BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 26, 2023

Albane Valenzuela

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Albane Valenzuela. Three days, three wins. You're heading off to the weekend. How does that feel?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, it feels great. This is my third year playing this event, and always kind of fell a little bit short. So just happy to be playing in round of 16 tomorrow.

Q. What did you think was working well through all three days, but specifically today, to have another decisive victory like this?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: I feel like just my game is in a better place in general. I feel really good mentally, physically. Yeah, just feel in a better place, so just really try to hang in there. Even if I miss some shots, really just doesn't affect me. I just grind it out as much as I can.

Q. What did this round look like in your eyes? You got up on the first hole and never really looked back.

ALBANE VALENZUELA: You know, this is still the LPGA Tour, so you kind of expect every opponent to kind of step up and provide their best game. No matter who I'm going to face I know they're going to come back and do some great things.

Lauren definitely hung in there; made some great ups and downs I did not really see coming.

Yeah, I still played solid. Definitely left some shots here and there, some putts, but, yeah, managed to clinch a point.

Q. Just from an outsider's perspective, looks like both you and your game have really matured over the last couple years. Do you feel that as well and feel like you're ready to win out here?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, I definitely feel like I'm at a better place. I mean, I just love competing and I just also love the game of golf. I feel like I'm just more experienced now when I'm out there and I think it's just having a little bit more resilience and just more accepting where my game is at.

I know if I'm gonna hit my drive poorly a week, it doesn't matter. I still have all parts of my game that can keep me from having a bad score.

So, you know, I just trust the process and feel in a better place.

Q. How badly do you want that first win, or is it just continuing to improve and the win will happen?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: You know, everything is a step at a time. I think every player out here just wants that win very badly. I certainly do.

But at the same time, it's just really tough to win out here. I just accept that and if my time comes, it comes. At the same time, all I can do is focus on my own process, try to improve every day a little bit, and we'll see where that takes me.

Q. To switch gears, as a Stanford person, Rose Zhang turning pro today. Have you watched her play? What do you think about her ability to come out here?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: I mean, there is just no words to describe her amateur career. What she did as a amateur is remarkable, spectacular. I don't think there are enough good words to describe what she did.

She's just an incredible player, but I think an even better person. All the people that know her know how humble she is and just has such a great attitude and demeanor out there.

So kudos to her for doing that in the amateur ranks, and excited to see her on the LPGA.

Q. Have you got to play with her before?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, got play with her. Actually practice round at LOTTE, I believe it was last year. She just such a sweet person. I mean, great champion, but a really nice person.

Q. Does she have the game to win immediately out here?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: I mean, everyone does. Definitely the transition from amateur golf to professional is a little bit of a slap in the face. I think whether it's Andrea, myself, Patty, you know, Lilia, I think we were all in the Top 5 in the world rankings when we came out here and definitely all got a little bit of a slap.

It's not easy. But at the same time, she's definitely got the game. She's got the mental side. So I don't see why she wouldn't perform out here.

Q. And then as far as this weekend, have you mentally prepared for 72 more holes possibly?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, you know, I just really try to take it one round at a time. I have no flights booked. I just show up every day knowing it's going to be the hardest match of my life and I just approach every game with that same attitude.

We'll see. If I'm fortunate enough to play 72 holes, great. If it ends sooner, it ends sooner. That's match play. It's just really hard. You never know how it's going to go.

Just be patient.

Q. We didn't have a lot of players out here winning all of their opening matches. What does that do as a confidence boost heading into a grinding weekend?

ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, it feels great. I also know how match play is. You can win three points. It doesn't matter tomorrow. It's just a huge reset.

All the opponents I'm going to face are going to be tough. I mean, definitely not easy to come with Lilia, Nanna, even Lauren, so it's just always hard to win a point, and tomorrow is also going to be hard.

So I'm going to have to grind it out there and just do my best.