression of the golf course before the tournament?
JI YAI SHIN: I played two times practice round. Then play this course very tough green. Very important these greens and the green speed is so fast. Actually, second round I very difficult feel for putting distance.

But today was good, and then, yeah, putting is so important. Because many players make the three putt in the hole. Yeah, and then I'm always worried that, yeah – I always try to just near the hole, near the hole, not in the hole, just near the hole, yeah.

Q. You won 11 times around the world this year, and you've lost in two playoffs or is it three? You lost to Karrie in one, and then lost the second one. Is it two or three?
JI YAI SHIN: Yeah, two. Two, lost two playoffs.

Q. So 11 wins and two playoffs?
DANA GROSS RHODE: Well, you had five playoffs, but you won three. But she only lost two.
JI YAI SHIN: Yeah, I lost two.

Q. What is the rest of your schedule? Are you done yet?
JI YAI SHIN: I'm leaving tonight to Japan, because I have next week I play in Japan big tournament, Ricoh Cup. Then I have Japan, after next week, Korea have Japan and Korea, yeah, have a (PINX) Cup match event, and then I come to here to rookie orientation. Yeah.

Q. How many tournaments will that be for the year?
JI YAI SHIN: I already 35, 34 tournaments already. But I have – yeah, this year. Then I have more two tournaments (smiling). Yeah, I know, I am so tired.

Karrie Webb, 34-37=71 (-1)

Q. Bittersweet that this is the final ADT Championship here in West Palm Beach. It is your home town tournament, kind of tough to see it go?
KARRIE WEBB: Oh, for sure. It's always nice to play a tournament and wake up in your own bed, and play a course that you play pretty regularly. So, yeah, I'm very disappointed to see it go.

Q. What was the club on 18 and what was the putt there?
KARRIE WEBB: It was right between 8- and 9 iron, so a little 8-iron, and then the putt was at about 14, I think.

It was back about six inches roughly.

Q. How far?
KARRIE WEBB: Probably 30 feet.

Q. You were in a playoff with her earlier this year in Australia. She's a pretty solid player?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I've played with her before.

Q. And the former year
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I'm just glad I got one. I got one before she got going. I just wish I could have got this one and the Australian Open now.

No, she's a quality play. I don't know. She didn't miss a fairway today, and I think she only missed a couple of greens. She's a great ball striker. She putts well. She's a great player. She rolls it well.

There wasn't, to me, one sign of nerves out there today. She hit it at the pin 16, 17 and 18. So I don't think she felt the nerves of winning a million dollars.

Q. She's going to play here full time next year. Do you look at her as a top-5 player right now?
KARRIE WEBB: Oh, I think so. We were talking on 15, and this is her 34th or 35th event. She can't even keep count. She's not quite sure if it's 34 or 35.

Q. Pro?
KARRIE WEBB: For the year, and she's got two more to go. So I said we don't even have that many tournaments next year, so you'll have a slow year.

Q. Playing for a million dollars today, what do you do?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, you know, I think Ji Yai might have been the only player who didn't think about how you were going to spend the million dollars. It's very hard not to think about it.

It would be a wonderful, would be wonderful problem to have is to have what you're going to buy with it or what you're going to do with it.

Q. How much will you play in Australia? And what will you pick up from the LPGA next year?
KARRIE WEBB: I'll play both events in Australia, and Australian Open and Australian Masters.

Q. Win a couple of those?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, Australian Open, I really want to. It's the second opportunity to watch what I'm playing with. But I've got to watch all day. She didn't miss the middle of the fairway, I don't think.

Q. It seemed like the wind was calm early and then it picked up again, is that what happened?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, it was a bit gusty. But once it picked up t blew in the same direction, which made it a little bit easier.

Q. She won the women's British as well this year. She's no secret in LPGA circuits, but how much do you think when she plays full time next year people will really seek her name?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I think out of all of the Koreans that have come up, she's got the most potential.

Paula Creamer, 38-36=74 (+2)

Q. Your dad said you had a doctor out here keeping an eye on you, making sure everything was ok?
PAULA CREAMER: I had to take something on the 13th tee. It's called Pink Lady. It's this basically pink medicine. And I said, ‘did you do this on purpose?'

But, I mean, that was the first time I've ever had to spend the night in a hospital, you know. It was my first IV, things like that. It was a first for many things.

Q. Except the money list?
PAULA CREAMER: Except the money list.

Q. Can you block out the million dollars with everything else that's gone on today?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, I wasn't out here for the million dollars. You know, the money, that's just the bonus part of what I do. You know, I was honestly wanting to win tournaments and meet my goals.

In the beginning of the year, it was five wins, then I got four. And I've always told myself if you don't reach your goals, you have to work that much harder. So this off season's going to be a tough one for me.

Q. Did you leave the hospital?
PAULA CREAMER: The doctors are here. I have my medication already.

Q. What is the diagnosis, Paula?
PAULA CREAMER: It's peritonitis.

Q. Did you check out of the hospital and come straight here this morning?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, I left the hospital at 7:00 this morning.

Q. Two hours of sleep last night, two hours of sleep the night before?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, it hasn't been much, yeah. It's hard, but you've got to do it early on. I didn't get off to the best start that I wanted.

Q. Paula, the girl that just won, Shin has like 21 wins now in the last two years, kind of an unknown quantity. Have you had a chance to play with her?
PAULA CREAMER: I played with her a couple of times. She's got a great imagination, too. She hits it very straight. I think when she comes over to the LPGA, she's going to be a great player, a great addition to women's golf. I like how she's very, very humble. But at the same time you'd never know that she's had as many wins over in Korea.

Q. Will there be a great sense of what might have been for the next couple of days as far as getting your fifth, maybe getting that money title?
PAULA CREAMER: Definitely. I mean, it's hard for me right now, because, yes, I feel so sick. But it's and I played well under these circumstances. And what if I was feeling great, what would have happened?

But at the same time, I think I was the most calm that I've been in a lot of golf tournaments this week. I think just because my mind was not on golf and not really on the outcome, it was just all right, let's make it through 18. And I don't have enough energy to race out there.

Q. Can you recommend it?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, I recommend getting sick and staying in the hospital (laughing). No.

Q. What would you say was the turning point?
PAULA CREAMER: Eleven and 12, and 13. I took the medicine on the 13th tee.

Q. Was it where the doctors said you're good to go, or was it ultimately your call?
PAULA CREAMER: I told them. I said I have to be out of this hospital at 7:15 this morning at the latest. And they said, okay. So they said, are you sure? And I said, yes. I've gone this far. You want me to come back, I'll come back.

Q. How are you right now? Is there pain, discomfort?
PAULA CREAMER: I think my body is just not used to the medication that I'm on right now. So I was incredibly shaky just because I haven't eaten that much. I felt like I couldn't walk a line, that kind of thing.

I haven't had much potassium and sugar in my blood, so they kind of replenished me. And as I said, I don't feel like myself right now.

Q. Did the IV help quite a bit?
PAULA CREAMER: It did. I feel fine.