AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

March 31, 2023

Rose Zhang

Quick Quotes

Q. What's new?

ROSE ZHANG: Nothing much. Just finished my practice round, 8:12 early in the morning, and feeling pretty good. I am spraying my ball a little bit, so I do have to work on that on the range later on. But other than that, I kind of know what I need to do, and I'm just going to commit to that game plan tomorrow.

Q. How do you define "spraying"?

ROSE ZHANG: I don't know. It's a little hard to define.

Q. Two yards off?

ROSE ZHANG: No, I definitely pushed a drive probably 30 yards right, so that's considered spraying for sure.

Q. Just one drive?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, and then the rest were a little left. But yeah, I just want to make sure that I know what I need to do with my swing and at least trust myself so I can get that going tomorrow.

Q. How much do you draw on the experience from NCAAs last year going into the final round? Is that something you can pull from tomorrow?

ROSE ZHANG: Oh, definitely. That experience was certainly new, and I think that was probably the most nervous that I've ever been in tournament play. But it was because I was essentially playing for not only myself but my team, and as a freshman, you really want that title bad. That was partially everything that I wanted when I came into college.

Ultimately, I think I was able to handle the nerves pretty well. Had a really close shot in on a par-3 that kind of solidified or sealed the deal when I carried myself into the clubhouse, but I think that experience will help me tomorrow because it's just hard to place yourself with a big lead, but you really just have to stay committed with your game plan.

I've kind of learned that it's essential to always realize that you're playing the same fields as you were on day one, so there's going to be a lot of people trying to climb up, and you have to be prepared for that.

Q. Playing with a big lead, why is it hard?

ROSE ZHANG: I think for us as players mentally, we always like to chase, and it's very normal to be trying to make birdies and not worry about the consequences, but when you're in the lead, you realize that you've been playing well and you want to maintain it.

Some players tend to kind of have a loose footing, I guess, with their lead, and they end up trying to play safe or they would think about their lead too much.

I've definitely felt that before. I've definitely had that. With that in mind, the experience will certainly allow me to kind of realize what I need to do when I go out there.

Q. Have you ever thought about a target score? In other words, forget the field for a minute, here's what I want to do and if I do this --

ROSE ZHANG: I never thought about a target score, but I thought about what I should do, no matter how I play or what score I shoot. For a lot of players, target scores definitely help them because they think, oh, if I shoot this number, I'm going to be just fine. I personally dislike that because I think there's always limitations with trying to get to a certain score, and when you actually get to that score, what do you do then? I just try not to think about that.

It's more so committing to every single golf shot, doing what I need to do to make the ball stay in play and get that ball in the hole.

Q. What's the hardest part? Is it the night before? Is it the morning of? Is it warming up, first tee? Where do the nerves come in?

ROSE ZHANG: Nerves come in more -- at least for me, a little bit night before. I've definitely gotten better over the years.

Morning of, you have your routine, so it's not necessarily anything too different from the previous couple rounds you're playing, and you essentially are just trying to get in the zone.

I would say the nerves are more anticipation and kind of trying to go out there and -- it's pretty unpredictable what you have on a daily basis, so I think the unpredictability is certainly a nerve-racking experience.

Q. You said yesterday you kind of found or discovered who you are off the golf course. Can you tell us about who you feel like you are off the golf course?

ROSE ZHANG: I can't really tell you who I am. I feel like I'm my authentic self probably all the time. I don't really have anything too much to hide. I'm sure I would like to think everyone around me knows who I actually am, so I don't put up a front too much in terms of who I am or who I want to be or future goals.

But certainly I can't really define myself. I would just say I'm a pretty average girl.

Q. Do you pat yourself on the back at times? Your teammates think that every time they congratulate you, you're kind of "aww shucks." Do you in your moments congratulate yourself?

ROSE ZHANG: I guess I do. I congratulate myself with food, and I guess I don't necessarily pat myself on the back because I always feel like there's something that I can work on, so I always just take everyone's compliments and everyone's congratulations as my pat on the back, and then for myself I don't necessarily think I need to do that.

Q. How did you celebrate the Girls' Junior or -- I know the NCAA was a different story, but what about the other two?

ROSE ZHANG: Girls' Junior I ended up hopping on a flight the next day to go to Evian for the Evian Championship, so there wasn't too much to celebrate there. It was only a little night dinner out to a Korean barbecue place in the area, and the Women's Amateur my dad and I were way too tired to think about anything other than eating and staying in our hotel room, so I ended up just getting burgers and fries sent to my hotel room, and I just ate there.

But on top of that, I think at Women's Am in 2020 -- I didn't do much. I was actually, if anything, the adrenaline was so much for me that I couldn't sleep until 3:00 in the morning, and I ended up just FaceTiming a couple friends that I've never really talked to in a while. That was the end of my celebration.

Q. You said NCAAs was the most nervous you'd ever been because you were playing for more than yourself. Are you playing for anybody else but yourself tomorrow?

ROSE ZHANG: Yes. I think that I'm always playing not just for myself but for everyone around me, everyone who supports me, and I think if anything, that kind of motivates me to do my best regardless of what the score is and the outcome because if I'm able to carry myself well, there's nothing really they can say, right, other than it's okay, next time.

I have a pretty positive mindset about that.

Q. Gianna was telling a story yesterday about playing a practice round with you at an AJGA event, she said you stuttered when you asked her a question because you were so nervous --

ROSE ZHANG: Yes, I actually remember that. She was doing so well, and she was so young, too. She was only 12 at the time, and it kind of reminded me of myself when I was back at the Ping Invitational. I was 13, didn't know anyone, and I was playing with Gina Kim and Rachel Heck, renowned names in junior golf at the time. I think that Gianna is an amazing player, and I kind of knew from the start that she was going to be playing well because her mechanics are great, her swing is great. I think that she's kind of a bright star for the future.

Q. Do you still hit the 100 four-footers in a row and 300 range balls a day?

ROSE ZHANG: I've tamed it down a little bit. It's more strategic practice that I put in rather than fundamental reps. I think that in college, time-wise, I don't have the time to be putting 300 putts, so I'm just trying to make sure that my mechanics are good, practice on the chalk line for a little bit, putt around the hole, speed, all that.

It's more of a strategic know what you're-going-to-do kind of practice now.

Q. What went behind the decision to have your dad caddie tomorrow?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, so my dad and I, we've always kind of considered, hey, like if we make it to the final round, we're going to see if an Augusta caddie would sit me and my caddie for the next day, but ultimately I feel like what we have is going pretty well thus far, and I feel very comfortable with him on the bag. He's very predictable. We know our games in and out.

I think especially when you're at the biggest stage at Augusta, it's pretty necessary to have that comfort to be able to be yourself and do what you need to do.

Q. What would it mean for you as one of the trio of four-timers that are out here to add this one to your resume?

ROSE ZHANG: That would be incredible. I still haven't thought about that yet, despite everything that's going on right now. But I'm super thankful for this opportunity. I'll take whatever opportunity I can get to be able to have a chance and look at that trophy tomorrow.

I'm really humbled to be at this level with so many great players, but the job is not done yet.

Q. You've won approximately a gazillion times in your career. What do you think is the most disappointing moment that you've experienced?

ROSE ZHANG: Disappointing? I can generally say I don't have like -- well, when I don't play well, it's obviously disappointing, but I would say recently, because that's the only thing that I can think of, is the world team -- no, actually I have one, sorry. 2019 I was playing the Toyota Junior World Cup in Japan in Nagoya. I love Japan, so amazing. I was with my teammates, Michaela Morard, Sadie Englemann and a couple other guys on the team, and on the women's side I had a huge lead, and I bogeyed two of my last three holes. I tied for first, but our team was also in first place at the start, and we dropped to third.

From then on, I was just like -- right after I came off the golf course, I was like, it's all my fault, I failed our country, like I failed everything. Yeah, essentially that was pretty disappointing to me.

Q. Have you ever thrown a club?

ROSE ZHANG: Thrown a club? Hmm. No. I have not. I've only had my little minor thuds on the ground, but it's nothing too excessive. I would never throw a club. I think my dad would throw me before I do.