Yoon Ina: "I Want to Break My Late-Round Jinx at This Tournament"

BMW Ladies Championship Official Press Conference
No Top 10 Finishes This Year... Recent Struggles in Rounds 3 and 4
"This Year Is a Time for Growth. Please Believe in Me and Watch Over My Journey"

Rookie Yuna Kim expressed her determination to claim her first victory on the LPGA Tour.

At the official press conference for the BMW Ladies Championship (total prize money of 2.3 million dollars) held on October 15 at Pine Beach Golf Links (par 72, 6,785 yards) in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, Kim spoke candidly about her struggles in the latter rounds of tournaments. Calling it a "valuable experience," she pledged, "I will overcome it with patience."

Yuna Kim is smiling at the official press conference of the BMW Ladies Championship. Photo by BMW Ladies Championship Organizing Committee

This season, Yuna Kim has not finished in the top 10 in any of the 22 tournaments she has entered and missed the cut in 14 of them. Recently, however, she seems to be gradually adjusting to life in the United States. Earlier this month, she was tied for eighth after the second round at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii, and at the Buick LPGA Shanghai, which concluded recently in Shanghai, China, she was in second place after the second round. The problem has been finishing strong. In both tournaments, she experienced a sudden slump in her shots during the third and fourth rounds. She ended up tied for 42nd at the Lotte Championship and tied for 26th at the Buick LPGA Shanghai.

Kim said, "There have been many times recently when I couldn't perform well in the third and fourth rounds, but I don't want to dwell on it," adding, "When I was in contention during the first and second rounds, I think I put too much pressure on myself because I wanted to do well. I won't rush things." She continued, "I definitely want to break this jinx," and emphasized, "I hope this tournament will be the stage where I can do it."

She explained, "Although I haven't achieved the results I hoped for this season, I am grateful for this period as a great opportunity in my life," adding, "I see this year as a time for growth and am working on strengthening myself." She also said, "Even if I don't achieve a win right away, I will do my best," and asked, "I hope you will continue to believe in me and watch over my journey."