NW ARKANSAS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 24, 2022

Vivian Hou

Pinnacle Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Vivian Hou, LPGA tour rookie and now 8-under through two days here in Arkansas. Special hole yesterday. Tell me about that ace.

VIVIAN HOU: It was on 11 and with my 8-iron a little into the wind and the pin was at the very front. Was just planning to hit the punch shot and went a little long, hit the slope, and rolls all the way back and went in.

I saw that and everybody was so surprised, and I'm surprised too. I was really excited to have a hole in one.

Q. Obviously first year on tour, quite the highlight. But also another highlight, first cut made out here this week. When you saw your name on the top of that cut line and well within it, was there just like relief?

VIVIAN HOU: Exactly. After 11 straight missed cuts, I mean, the first cut made, I think it's huge for me. It's been really -- it's been really hard time for me missing cuts a lot, weeks by weeks, and just really appreciate to made it through and have an opportunity to play tomorrow.

Q. And you Monday qualified this week. Let's not forget that. What is about this golf course that you seem to like so much?

VIVIAN HOU: I think most important is the bermuda fairways that can give my drive a little run and release, and for those little dogleg holes I think the first shot distance is just right on my number. It's better to hit like 250, 260; better than 280.

So I think that's right on my number. I just feel really comfortable to play on this golf course.

Q. Looking ahead to tomorrow, only four back right now of Lilia Vu. There is some golf out there, but going to be a handful back. You've got nothing to lose at this point. Will you just kind of go for it tomorrow?

VIVIAN HOU: Exactly. I think full gas. And then there is no reason why I just -- yeah, I think just doing my best and climbing up the leaderboard.

Q. With that ace, you get to donate, your ace actually donates $20,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as part of their Score One For St. Jude campaign through CME Group. What does it mean to be able to contribute to something like that just because of a golf shot you hit?

VIVIAN HOU: I think it's really special and I'm really glad that I have this chance to help someone else just because of my golf shots, so I think this really means a lot.