THE AMUNDI EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 23, 2022

Albane Valenzuela

Evian Resort Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Albane, fantastic round of golf. You started at 3-under par but you put in your lowest round in a major championship, a round of 64. What clicked for you today?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: I just played really solid, but I feel like I haven't necessarily played the course any different. I just dropped a few putts. I was actually really close to a lot of pins today and just managed to capitalize on them.

Honestly, was just like so patient and just really had fun. Wasn't concerned about the score or looking at the leaderboard. I was just focusing on my game, and turned out to be a really good round.

Q. You grew up just down the lake in Geneva. You spent the age of 5 to 18 there. That was kind of your home. Your parents met here. Talk about what this event means to you.

ALBANE VALENZUELA: It means the world. I love this place so much. This was the first major I played as an amateur, and I'm so thankful to Franck and the entire team at Evian for giving me that opportunity back then.

I think that gave he me a huge understanding of what tour life would look like and was an incredible experience.

To come back as a pro, it's so special. And to have my friends, family, and the support from Swiss people who are right across the lake, it means a lot.

Q. You put yourself in contention for tomorrow. It's going to be a big day. Well played today.

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Thank you.

Q. Here with Albane Valenzuela. Tied the second lowest score of the week, 64; 7-under today. I mean, what a round of golf. You had a lot of back-to-back birdies out there. What clicked that you found today?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: I think my iron play was better today, and so I gave myself more opportunities. I rolled my putts well, gave myself a lot of looks, so I think on average you end up dropping some.

Once you start having six-footers, nine-footers for birdie you have to put a good roll on them and you end up capitalizing.

I felt I just stayed very patient. I played well. Nothing necessarily different, but I just managed to score better.

Q. What was, in your opinion, you best approach shot of the day you hit really close?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: I think my approach on 17 was really good. You know, it wasn't really a comfortable number for me. I had hundred meters actually and I ended up taking one club less and going really aggressive at it. It went just straight to the pin and I left myself like a three-footer.

So I think that was one of the highlights because it was definitely not an easy pin today.

Q. Walk me through those back-to-back birdies. Today you seemed to make like one birdie, make one right after. What was the mindset going on? Are we just still trying to attack?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: You know, I think I gave myself even more opportunity. You know, even on the back nine I actually missed a lot of putts for birdie.

18 I missed.

16 I missed.

15 I missed.

I missed shorter putt on 14.

And I felt the entire day I just gave myself opportunities. I was never far off.

I think I probably missed two greens today. My ball striking was really solid, so it was just a matter of making one birdie and next one, next one, next one.

I was never focused on score. I was just really focused on my game. Honestly, just had a blast out there.

Q. Which is great to hear. This is a tournament obviously you've played quite a bit but haven't had a lot of success here, to be honest. Making the cut, obviously now in contention probably on Sunday. Even probably going to have your best finish of this event ever. What has made you more comfortable this year?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: You know, it's funny. I had a little bit of slap in the face in Hawaii with my ball striking was incredible and I just couldn't score. I don't think I was as happy.

I think after Palos Verdes I stayed with my college roommates, and just finding that balance again of me, Albane as young woman and me, Albane as golfer are not the same. They don't have to be mutually exclusive.

So it was just kind of just going back to enjoying playing golf. I think I just have a renewed passion for the game. I just love it so much. But I probably love it more than I ever have in its highs and its lows.

It's just trusting my game, what I do, my preparation, and just really enjoying being out there. At the end of the day, you know, I think now I'm just not affected by a bad score, a bad round.

KPMG I missed the cut with four bogeys on my last four to finish, but it really did not affect any mindset coming into this week.

I just love playing golf, so really happy to be out here.

Q. Has that been a long time coming, that mindset?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, and it was funny, because I think it just happened very organically. I started working with a mental coach beginning of this season, but I felt it was more internal, that I had to figure out a lot of stuff by myself.

And now I just feel so calm, and I think because I went through so many lows and dips in my career, just kind of, you know, bouncing back, that is something I'm really proud of. Just finding that balance in life and just knowing that, okay, if I don't practice on a Monday it's fine. I don't have to be a perfectionist. I don't have to overwork things to have results.

I think that gave me a lot freedom. And I have a great caddie now, too, which really helps. I can't give him enough credit. He just keeps me so calm out there. Finding the balance between on and off the course has been awesome.

Q. Heading into tomorrow, a few back, but a place you're familiar with. You've got all of the good vibes going on this golf course going right now. What's the mindset? Just going to attack, go for broke, nothing to lose?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, I'm just going to play my game. If she shoots 64 and wins the tournament, I mean, she deserves it more than anyone.

There are so many great players on the LPGA. We saw Minjee last year coming back -- I don't know what she shot, probably 8-under.

But that's golf. I think you never -- you can never like just rest. You still have to attack, play your game. Because there are so many great players, you never know where you're going to end up on the leaderboard.

I think that's just something I learned, just to stick to my process. If I don't play great tomorrow, I don't play great tomorrow. But if I play great, great. There is next week. So that's my mindset.

Q. Finally, obviously can see Switzerland from here. You're a little kind of everywhere I feel like in terms of your culture and connection to both of French and the Swiss people. Parents met here. What does it mean to you just to be here and have your Swiss contingency supporting you? How cool is that?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: It's awesome. I have no words to describe what it feels like. The last three weeks I was in Europe. Two weeks in Paris and I came to Geneva last week to spend a few days at my home course.

I just love it out here. That's really home for me. Being back in Switzerland, this is a country I represent, the country I chose to play golf for, and I think it's -- I just love coming back here.

This is really home, I think at heart, so it just means the world to be competing here.