Mizuno Classic
Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club
Shima-shi, Mie, Japan
November 8, 2009

Final-round Interviews: Bo Bae Song | Lorena Ochoa

Song wins 2009 Mizuno Classic
Becomes third consecutive player to win event as LPGA non-member

Shima-shi, Mie, Japan, Nov. 8, 2009 – South Korean player Bo Bae Song recorded a 15-under-par 201 (68-65-68) at the 2009 Mizuno Classic to win her first professional event of her career.  With the victory, Song becomes the third-consecutive player to win the Mizuno Classic, as Momoko Ueda won in 2007 and Jiyai Shin won in 2008 before joining the Tour. 

After round one of the event in Shima-shi, Mie, Japan, Song was two strokes back from the lead at 4-under-par 68.  In the second round, Song tied her career-low 65, which she previously set back in 2007.  That score propelled her to the top of the 36-hole leaderboard, which she would prove to hold on to.  To go along with the near-perfect weather and course conditions at Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club, Song recorded 19 birdies and four bogeys for the three-day event, giving her the 15-under-par overall score.

With this week's win, Song became the 14th non-member to win a LPGA Tour official tournament.

“Honestly, I couldn't sleep last night because I was so nervous,” said Song.  “I went to bed at 11 p.m. last night, but woke up around 3 a.m.  Usually that does not happen though.  I've started hitting balls well since last week, and that led to this victory, I think.”

Finishing runner-up at this week's event was a trio of players, top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, Hee Young Park and Brittany Lang.  Ochoa, Park and Lang each finished at 12-under-par 204, which came up just short of Song's 15-under-par mark.  Ochoa's runner-up finish this week is her third of 2009 and 11th overall top-10 finish.  The Mexican star (71-69-64) has won three times in 2009, including the Honda LPGA Thailand, Corona Championship and the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco R.V.  Ochoa's final-round 64 ties the course record at Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club.

“I just thought about doing my best today,” said Ochoa.  “I played aggressively, and that lead to the runner-up finish.  Yes, I scored a 64, which was very good, and now, I can go home happily.  The biggest key for the day was the birdies on the par-5s.”

Also finishing second at the Mizuno Classic was South Korea's Park and Brittany Lang, a four-year LPGA Tour player out of Texas.  Park (67-69-68) tied her career-best finish this week, after turning in a solid 12-under-par 204.  The 22-year-old first set her career-best finish at this year's Honda LPGA Thailand event.  Meanwhile, Lang earned her second runner-up finish of the year, which also ties her career-best, and sixth top-10 performance.  Earlier this year at the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco R.V., Lang set the career-best mark for the first time.  Also in 2009, Lang made her debut appearance on the U.S. Solheim Cup Team, where she helped guide her team to victory over Team Europe.

Kim hits money milestone at Mizuno Classic.  Three-year LPGA Tour player Song-Hee Kim finished tied for 12th at the 2009 Mizuno Classic with an overall score of 9-under-par 207 (69-67-71), and crossed the $2 million mark in career-earnings in the process.  The South Korean player collected a sum of $21,535, which was only six strokes back from the winner, Bo Bae Song's 15-under-par 201 (68-65-68).  Kim has yet to win on the LPGA Tour, but has finished in the top-10 now 17 times since her rookie campaign in 2007, including three third-place and two runner-up outings.  Her two season-best ties for third both came at this year's Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill and Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger events. 

Shin has shot at history.  LPGA Tour Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Jiyai Shin finished in a four-person tie for fifth at the 2009 Mizuno Classic, which she won in 2008, with a combined score of 11-under-par 205 (69-67-69).  Having already captured the top-rookie honor, Shin is now playing for the Rolex Player of the Year award as well.  The South Korean player leads the three-time defending Rolex Player of the Year Lorena Ochoa (71-69-64=204, -12), who finished runner-up this week, by four points in the current Player of the Year race with a pair of events remaining.  Twelve-time LPGA Tour winner Cristie Kerr is also in the hunt, just 29 points behind Shin.  Should Shin win both season-ending awards, she would become the first player to do so since LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Famer Nancy Lopez in 1978. 

In 2008, Shin won three events on the LPGA Tour as a non-member, including the RICOH Women's British Open, this week's Mizuno Classic, and the season-ending ADT Championship, which was the first time in LPGA Tour history an LPGA Tour non-member won three events.  In 2009, the 21-year-old has also won three times, including the HSBC Women's Champions, Wegmans LPGA and the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons. 

DNS.  Ji-Hee Lee and Hiromi Takesue did not start the Mizuno Classic. 

Final-round Interviews: Bo Bae Song | Lorena Ochoa

Bo Bae Song, 68-65-68=201, -15

Q. Congratulations on winning the 2009 Mizuno Classic. How do you feel right now?
BO BAE SONG: Honestly I couldn't sleep last night because I was so nervous. I went to bed at 11 p.m. last night but woke up around 3:00 a.m., usually that does not happen though. I've started hitting balls well since last week, and that lead to this victory I think.

Q. What does it make you to play so well in big tournaments like the Japan Women's Open and Mizuno Classic?
BO BAE SONG: I don't know. I always play with the same mind set in every tournament.

Q. When were you sure of your victory during today's round?
BO BAE SONG: At the 17th hole. My tee-shot went towards the bunker but the ball luckily bounced back and stopped 15ft to the cup.

Q. Lorena had 8 birdies today and was chasing up. Did you feel any pressure?
BO BAE SONG: It wasn't only her. A lot of the other players were chasing up, and I felt nervous. Mistakes are inevitable in golf, so I tried to play my golf to have little mistakes as possible.

Q. Did the pressure affect your swing?
BO BAE SONG: There was pressure. If I get too nervous, I probably wouldn't be able to swing good, so...

Q. How did you feel competing against many other Korean players from the U.S. LPGA Tour? Did you feel that you had to win?
BO BAE SONG: I did not have such feelings, since many U.S. players are senior associates. Shi Hyun Ahn is a senior associate of the Korean National Team, and I have had dinner with her and even spent time together in a Japanese hot spring bath. She plays in the U.S. and I play in Japan so we do not meet often. We have talked about meeting in Tokyo. We will probably go shopping together.

Q. As you have won the Mizuno Classic, you will get exempted for the U.S. LPGA Tour. What is your plan for next year?
BO BAE SONG: I don't know yet. I've played in several big tournaments when I lived in Korea, but I felt that Japan suits me more. So I still don't know yet.

Q. Do your senior associates say you should to come to the US?
BO BAE SONG: Some people say, “lets go to U.S. Tour together...” When I still lived in Korea, I played at the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup and I thought that Japan suits me just fine. I also liked the food here. I've been playing in Japan for three years, and if I were to go to the US tour, it's all a new start for me, so...

Q. There are several tournaments left for you? What is your goal?
BO BAE SONG: I want to win again. Especially at the final event of the season! I want to go for it this time.

Lorena Ochoa, 71-69-64=204, -12

Q. You made a very strong finish.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes. I scored 64, which was very good, and now, I can go home happily.

Q. Were your shots good today?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, but the biggest key for the day was the birdies on the par-5s.

Q. You started off from seven strokes back, but you still did not give up on winning the tournament?
LORENA OCHOA: I just thought about doing my best today. I played aggressively and that lead to the runner-up finish.

Q. What's that shining on your finger? Is it an engagement ring?
LORENA OCHOA: Sure is.