AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

March 30, 2023

Rose Zhang

Quick Quotes

Q. One shot lower than yesterday, one shot better. Was there anything that you did today that you didn't do yesterday?

ROSE ZHANG: Not necessarily. I feel like I did everything pretty well today. I feel like I was hitting my irons a lot better than what I did yesterday, and yesterday I made a lot of long putts. Today I had a lot of good looks for birdie from short range. So that definitely allowed me to get some more birdie looks and convert some more putts.

Q. Can you take us through the eagle on the 9th.

ROSE ZHANG: Yes, I can. So my first drive, kind of pulled it a little bit. I didn't expect it to go in the water, but I knew it was somewhere in the rough. So I was around a foot and a half into the rough, and I had a very severe ball above my feet.

I didn't really know what to do. All I was thinking of was don't duck hook it so far left that you're in the trees, like on the left side of the green. And even though it may seem a little far, I was thinking that it was definitely a possibility for me to get in there.

So with that in mind, I was just trying to aim as far right. My target was the TV tower, and it super low shot, rolled up onto the green, and everything worked pretty well.

I had a 30-footer going up the slope, and I thought I hit it pretty firm, so I thought it was going to go past a couple feet. But it ended up hitting the pin and then going in.

Q. What was your yardage in, Rose?

ROSE ZHANG: It was 237. I used a 3-wood. I was also thinking about not topping it. So those are all interesting thought processes, but it was necessary for me to think of those possibilities.

Q. Where does that shot rank among the shots that you've hit? Because you don't put yourself in those kind of tricky lies too often?

ROSE ZHANG: I feel like I do, though, especially when I'm not actually playing. I put myself in the weirdest places that you can find.

But I would say definitely in the top ten in my career.

Q. How about this round itself, given its meaning and where it puts you? Where does this rank with some of your best?

ROSE ZHANG: I'm super blessed. I feel like to even be in this field is an opportunity for me to grow as a player and a person. Just watching all my friends compete and watching such great golfers on a daily basis.

I just feel very grateful to have this kind of platform, and playing well these first two rounds is certainly something that I'm super proud of. It's not just me that kind of did this. I feel like everyone who supports me out there, I really felt the support. I really felt the love.

So I was kind of just staying in the zone doing my own thing, but I had a whole entourage in the back of my head.

Q. What have you learned in the past about how to play with a big lead?

ROSE ZHANG: I think playing with a big lead is certainly different from chasing from behind or even being one or two shots in the lead. So I think that from my past experience it's just very important to understand that you have a whole field kind of chasing you, and anything can happen.

So with that in mind, I'm just going to try my best to bring out the best that I can do when I'm going out there and playing at Augusta, and I think that every hole, every score matters.

With that, I'm just going to play as hard as I can and try the best that I can.

Q. The 18-hole scoring record yesterday, you just broke your own record today. You now have the 36-hole championship scoring record, and you have the largest lead that anyone's ever had heading into the final round at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. With all of those things, what comes to mind?

ROSE ZHANG: I don't know. I feel like I personally -- like I said before, I'm just super blessed to be in this kind of position. I know that it's very rare, and I believe that it's just something that to keep in mind that no matter what happens, I'm always super proud of everything that I've accomplished thus far.

The job's not done yet. We still have to go out there and play a good round.

Q. How much time will you spend on the range for the rest of today? And then after your practice round tomorrow.

ROSE ZHANG: I didn't spend any range time yesterday, and I don't plan on spending a lot of range time today. I think that range work and technical work should only be kind of done if you really want to work on something or if you didn't have the reps in coming into the event.

I personally just think that I don't want to work on too much. Maybe a little bit of field work on the putting green, but if anything, I think rest is the most important thing going into the final round.

Q. Rose, when do you ask your dad to come up? Do you guys ever disagree on a look?

ROSE ZHANG: Yes, we do actually. We disagree very minorly. It's not anything too drastic. We only kind of disagree on how much break we're looking at because speed determines everything.

Apart from that, it's just him kind of wanting a second eye. And especially coming down the stretch, I just want to do a little confirmation of everything. But it definitely doesn't happen often. The previous times that he's caddied for me, we haven't really done this. So I guess it's nice to kind of have him look in, and it also makes him feel a little more settled.

(Laughter).

Q. Does your dad stay on the bag for Saturday?

ROSE ZHANG: I don't think so. I think we're going to be planning on having an Augusta caddie, which will be a super fun experience as that's going to be the first time in any Augusta final rounds that I'm going to have an Augusta caddie caddie for me.

So hopefully all works well. I believe that those caddies know the best of the best and every single part of Augusta National. So those details and advice will greatly help.

Q. We talked to Brooke a little bit ago, and she said you're probably the funniest person on the team. What makes you so funny?

ROSE ZHANG: I genuinely don't think that because we've got a lot of funny people on the team, and everyone's kind of playing a part in this team dynamic. I personally feel like I just say the dumbest things.

Sometimes when you don't sleep enough, you really don't know what you're saying. So with that in mind, I think that's why I'm funny because I just -- I'm just not sleeping enough, and I'm just saying the most random things on earth. It's basically incoherent.

Q. This is probably the only tournament you play in where it's not three consecutive championship rounds. Does tomorrow present a challenge to you that you can't go right into the routine of playing in the championship round, the final round right away?

ROSE ZHANG: Of course. I believe that this event on its own and the formatting is very different from any event that I've played in. Since it's not consecutive, you still need to kind of take a break and really kind of go over what you want to do in the practice round and get in your mindset when you're actually playing in the third round.

I think I've struggled a little bit in the past couple years doing so, but I think that with knowing what it's kind of like, it will allow me to prepare myself better.

Q. Do you keep score and try to simulate like a third round tomorrow or no?

ROSE ZHANG: No. Augusta National is so different from Champions Retreat, so I'm not even going to be thinking about the different shots that I was hitting the previous couple days.

I do think the atmosphere and the winds will play a huge part, but for the most part, the way the ball's rolling, the way it's checking is going to be very different.

Q. Do you feel like this practice round is going to be so much different because of where you are on the leaderboard and how you'll examine the course?

ROSE ZHANG: Not really. I mean, it's still a round of golf. It's still a practice round. I believe that you need to do what you need to do and to really stay in that kind of perspective so you're able to get what you need out of that practice round. On top of that, to be able to prepare yourself for the next day.

I don't really have anything too different that I have in mind, apart from having a different caddie and letting him understand what kind of shots I see and how I kind of play.

Q. Do you know who your caddie is going to be? Have you guys already arranged one?

ROSE ZHANG: No, I have no clue. So we'll see.

Q. You don't?

Q. They're fighting for her right now, but I could be wrong.

ROSE ZHANG: Hopefully they can deal with me.

Q. Yeah, because you're so difficult.

ROSE ZHANG: Very, very.

(Laughter).

Q. Rose, how much have you grown and developed from the first time you were here until now to be able to handle what's in store for Saturday?

ROSE ZHANG: The first time that I played Augusta National was when I was 15. So that puts things into perspective where I was a high school student and I was still grinding away in high school classes. But now I'm in college. I've grown so much as a person and a player.

I've been able to play so many team events with my team, and I really kind of found my identity outside of golf. So that allows me to kind of have this mindset of, you know, you need to play the best that you can, make sure that your profession is still a good priority, but it's not the end of the world if you're not playing your best.

So I think that's definitely something different.

Q. Even though you're switching caddies, you play this game because of your dad. How much does it mean to share this memory with him?

ROSE ZHANG: Oh, it's such a cool moment. Coming down 18, I can tell that he's been a little more chatty, and he's more -- he's got the adrenaline in him. I'm just super grateful to be able to walk this step with him every single way.

I think having him on the bag has just been a really blessful experience. He is my father. He's taught me everything that I know from my character to essentially my golf too. Kudos to him for everything that I know.

I would say that it is a very special moment for a father and daughter.

Q. Didn't he learn the game at the same time? Didn't you start golf at the same time?

ROSE ZHANG: So we started around the same time. He actually started a year before me, but he's such an incredible athlete. It irks me to say he's good at everything. He runs, and I hate running. He's also great at musical instruments. He learns everything very quickly.

So in that aspect, he's definitely one-upped me there. But I would like to think that I'm slightly better than him in golf.

Q. When did you beat him for the first time? Do you remember?

ROSE ZHANG: He actually never competed against me. It was always -- he was trying to figure out what I would like to do, and he kind of tagged along with me. So before golf, I would try and play tennis, and he would be throwing serves at me left and right.

Essentially it was the same thing when I started golf. He took me to the golf course, the driving range, and started letting me hit as many balls as I wanted to. So, yeah, I think overall he's allowed me to just find my passion, and at the same time, he's in for the ride.

Q. What is the most demonstrably excitable you've been on the golf course?

ROSE ZHANG: Most exciting?

Q. When have you lost it on the golf course, on a good note, excited-wise? Celebrate?

ROSE ZHANG: Oh, celebrate. NCAAs.

Q. You had to think about it.

ROSE ZHANG: No, no, no. This is definitely something I've gotten really hyped about.

I never really cry, especially of happiness, but seeing all my teammates cry, seeing Coach cry, everyone is just Balling. It sets the mood right for myself to be crying as well.

Q. Was it a good cry? Did you feel good afterwards?

ROSE ZHANG: It was just like a one tear kind of thing, but I still consider it crying.