KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2023

Megan Khang

Baltusrol Golf Club

Press Conference

Q. We're here with Megan Khang, five birdies today, 4-under on the day. What was working so well for you?

MEGAN KHANG: Honestly, out there I kind of was having a mental breakdown. I won't lie. KPMG is tough. They always pick some great golf courses, and like you get out there, and if you're not 100 percent there, it can be tough, but Jack and I kind of had a little heart-to-heart on our third hole, and he said, you need to talk to me.

Ever since then, I kind of calmed down and we both kind of reassured myself that hey, it's just golf, just go out there, do our best, and as long as you stay committed 100 percent, it's the best we can do, and you can't really complain, and you've just got to accept what happens.

Q. Even before that you started -- you had a rough start on Thursday and now you've played your way back into the tournament. What's been the biggest key in your game to that turnaround?

MEGAN KHANG: Honestly, I owe a lot of it to Jack. Again, he's there. Obviously we didn't get the favorable wave on Thursday, but that's just golf. We play outdoors, and you've just got to accept the weather as it is.

Happy to get my round actually back to 3-over. As funny as that sounds, the way my back nine went, I was 4-over through nine, and it seemed like it wasn't going to stop. But turn it around on my back nine, the front nine, and just kept it steady from there, and again, trusting myself, trusting the numbers that we have. Some of these greens are tough, and the way the greens are, you've just got to position yourself in the best spot as you can.

Q. What was the best thing in your game today?

MEGAN KHANG: I would have to say I was stroking it really well today. My ball-striking typically is the strongest suit in my game, and I feel like I haven't really had my "A" game when it came to getting it close to the hole. But we scrambled out there, took what we could get, and I think today it started to come around and my ball-striking was getting back to where it's used to being.

Q. You said you felt like you were going to have a mental breakdown from this golf course. Can you compare this course, this test, this challenge to any others that you've had?

MEGAN KHANG: I mean, whenever you come to a major, you know the conditions are going to be a lot different than your typical event. Even our practice rounds, we kind of knew that fairway was going to be key. Rough is a lot thicker out here.

With my ball-striking not being where I wanted it to be, the rough definitely made me hit a lot more shots laying up-wise that I typically would be more than happy to go for. But that's just trying to play smart and position myself to try to make par in the best way.

But this golf course, it definitely gives me a heart attack, I swear, every time I get on the tee. It's a major event; KPMG does a great job picking historical tracks, and you knew coming in that it was going to be a challenge, and just got to embrace it.

Q. I saw you earlier this week out on the 18th fairway kneel down and kiss the plaque where Jack Nicklaus hit that 1-iron. What were you hoping to achieve by doing that?

MEGAN KHANG: Honestly, I think it paid off yesterday. I don't know if any of you saw it, but yesterday I hit a terrible second shot. I was, again, stressed out. I was 3-over going into 18. I hit a perfect tee shot down the center of the fairway, and I waited for the green to clear, and I kid you not, I think my ball went like two feet off the ground, and I was so scared it was going to plug into the face of the hazard, and I just looked at Jack, and I was like, take the club away from me. It's safe; it's a perfect lay-up, let's go. So I think the kiss kind of helped that one, so I'll take it.

I don't know if I wanted that to be on camera, but it's out there. I'm pretty sure someone has it on camera.

Q. I wanted to explore that mental breakdown again. What's the opposite of that? What was the conversation today, and what things mentally clicked for you today?

MEGAN KHANG: I think going out there, yes, it's moving day, yes, the course is challenging. Again, like Jack and I talked about, we were just kind of saying, as long we hit our shots 100 percent committed and we just go through the ball and accept whatever happens happens, you can only control so much, and for me, trying to get that through my mind, it sounds a lot easier than it is.

But for me, it was just kind of like, let's just go out there, have some fun, stay calm, and there's going to be holes where a good par is a great par. You've just got to accept that.

For me, it was just kind of being confident in myself and knowing that Jack has my back, and we're out there together, and it's dynamic duo.

Q. Of your birdies today, can you pick one or two and describe them? What would be the best birdies today?

MEGAN KHANG: It was really funny, Nanna and I both birdied 10 and 11 making the turn, and she proceeded to birdie 12, and I missed my birdie putt on 12, and I was like, oh, I messed it up. It was pretty funny. We were just chitchatting out there kind of feeding off each other, and I think it's always good when you have another playing competitor playing well to kind of push you to do your best, as well.

Q. When you separate yourself from this week, what kind of learning experience will it be? You're going to face tough tests down the road, right?

MEGAN KHANG: Honestly, yeah. I think every tournament has its own challenges, and the best takeaway I can take is I may not have had my "A" game so far with ball-striking, but I'm able to kind of scramble my round and take what I can get and be able to kind of pull a round together to try to get myself back into contention.

I know the leaders are just through six holes. It's definitely going to be a long day. But try to rest up, try to take that same mentality I had today to just go out there, play my own game, and whatever happens happens.

Q. If the leaders don't get too far out there, right, scoring is tough, is it better to chase on a tougher golf course? Can more happen on a day like that?

MEGAN KHANG: Honestly, I'm just going to try not to change any of my game plan. This course is tough, and I think there are certain holes you can be aggressive with.

But other than that, again, par never hurts in a major, and I think that's the takeaway, that I'm still learning myself, whether it's a major event or just every other week. It's kind of the growing up and the maturing out here that's definitely taught me to take what I can get and be aggressive when I can and not be overly aggressive.