MARATHON CLASSIC PRESENTED BY DANA

July 8, 2021

Tiffany Joh

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Tiff, you were kind of giving us the rundown on the way up here, but we want to talk about this incredible GoFundMe campaign that you helped spearhead for Jane Park. You said it was a last-minute creation that went out at 8:00 am this morning. What has the last few days been like for you and what you've heard?

TIFFANY JOH: Well, it's definitely been like a bit of a roller coaster. Of course this is just an awful situation that I wouldn't ever wish on anyone.

But at the same time, just I think the support and the love that Jane and Pete and little Gigi have gotten to experience over the last week has been just super overwhelming. And, I mean, it's been a little tough because I feel like people come up to me and I think they're excited to talk to me but they're really just asking about Jane.

But, no, it's been so cool and just like right -- even walking up 18 today I was like, I can't wait to turn on my phone and see how the GoFundMe is doing. I definitely didn't imagine that -- I mean, I did imagine it because everyone loves Jane and Pete and Grace.

At the same time, I didn't realize that the support would be so overwhelming.

Q. I was down there on 18 when you finally went through with your phone, started scrolling, and you looked at me and said, I'm not done scrolling. Just how in that moment, what kind of emotions have you been feeling?

TIFFANY JOH: I think just, I mean, I'm not surprised because this LPGA family -- I mean, I've been on tour for ten years and this LPGA family has been so good to me.

But I think just like seeing it in action and seeing like just the outpouring of support for Jane and Pete and Grace has been -- it's just been so cool. I mean, Jane has been my best friend since I was 13, so it's been really hard to see her go through this.

But it's just on the flip side, like this has been such a cool thing to witness.

Q. Cool thing to witness and something you put together. We were just talking about throwing out names that have been donating in their honor. We are talking about someone from the Big Bang Theory, Molly, the new commissioner, Mike the outgoing commissioner. What does that mean to you to see the LPGA family come together?

TIFFANY JOH: It's definitely something I'm really going to miss, that's for sure. But I feel like it's the mafia. I think once you're in, you're in it.

So I feel comfortable like still being able to walk away and being a part of this big family.

Q. You talk about walking away because you announced that this was going to be your last event, and you were telling me down there you planned to just Irish good-bye the whole thing.

TIFFANY JOH: That's kind of my thing. That's what I do at parties. I didn't realize Ben edited things so fast and posted them that day. I totally thought it would come out next week and then by then I would be like, Ha, see you later. I'm out.

But, yeah, I think at the beginning I was like, Man, I really want to just like float on out of here and not tell anyone. It's been really cool having people come up.

When you've been on tour for this long I think you really take for granted these little moments. Even in the pro-am yesterday we had like a two-hour delay and we were sitting in dining and I was like, Man, even this is such a special moment, something I'm really going to miss.

At the same time, it's like -- for me, I felt like this was time for my career to come full circle and really pay forward everything that golf has given me. So I think I was telling Ben that at the end of the day like playing tournaments and playing major championships is such a cool experience, but I think like forming these -- just making these lasting relationships and growing the game has just become like more and more important to me, and it's been something I've been really holding onto in my heart.

I'm really excited for the next step at the same time.

Q. When did you realize you wanted to take the next step, that you were thinking about walking away from the game?

TIFFANY JOH: I think actually a couple years ago I knew that like I was thinking about the next -- I actually was doing the Next Play, which is a scholarship program we offer on the LPGA and they have a career coaching type of deal. Even then I knew that the next step for me was going to be some type of coaching deal.

I didn't realize it was going to be this soon, but I think like everyone else I had a bit of a COVID existential crisis and that sped the process up a little bit.

I think the more I think about it and the more I go along this process, the more I feel like this is the path that I was meant to be taking.

Q. I know you said with Ben that you'll qualify for the U.S. Women's Open until you're 145, but what will tomorrow be like for you, do you think?

TIFFANY JOH: I think tomorrow will be just like today. Hopefully more birdies. But I was playing with Jaye and Lindy Duncan out there and it was like it didn't matter what the ball was doing, what I shot, how many birdies I made.

I was just so thankful to be out there walking with them. So I think that's what tomorrow is going to be like.

Q. I hope you get to scroll through those GoFundMe notifications there because you'll be definitely intrigued.

TIFFANY JOH: Thanks.