U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

June 4, 2021

Megan Khang

The Olympic Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Megan, three birdies against two bogeys. How would you describe today's round?

MEGAN KHANG: Today's round was pretty solid out there. I mean, when you hit it into the rough you kind of hope you make par and you're fine making bogeys. You know it's going to happen out there. Just kind of always trying to make sure you make more birdies than bogeys.

But luckily enough I was able to save myself some opportunities down the stretch and just kind of take it easy and stay focused on the present moment.

Q. How did the course play today versus yesterday?

MEGAN KHANG: Like I said, playing in the morning definitely helps a little more. I mean, yesterday in the afternoon balls were definitely releasing a lot more in the fairway, so I had a few shorter shots in as well as some up tees.

But this morning it was still pretty good. There were some drives out there where I didn't think it was going to roll into the rough but it did, and you just had to deal with it. The maintenance crew has kept this course very similar day in and day out and it's incredible.

Q. You're making your ninth appearance. What have you learned along the way that's serving you so well?

MEGAN KHANG: I definitely learned that you can't win it the first day or the second day. No matter what event you're at it's never a sprint, it's a marathon, and just kind of keep saying positive, give yourself chances and really kind of stay within yourself and try not to get ahead of yourself.

Q. What do you expect on the weekend? How does the course change? How do the emotions change once you get to the second half of the event?

MEGAN KHANG: I mean, each day is more exciting, more nerve-racking. I like to look at it as embracing it because you can't really shy away from it. You know it's going to happen. It's inevitable. I love these kind of feelings, and I definitely for sure know the course is going to give us its best and we're going to have to give our best.

Q. Yesterday it seemed like there were maybe lower scores than people expected --

MEGAN KHANG: Definitely.

Q. Today the holes are a little closer to the edge. Did you feel like it was harder today and do you expect that to continue on the weekend?

MEGAN KHANG: Yeah, definitely they moved some tees back compared to yesterday. But I mean, it's the U.S. Women's Open. Like you're going to expect nothing but tough conditions, and if they happen to move a tee up, you're excited. You do a little dance party inside.

But again, you expect it to be long, hard, and windy out here, so you have to mentally prepare for that.

Q. Last year you finished fifth in December in Houston when it was also chilly conditions. Do you think back to your performance there when you're taking on Olympic Club this week?

MEGAN KHANG: As much as I'd love to say like yes, it does give me confidence where I can play well in an event like this, but at the same time, it's such different conditions. It's a new year. It's a new setup. It's just kind of, like I said, embracing the new environment, new golf course, and just giving it all you've got.

Q. You were able to start off with a birdie, and two holes later kind of evened out with a bogey, but how much does a birdie on the first hole really help with your momentum?

MEGAN KHANG: It really sets the pace to give you a little confidence like, Okay, we got the first one out of the way. Let's do this. I feel like the first one is always the hardest, and get it on the first hole it's just a confidence boost, like, yes, they're out there.

Q. We've heard from players this week that if you get a par on some of these holes it's a win. It feels just as good as a birdie or an eagle. Do you feel the same way?

MEGAN KHANG: I definitely feel the same way, especially if you hit a drive in the rough. Like if you get a par it feels like a birdie sometimes. I think even out here at Olympic Club if you shoot even par it's like you've shot under par out here. That's how tough it is.

Q. I know we've joked around about the colder conditions when you're wearing those short sleeved shirts and those shorts out there. Do you like the windier conditions? Do you like playing in the cold?

MEGAN KHANG: I don't know if I like it. It's just I grew up in the northeast and this is the kind of weather we kind of had.

Yeah, Lydia joked with me this morning. She was like, Oh, you know it's cold when Megan wears pants. I told her, I was like, Oh, I got to the golf course and I was like, I definitely could have wore shots.

But no, I guess this kind of weather makes me feel kind of at home and it's just comforting that I don't find it necessarily that cold compared to others.

Q. Are you a leaderboard watcher at all?

MEGAN KHANG: Oh, I try not to be, but I'm such a leaderboard watcher. It's so bad. I think in the interview earlier I was checking the leaderboard before we even started. For me though that kind of pushes me to either stay -- like chase and like get up there with them or just kind of like, okay, let's keep it going. Like let's not hang back.

Q. With that leaderboard especially on 18, did you realize where you were in the tournament when you were coming up that fairway?

MEGAN KHANG: I try not to, like I said, but it's just human nature for me at that gaze up at that massive leaderboard and just kind absorb it all.

Q. How would you describe sort of the vibe with the fans? There's more fans than originally they expected. For a while there was going to be no fans here, and now it seems like there's a decent amount. How did that sort of shape the event?

MEGAN KHANG: You forget how much you miss fans until you actually get fans back. I love it. I walked 18 tee and someone was like, Let's go, Megan, and I was like, Oh, okay. Like we have fans. It's true. It's just such a different environment and it's so welcoming, it's so inviting.

For me I want to make a putt just to hear the fans roar and stuff like that.

Q. Any memorable shot today, any particular shot where the rough, the ball settled down or you hit a tree or anything memorable about today or the course?

MEGAN KHANG: I guess the only memorable shot was a good shot for me. I was in the fairway and I hit like a little chip 8 into 12, and it was a little nice one-foot birdie putt for me. That's good memories right there.