LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP

April 15, 2021

Rose Zhang

Kapolei Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Rose. Here we are after day two in Hawaii. Take us through the second round. Got off to a hot start with the three consecutive birdies on your front nine. Take us through those three.

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, I feel like I was just rolling the ball well and I hit the shots I needed to hit into those greens. So everything was going pretty well in that birdie stretch.

Then I did kind of falter on 17 and 18. It was just like minor mistakes, and then I also pulled it into the water.

But I think I lessened the mistakes out here today, and just came back on the back nine.

Q. You're getting more and more experienced after you make some of those mistakes like you did at 17 and 18 of really compartmentalizing it and moving on. Do you think that has to do with just all the performances you've had on the LPGA and Symetra Tour over the last couple months?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, I definitely agree. It's very difficult to kind of just adjust yourself on the course, and I think that's what great players do, especially watching all the LPGA pros out here. I gain a lot of inspiration.

So I think it just really helps when I watch these players and they're playing out here as their daily life. It's really cool to see. So I kind of just gain inspiration where I kind of tune in to what I'm doing and go with my game plan.

Q. And you built up your momentum again in that first round -- I mean, on your back nine, the front nine, and especially that birdie on 18 there. Take us through the last hole.

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, so I kind of pulled my drive just a little bit and then it just -- it almost went in the water, but I was pretty fortunate for it to stay up.

And on my second shot I had a bit -- it was kind of a crosswind and I decided to take the shorter club because it would roll back. Had a good putt with a bit of break, quite a bit of break, and then made a good stroke.

So I think overall it was good. Definitely I got lucky on that first drive.

Q. I know you told me yesterday that this kind of came together last minute for you.

ROSE ZHANG: Yes.

Q. When did you get to Hawaii and who is here with you this week?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, so I got here I believe Sunday. Yes, I got here on Sunday and I only played a practice round on Tuesday. I just practiced on Monday.

But my dad is with me this week. He's on the bag. It's just us, so it's pretty nice. Because it's last minute we only decided to have him come.

Q. Is he enjoying paradise as well?

ROSE ZHANG: Yes, he's enjoying paradise. I think he has a little heart attack from the shots that I play, but overall he's enjoying his time I think. I hope at least.

Q. Is he on your bag through the past performances we've seen?

ROSE ZHANG: Yes, he is. The only probably performance that I -- that he wasn't on the bag was Augusta this past week or this other week. Yeah, Women's Am, ANA, it's all him on the bag.

So we make a pretty good team.