THE AMUNDI EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 26, 2023

Allisen Corpuz

Evian Resort Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, hello everyone, welcome inside the media center here at the Amundi Evian Championship.

I am pleased to you joined by the current U.S. Women's Open champion Allisen Corpuz.

Allisen, welcome to the Amundi Evian Championship. What does it mean to be back here in Evian?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Thanks, Megan. Really excited for this week. The course is beautiful. Just being in France, can't be any luckier than this.

Yeah, looking forward to a good week.

Q. I know when I talked to you in Toledo one of your biggest things was, well, I missed the cut here last year, so I'm excited to improve on that this year. What have you been looking forward to most returning here it Evian?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Well, just the views, right? You see Geneva pretty much throughout the entire round. The people here are so nice. The town is just beautiful. So both on and off the course it's just looking to be a good week.

Q. What was the off week like heading into this championship? You were able to get some rest once you won the major, but having that performance in Toledo, what was it like to be able to lay your head on the pillow?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, really nice to get some rest and let it all sink in. Got to spend some time with family and friends on the week off and just get the basics done. Got to look at the trophy a little longer.

Q. Congratulations on your win. Can you just confirm -- it's a rather crazy question, but you did go to the same school as -- was it Michelle and President Obama, is that correct, or not?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yes, that's correct.

Q. And what's the feedback and have you heard from either of them?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, got a shoutout from both of them which was really crazy. Yeah, really cool.

Q. Can you go into a bit more detail?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yes, Barack tweeted congratulations and said that he was looking forward to playing a round together.

Then Michelle just messaged me congratulations. Just a personal congratulations. Yeah, just got a few shoutouts as well from my high school, Punahou School.

Q. Are they going to honor you in any way? They've got two U.S. Open champs now, haven't they?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: I'm not sure.

Q. Michelle won, didn't she?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yes, she did.

Q. I know Women's Open was one you had to wait for. Some pretty close calls. How gratifying was it to get that done on that big after stage at Pebble Beach?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I mean, I kind of look back on this last day and it felt like a little bit of an out-of-body experience. I just for the first time felt really calm, in control, and really just had all the pieces together.

I think it was even more special to have some friends and family out there supporting me as well.

Q. What's life been like since? That's a life-changing win for a lot of different reasons.

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, really just been taking it day by day. Just it really did feel like I've been put on the map now which has been really cool. Just doing a lot of things and being a lot busier than usual.

But it's a good change.

Q. Backing that up with that Dana Open performance helped you solidify a spot on the United States Solheim Cup team, another life-changing experience coming for you in a month or two. What did it mean to clinch that spot and how excited are you to tee it up at Finca Cortesin?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, even more than I think first win, first major, the Solheim Cup was on my radar this year. I knew I was kind of on the bubble and that was one of my major goals, so it's really special. Definitely looking forward to the week in Spain and being able to represent the U.S. and the team and Stacy. Really looking forward to it.

Q. Stacy calls players to let them know they clinched those spots. When you got that phone call, what was the reaction? Did you sit there and stare at the phone?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, she texted me asking for a phone call and I was like, I wonder what this is going to be about. Yeah, really excited. A bit shocked. I hadn't expected that. I didn't know they had mathematically calculated it and everything.

So really happy, and took a few minutes to let it sink in.

Q. For a lot of players, winning a major changes your life and also makes you make changes to your life. So in the way you plan your schedule, the way you practice, the way you look at winning majors. Can you talk a little bit about those changes for you?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I think I've been starting to see that the past -- even the past week at home you're recognized a lot more at practice. I'm trying not to change too much too quickly, keep everything the same.

As far as schedule there is a lot more security in knowing I don't have to worry about getting status or anything. It's really nice being comfortable knowing that I'll be able to pick and choose my schedule.

I like being out here. I don't think I'm going to play much less just because I have the status secured. I like coming out and competing and staying fresh.

Q. If you had to compare Evian with the rest of the majors, what are some of the things that are different from the golf perspective and what are the things you enjoy the most?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: I just love the little town. I think it's so fun after the round to go walk through the town, get some dinner, dessert, and just running into everyone, right?

No, it's a beautiful golf course. A lot hillier than most of the courses we play and a lot more scenic.

Q. You just talked a little bit about the course here. What makes it very special compared to the other courses you play along the year on the LPGA Tour in the U.S.? What is so special here?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: I think for me international travel in general is really exciting, just being able to get out of U.S.

The Evian has such a rich history of past champions. Every champion is a great player, and it's just really awesome to come here and see all the history.

Q. I'm talking about the course, the way you play the course here.

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Oh, sorry. A lot more sidehill lies. I think it requires a lot more creativity on approach shots. There is a few tee shots that get a little tight with the trees pressing in.

It's pretty similar though. You need to be playing well for the week, hitting the ball well, making putts.

Q. I had a question about Celine Boutier, the No. 1 French player. Do you know her? Do you get along well with her? And do you think one day she can win a major?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, she's a really solid player. She's been playing really solid. I think it's just about putting yourself in contention, which she has winning at DriveOn earlier this year.

It's a mix of skill and luck. You just need to have everything click at the right week. She definitely has the game to do it; she just needs to get it done.

Q. When Matt Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Open last year he talked about talking to people like Rory McIlroy, people with experience, what it's like to be a major champion. I know you said you had a conversation with Stacy Lewis. I don't know what your relationship is like with Michelle Wie. But have you had conversations with people, what it means to be a major champion and what that will mean for you over the next 12 months?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, so I actually in this off week went back to Wilshire Country Club. I have an honorary membership out there and Amy Alcott hosted a dinner for me. I got to speak to her about her wins and a bit of what to expect in the future. That was really enlightening.

As far as leading up to the event, I just talked to my mental coach about trying to keep everything the same and putting yourself in contention, keep trying to get it done.

Q. Obviously might want to keep it private, but anything that Amy said in particular that you can tell us that you're taking into this week in particular?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I think -- I mean, her big point of advice was just to always lead with the right foot and just kind of do everything with the overall goal of being a better person, pushing the game forward.

I think being in an even more I guess prominent role now that's especially important to me.

Q. So she was talking about an ambassadorial type of thing as opposed to you and your game?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yes, yes.

Q. I want to follow up on that because Amy is somebody I've interviewed many times in the States. Was she influential in not just after, but had you been in contact with her before, growing up and in your career?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: That was actually my first time meeting her, but I watched her play a lot growing up. I know her resume. She was definitely inspiration for me.

I just had never met her until last week.

Q. Probably I missed that, but that's why I was thinking maybe she had been a godmother, a coach, a helper, an advisor, et cetera. Who were the other -- any other female players that were role models for you?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, Megan Khang. I've known her since I was eight years old. When I went to college she turned professional, and just got a lot of advice from her even just coming out on tour last year, and she continues to be one of my closest friends.

THE MODERATOR: I will wrap it up with one. Allisen, in 2024 the Olympics come to Paris and we are one year out officially today. With your win at the U.S. Women's Open you were able to jump through the Rolex Rankings and are officially right now on the U.S. team. Have you thought about something like the Olympics and being able to represent your country on that stage?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I thought about it a little. I mean, the way that I approach most of my goals is really just keeping my head down and working towards that. Just if it happens, it happens. If not, then it's also okay.

So, yeah, just really, I mean, happy with the win and just trying to keep working.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for joining us today.

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Thank you.

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