SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

June 9, 2022

Mina Harigae

Seaview, A Dolce Hotel

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, here with Mina Harigae at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer.

Mina, coming off a big week for you, a very successful week. It's almost been a full week since the tournament started.

Can you take some time and reflect on what you've been doing since your great finish there at the U.S. Women's Open and how it just feels, everything that happened?

MINA HARIGAE: Since after play on Sunday I honestly haven't been doing very much at all. I've been quite tired the last few days. I've been taking it easy, trying to replenish my energy, and, yeah, just trying to soak it all in.

Sometimes it's really hard to believe that I had such an amazing week last week.

Q. Yeah. I was reading some articles and you said to a reporter that that was one of the best moments of your career. And it's been a long career for you. Your rookie year was 2010. Did you expect this moment to come after all this time being a professional?

MINA HARIGAE: Maybe not -- I have always hoped for a week like that. Obviously would've been even more amazing if I won. Still, I came out with a great week.

So I didn't know -- I didn't think or expect that it was going to come last week, but after the first round I was like, Hey, maybe this is my week, and I just kept playing solid golf.

Q. Yeah. Can you just speak a little bit -- and this has sort of been a theme of the week -- about the up and downs of this game, and does having a big, amazing moment like that make you appreciate the hardships a little more?

MINA HARIGAE: Yes, definitely. Having those lows in my career makes me appreciate where I am so much more. Also I think going through a period of time like that made me a lot stronger as a person and player. I can draw from experiences, good and bad.

So every time I'm in contention, situations like that, I feel like I learn every time. (Smiling.)

Q. Financially I know this game is not -- and we talked about it a little bit with the players yesterday -- is not always the most lucrative. Having a big second place check, are you happy to see that trending upward in the women's game?

MINA HARIGAE: Yes, I'm very happy to see that. It's just the first step of hopefully many steps in the future of women's golf.

Q. Uh-huh. Any ideas how you might cash that check?

MINA HARIGAE: (Laughter.) Not quite sure yet. We're just taking it day by day. Maybe if I see something I really like I'll go ahead and have a little splurge.

Q. Yeah, so I want to talk about this tournament. Now, coming off the U.S. Women's Open, coming into ShopRite, how does an incredible performance like that factor into this week?

MINA HARIGAE: I think a lot of it has to do with riding my momentum. I really, really like coming to this golf course. I think it suits my game very well.

You have to hit the fairway here. There is a lot of fescue around. Greens are small. You got to make the putts that you have to make.

So I think just coming off the momentum from last week will do me some good.

Q. Yeah. You're still searching for that win. You think coming off a really good second place is going to help push you towards the end goal, the first place victory?

MINA HARIGAE: I think so. I learned a lot about myself and my game from the final round as well, so I think that will help me hopefully propel myself to the champion's seat.

Q. I saw that you first played this tournament back in your rookie year, 2010. What are some of the differences that you have seen in ShopRite all these years from when you first started here?

MINA HARIGAE: I actually didn't get to see the golf course yet. I was really tired yesterday. I love it. Like I said, you have to hit the fairways. The wind can be a huge factor as well on scoring.

So I just think this course really suits my game, and I always look forward to coming back here year after year.

Q. Why does it suit your game? It's a shorter course I know, but what specifically suits your game about it?

MINA HARIGAE: Having to hit the fairway. I'm a pretty good driver of the golf ball I would say. It just depends on me -- you know, on the greens year after year.

Yeah, I think having -- playing a shorter course helps me a lot. But even though this is a shorter course the scores aren't ridiculously low as well, so I think that also plays into my favor.

Q. What about ShopRite, even besides the course, you can speak on makes you come back every year? You haven't missed ShopRite since you first started in 2010.

MINA HARIGAE: That's a lot of years. I just like the area. I always like staying here at the hotel or at the villas behind the driving range. Everything is so convenient.

I love that it's a Friday start, especially after a major. It kind of gives you the extra day to reset.

Yeah, I'm just very comfortable coming here every year.

Q. We were with Marina Alex earlier who has played here a lot as well. We asked her this question, but what are do you remember sort of from your first year, and can you put that in perspective at all being here several years later?

MINA HARIGAE: I think the thing I remember most about this tournament is the crowds are always huge, no matter what time of year it is. So it's always -- it's amazing to see the support we get from the local community.

That's what's really sticks out in my forefront of my mind.

Q. Big storyline for you last week was those Dior shoes. Can we expect any great shoe reveals this week? Anything exciting?

MINA HARIGAE: As of right now, nothing new yet. Those Dior shoes are definitely my favorite right now.

Q. I want to talk to about your parents. They talked about that a little on the broadcast last week, how they own a sushi restaurant in California. Did you talk to them a lot while you were playing in the Open, and what were they saying afterwards and during?

MINA HARIGAE: Actually, I don't talk to my parents during tournament weeks. I think they're nervous for me and excited for me, but I always call them soon as the tournament is over.

So when I called them after Sunday evening they were just so thrilled for me. My dad even brought the TV from the house to the restaurant so that they could watch. The restaurant was the closed, but during the broadcast they brought it to the restaurant so that they could just watch it there. You know, support me from behind the scenes.

Q. Did they have any like Mina specials going on there at the restaurant?

MINA HARIGAE: No, I don't think so. But from what I see from Instagram and what I've heard, the people, the locals and people we haven't seen in a little bit, they've been going into the restaurant to see my parents.

It's been nice.

Q. Two more questions from me: I want to ask a little bit about how, as I mentioned before, you've had a long career and this is like one of the best moments coming off of. How important is it to just stay patient even when those moments don't come, especially for younger golfers?

MINA HARIGAE: It's extremely important to stay patient, especially I think trusting and sticking with the process that you have. Really believing in it is what helped me a lot.

I got off to a slow start this year and I kind of hit the panic button a little bit, but I always remind myself that I tend to play better when summer comes around.

So I think just being patient and believing that I will start playing better again is really key.

Q. And with Curtis Cup this week, how excited are you to cheer on the Americans? I know you are a former Curtis Cup alumni.

MINA HARIGAE: I'm really excited to see how they play on such a historic and an amazing course like Merion. I wish we could be there to support the U.S. team, but I'm rooting for them from over here in New Jersey.

Q. I know you said Solheim is a goal for you being an American player. You think your U.S. Women's Open performance really bumped up your resume there? Hope to get back to that?

MINA HARIGAE: I would like to hope so, yeah. Playing under pressure like that, but also having played Solheim Cup last fall, I think it really prepared me for the weekend last week.

So seeing the crowds, the immense pressure, and it really made me miss that atmosphere of Solheim Cup. I'm really excited to work my way back onto the team.

Q. I know I said this a minute ago, but really last question: You talked a lot last week about the mental part of your game and how you sort of had some times where you were almost sick because it was such a rough course. How important is just like keeping yourself together mentally and just really trying to push through? And how difficult is that? I know it's not easy.

MINA HARIGAE: I think that was the No. 1 thing that helped me get through that final round, was just not losing my mind, really trying to focus on my breathing, slowing down my mind, really focus on what I was doing and not worry so much about what Minjee and the other players are doing.

So, yeah, I think the mental part of the game, especially moments like that, is the most important. So it was really cool to see that, me being able to handle that in that kind of situation.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Mina. That's all from us here.

MINA HARIGAE: Thank you.