ANA INSPIRATION

April 1, 2021

Jennifer Kupcho

Mission Hills Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Jen, a solid day, 3-under 69. Only one blemish on 18 18. Take us through the day, how you got to 69.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I played really well. Hit a lot of greens, a lot of fairways. Was striking the ball really well. Didn't get all the putts to fall, but I been working on my putting the last week. Figured out something that was wrong, so it's exciting to see some longer putts fall.

Q. What was the thing you fixed?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I'm kind of cutting across the ball a little bit in my putting stroke, so just trying to kind of go straight through.

Q. Fine tuned for the majors. Good idea.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah.

Q. Take us through 18. I know it's a challenging hole. A lot different than it's played in the past five, six years with the grandstand not there. What was the approach today and how do you get back at it tomorrow?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, it's hard because, I mean, I hit a perfect drive and I have 4-iron in, and I highly doubt I could have stopped it on the green. So had to go and layup and then just didn't hit a good wedge shot and obviously didn't make up and down from that.

But I know it's kind of a little bit of a bummer to not have the grandstand. Not only for that, but it's just really hard for us to hold a longer club into it, so the long hitters, some of them are going for it. If you're just a little bit back you can't really go for it.

Q. What's your go-zone for that hole? Is there a go-zone?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Me and my caddie were talking about it. We don't think I could even hold a 5-iron, especially at this time of day. It's really hard out there. Maybe in the morning. Obviously I doubt it will be moved up again tomorrow morning, but we'll see.

Q. I know they said they were moving them up all four days.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Okay.

Q. So we'll see.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Maybe tomorrow morning.

Q. Yeah, exactly. You had birdies at No. 5, 9, 11 and 17. Any of those in particular stand out?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Honestly, not really. They were all pretty much just fairway, green. The only interesting one was No. 9. I nearly missed a 3-wood and had 60 yards in in deep rough, pretty bad lie, and put to like 25 feet and made the putt, so that was cool.

Q. Last year was your first year at this event competing. What you did take away from it to get you prepared for your No. 2 just several months later?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: It's a really scorable golf course for long hitters especially, and I consider myself that. It's pretty wide open I feel like, so I'm a pretty good driver and hit it really well.