LPGA MEDIHEAL CHAMPIONSHIP

June 12, 2021

Albane Valenzuela

Lake Merced Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Albane Valenzuela, 4-under 68 on moving day has you in the clubhouse at 6-under. You're only one off the current lead on the course right now. Just take us through the day and how you reached 68.

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, played some good golf out there. Really gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities and had six birdies today, which is really good, especially when the fog really started to come in. It kind of got a little tricky. I felt that I stayed really patient.

I had two bogeys that kind of threw me off, but I think I just managed to get myself back together and finish with a birdie on two par-5s actually, so was really pleased with my round.

Q. The marine layer set in probably, what, a little around halfway through your round or so. Does that distort things, make the perception, vantage points a little different?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Definitely felt a little bit different, but at the same time -- I thought actually they were going to call us in. My caddies was like, You're playing so well. I don't want them to call you in. I was like, You know what, it's golf. You never know what's going to happen.

It's just pretty usual for SF weather to have fog come in. I think I just stayed patient, did my thing, and just enjoyed it.

Q. You're used to it.

ALBANE VALENZUELA: You're never used to it.

Q. You said six birdies. Especially on the front nine you went bogey-free with birdies at 4, 5, and 7. Let's start with the bogey-free performance on the front nine. Any one of those in particular stand out?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Well, today, I mean, I had three really good gap wedges that I knocked to like four feet, five feet. I think having three solid shots in those three holes really gave me a good birdie opportunity.

My goal for today was to play better the par-5s, so with my caddie we said if we can be 2-under for the day on par-5s would be good. Managed to go 3-under, so really pleased about that.

That was my mini for myself. Glad I accomplished it.

Q. Gap wedges on those three birdies on the front?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yes.

Q. Then on the back nine you mentioned a couple bogeys that got away from you at 12 and 14. You had birdies at 11, 15, and 18. Two of the par-5s you found birdies, like you mentioned. Take us through the mindset on the par-5s and what that back nine was like.

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Just really played them aggressive. I think I was just playing a little bit conservative on this course, and I just had two hybrids on the par-5s and I just really went for it, had good drives. And on the last one, 18, I wasn't necessarily feeling comfortable with the shot because I'm a drawer and I had a lot of wind right to left.

My caddie said, Enjoy the shot and just try your best. Ideally you knock it next to the pin. I was like, That's a little idealistic. But I hit a great shot and I was on the green and two-putted there.

Q. We talked on day one about you and your college teammate, former roommate on the bag. What's it been like having her on the bag now three days in?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Awesome, absolutely awesome. She's such a great caddie. I mean, she really knows what to tell me at the right time. She knows how to calm me down. She knows when to intervene, when to set aside.

She's great. I had to tell her again on 15, Do you realize you're actually like the best caddie I've ever had in my entire life? Competition with my brother.

But she's awesome. I really can't thank her enough for taking the time to do this with me, and we're really having fun.

Q. You're smart yourself, but is she offering some advice that you're like, Okay, come again?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah. Yeah, she's a very aggressive player herself. She played -- she's a stellar golfer. Just had a great amateur career and she won Chinese LPGA before coming to Stanford, so she really knows how it feels like to be under pressure and have important shots and just how to be creative out there.

I think just having her as a player is just an extra help. And she's also my best friend, so she just really knows what to tell me at the right time.

Q. Last one. You climbed the leaderboard today. Lots of golf to be played still to be played for some of the leaders today from the back nine. You were tied for third entering the final round at the LPGA Drive On Championship presented by Volvik at Golden Ocala earlier this year. What have you learned from that experience and your finish there that you can take with you into tomorrow and hopefully give a chase at a first win?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, you know, I'm just going to keep enjoying it. I think I feel much calmer out there. I think I'm finally really feeling calm playing on the golf course.

And I started really feeling like terrible. My swing was completely off. I could not feel my stroke and I just managed to say, You know what, golf is an everyday thing. It's not because you don't feel great you're not going to score low.

I think I just had a good mindset, and whatever happens tomorrow happens, right? It's just golf at the end of the day, and next week is another event as well. Just going to try giving my best.

Q. Does the swing feel a little better now than earlier in the week?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yes, for sure.