BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 26, 2021

Jennifer Chang

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

Q. Jennifer Chang, you just gave Inbee Park a run for her money. You tied her through 18 holes. Got to feel pretty proud of that. How are you doing right now?

JENNIFER CHANG: Yeah, it was quite the grind out there. When I saw what group I was in and I knew I had a chance play with Inbee, I just thought was it as a learning experience. There is so much you can learn from the best in the world. So I was pretty excited to play with her.

Q. You mentioned she was just hitting it wherever she wanted to. That means you were playing well as well. What do you think about your game today after you walk off of with that half point?

JENNIFER CHANG: Yeah, I made a lot of clutch putts just to tie the hole with her. I'm sure she probably didn't have her A game, but, again, wherever she hit off the green she was going to get up and down and I knew that, so I just had to give myself a chance for birdie or save pars to tie with her.

Q. You had a nice streak there at 6, 7, 8 where you won three in a row to go 2-up. Walk us through those holes and what you did there.

JENNIFER CHANG: I didn't try to push myself to try to change anything. Just kind of go up there and get the yardage and aim where I want to hit it. It just all came together those three holes and then had some momentum.

And then she came back, chipped it in from the back of the green, which it's really hard to do.

And so, I mean, still happy with the result.

Q. You were the last player to get into the field, so an extra bonus for you to be here. How are you feeling out here at this match play event?

JENNIFER CHANG: Yeah, I'm fortunate to get the last spot. I was going to come out here anyway and just kind of wait and see if someone decided to drop out, and it kind of worked out for me. The moment I landed I figured I got the last spot, so I'm very happy.

Q. You're one of the few rookies in the field and it's been a strange two-year rookie year after last year's chaos. How are you feeling after you get into the real grind of the rookie campaign?

JENNIFER CHANG: Yeah, I think I'm very fortunate I was able to keep my card going into this year, and to have a top 10 at the start, it just boosts my confidence a lot.

So to have a chance to play in this event that's a limited field, I mean, it's an honor and I'm excited for this week.

Q. It's a great learning experience for you as well, I would think.

JENNIFER CHANG: Yeah, for sure.

Q. And still rookie year. What's the experience with match play? I know you do that a lot on the junior and collegiate side of things, but don't get it here as much on the pro side.

JENNIFER CHANG: Yeah, I finished runner-up at the U.S. Girls Junior in 2017, and then with college, the NCAAs, I've had match play events a few times. I'm very familiar with it.

Just this time it's on the bigger stage with the best in the world.

Q. Do you think back to that girls junior runner-up or these other experiences while you're out there, or is this a new ballgame?

JENNIFER CHANG: Kind of. I mean, at the same time the competition is very elite, but I know how to play match play and kind of just stick to the game plan going into each match.

Q. What do you take from today's great play that I apply to tomorrow?

JENNIFER CHANG: Yeah, you know, don't try to change anything. I'm playing against great players, so just going to keep learning each and every day.