MIZUHO AMERICAS OPEN

June 2, 2023

Gianna Clemente

Liberty National Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. I'm here with Gianna Clemente, lowest AJGA junior right now in the field. Can you talk us through your round today, how it went out there.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, definitely a lot better than yesterday. Definitely hit the ball better and got some putts to drop, which was awesome.

I think even if those putts didn't drop I was still hitting the ball really well. So maybe wouldn't have shot under, but definitely would've been better than yesterday.

Yeah, that's all I can really ask for. The wind was howling pretty hard on the back nine. Yeah, fought through it.

Q. Yeah. How were the conditions compared to yesterday? You mentioned the wind. Anything else out there?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: It was windy yesterday, too. I expect that for the next two days as well.

Yeah, it definitely picked up towards 10 and 11 and 12 is when I really started to notice it, and then after that it was just kind of steady.

I don't really know exactly how much it was, but it was definitely way, way stronger than the front. And I think the back nine is a little bit harder, at least it's been harder for me.

So, yeah, was definitely a grind on the back today.

Q. And you mentioned how the back nine was harder. Do you find yourself knowing that you might just be looking to save par on those holes, trying to attack the front nine a little bit more?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: It depends on the hole. Depends on the pin position a lot.

Noticed that the pins have been quite difficult, so it just depends on where the miss area is on the hole. You just kind of have to be aware of that going into the green. Whether it's a par-3 or par-4, whatever it is, you just have to be aware where the miss is and whether you can attack or not.

Q. How have you been navigating all the different slopes that these greens have?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: It is definitely very difficult. I've just been trying to, again, go at it where I can and know that sometimes you're not going to go at it. As much as I want to make birdies, sometimes those pins are just not attackable. You just have to keep that in mind. If you miss a shot or two due to the slopes there is really nothing you can do.

Just kind of have to keep that in mind, yeah.

Q. Knowing tomorrow you're going to get to be paired up with a couple LPGA players, how excited are you to have that opportunity at this event?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I'm really excited. Definitely going to be really fun day just to learn from them, but also play competitive golf myself.

So definitely going to try and stay focused on myself as much as possible.

Q. And before you headed over here you were asked for a signature by a little junior. What does that mean to you, too, to have that audience watching you?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I absolutely love it. I was fortunate enough to play in three LPGA events last year and there were kids all over the place, and I loved every second of it.

I loved signing the autographs. I love the media and all the press.

So, yeah, it's really fun signing autographs. Hope I can keep doing it.

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