MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 16, 2022

Jennifer Kupcho

Blythefield Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Jennifer Kupcho who had herself a day. 9-under 63; bogey-free. I mean, you went out in 30 on the front nine. What got you off to that hot start?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I hit a mistakenly really great shot on the first hole. Honestly thought I was going to miss the green but ended up great.

Took advantage of that, and then sunk a longer putt on the second hole, and that really just boosted my confidence, especially in this wind.

Q. All of your birdies and your one eagle were all back-to-back. Like was it just you make one, you wanted to make another right away? What was the mindset?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Honestly I've been here the last couple of years and really been comfortable with this place. Honestly, a lot of the holes are birdie holes, so I felt like I could go out and birdie every hole.

I think that that was just the mindset starting every new hole, is doing that.

Q. 14 today, Aon Risk Reward hole. Made an eagle. Take me through that hole.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I finally hit the fairway. I honestly don't think I've hit that fairway every single time I've played here, so that was super nice.

And then I hit the green and sunk a pretty long putt as well.

Q. Coming into this week been playing some good golf recently. Obviously got with your first win, first major, at Chevron earlier this year. You're just a lot more confident it feels like. When you come to a place like this, like you said, that you kind of have always played well but not gone really low at, what's the mindset? Going 9-under is nothing to scoff at.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I mean, just coming out and playing my best. I think when people ask me what my favorite event out here is, aside from obviously the majors, I always say this event. I have a really good host family. I love this course. I think it's just a level of comfort.

Q. What was the club you hit into 14?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: A hybrid, big hybrid. I just call it my big hybrid because I have a little one and a big one.

Q. How far were you?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: 208 front.

Q. And then just how tricky was it coming in, even the wedge shot at 17 with the wind swirling? How hard was it to figure out shots out here?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, it was gusting pretty much all day, but definitely got really bad the last four holes. So just kind of taking it as a grain of salt. I missed the green from like 80 yards on 17, so I kind of just had to say, well, whatever; that's what it is.

It's very windy, so...

Q. Is that kind of your mindset when maybe you don't hit the best of shots, is that whatever, it is what it is, and you just go up and hit the next shot? How does that kind of help you and has it helped you over the course of the season and whatnot?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think that's something I've really grown to learn since I've been out here, specifically this year I've been more calm and I would say my short game is a lot better.

So I'm also a lot more comfortable going up there and hitting that shot, so I think that that really helps as well.

Q. You'll be sleeping on the lead. What are you excited most about getting ready for tomorrow?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Getting back out here. Honestly, there is a lot of golf so anything can happen. I mean, you see that week in and week out. Girls go out and shoot really low and then they shoot even par the next day.

So there is a lot of golf and we'll see what happens.

Q. Let's talk about how much this golf course changed in that last nine holes. It's been wet all week. It was a little firmer yesterday. Had a little rain last night and got a little soft early today. How much different did this course play with that wind and did it firm anything up out there?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I don't know if it necessarily firmed it up. I think it really just affected the shots. Downwind shots it was really hard to stop the ball, but I don't think that's because the greens were hard or anything like that.

I think it's still pretty soft out there.

Q. Going low day one, what's the mindset kind of heading into the rest of the week and what positives will you carry forward?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I think just going out and continue to play the best that I can. I mean, I saw a lot of putts go in, so knowing that it's probably not going to come that easy the next three days and just reminding myself of that when I do start missing putts later this weekend.