PALOS VERDES CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY BANK OF AMERICA

April 28, 2022

Albane Valenzuela

Palos Verdes Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Albane Valenzuela. Nice little 5-under 66 to start your week out here at Palos Verdes Golf Club, a place you've played before. These conditions feel familiar? How good was that round today?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Very happy with my round. I mean, you know, it's been a long time coming since I've had a good birdie streak in my round, so very happy with the way I played.

Hit the ball really well today from tee to green, so felt very patient out there. Had kind of a bumpy start, a lot of lip-outs, but I managed to stay patient and really fight until the end.

Q. What were some of your personal highlights out there today?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: You know, just making those birdie putts finally. I feel like the last few weeks I've just seen the ball go around the hole and not drop.

So just getting that three birdie streak and then finally getting that one also on the last was just really good feeling. I'm just proud of myself for fighting through.

Q. You said it's been kind of a while since you feel like you've shot this low of a number. How do you stay patient throughout that whole process?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Oh, man, golf tests your patience like no other sport. I feel like my game has been good this year and the score hasn't reflected the way I've been playing.

Definitely a little bit frustrating because I feel like I could just be out there and I was just wasting shots all the time. So it was just nice to post a nice score and get some momentum.

Q. What did you find ahead of this week that's really helped you score?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Honestly, I just kept doing the same thing. I knew it was eventually a matter of time before I saw putt drops. I shot 5-under today, but I really gave myself 16 opportunities for birdie.

I felt like I played some great golf out there, so just a matter of staying patient and just trusting the process. I feel like I've done all the right things. I'm working hard, and it's just a matter of score happening.

It's out of your control sometimes.

Q. What have you found with your ball striking?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Ball striking has been good for a while. Worked really hard in the off-season. Last year was the total opposite. I was hitting it awfully and just scrambling to make pars, make cuts, and just keep my card last year.

So it's kind of different way of playing golf. Now I'm finding fairways, hitting a lot of greens and just hitting it well. I just feel like I'm very calm and I just trust my own game and really just commit to what I know how to do.

Q. Kind of with your roots, it's kind of cold, a little damp out here, got that little kikuyu grass, tricky grass out there. Do these conditions feel good to you? Is that you're style of play?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: You know, I love this place. I have some very special memories here playing with Stanford. I think we came all four years during my time there. I lost Pac-12s here in a playoff, so I had some really good rounds here on this course.

I think I shot 5-under also as an amateur. I think really feeding off that good momentum that I had in college, all those good memories, I'm staying with one of my best friends this week, one of my college roommates, so all the good vibes always help.

Q. What positives will you carry will you into the rest of the week?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: I mean, you know, hopefully just keep doing the same thing. I just have to target as many fairways, greens, set myself small goals. Golf is -- golf is a marathon. Four rounds of golf, there is a lot of golf left out there. I'm just happy to get off to a good start.