KROGER QUEEN CITY CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY P&G

September 6, 2023

Jennifer Kupcho

Kenwood Country Club

Press Conference

Q. Okay, sounds like we just are going to dive in and go a couple different directions. Where are you right now and what are you working on right now?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I'm here in Cincinnati for the Kroger Queen City Championship, and next week I have an off week before I go over to Spain.

But just getting ready for the week. Tournament starts tomorrow, so just getting ready for the week, but also getting prepared for Solheim as well.

Q. How far ahead of the tournament do you expect to get over to Spain?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: We will all be arriving Sunday. So tournament starts Friday, we arrive Sunday before.

Q. So I wanted to ask a little bit about the Solheim Cup. You played in the last one. Kind of what was that experience like and what are you looking forward to this time?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I mean, the experience was unreal. I had played obviously and represented some other U.S. teams through Curtis Cup and the Arnold Palmer Cup, but representing the U.S. on the professional level was really cool and a really great experience.

Obviously it was a little bit different than it will be this year with COVID and not being able to have very many Europeans over here since we played here in the U.S. last time, and we're now going onto Spain, onto their ground.

I think it'll be really interesting, and fun, so...

Q. What do you like about that team aspect of golf?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, just a lot different. I think normally golf is an individual sport, aside from amateur golf. There are some team events. It's pretty much the team event for the professional level, so it's just a really big difference.

You're coming together with 11 other girls in the U.S. who normally you're battling week to week with, so it's definitely very interesting and really fun to get to know each other and have fun together in a team format.

Q. Is there anything that you're doing this time to prepare differently based on your experience last time?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Not necessarily. I performed pretty well last year, so kind of just do the same thing. I think it's more the team is definitely a bit different with five rookies this time and being able to just all get along really well.

I think our team has a really good team dynamic this year with a lot of girls also being around the same age as I am. I've also played with them in other U.S. events, so it's going to be very interesting and I think it's going to be really fun to be able to have all of us together.

I think we're all just preparing to get those five rookies ready for what they're about to experience. It's really hard to really put it into words until you truly experience it.

Q. What have you told them? How would you describe the experience? Is it a fan-based thing? Just attention from the competition itself?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I mean, it's all of it. So many more fans than we're used to, way louder. I'd compare it to a football game. It's so different compared to what we're normally used to.

The tension for sure. You get way more nervous because you're representing your country. It's such a different feeling than just representing yourself.

As well as, I mean, really just being ready for it. We're friends out here with the Europeans on the day-to-day level on the LPGA, but it comes into a little bit of a cutthroat when you get over there.

So just letting them know to be prepared for pretty much everything, good or bad, that could happen. It really is an experience that is one week out of the year.

Q. What do you need from a coach? With Stacy as your coach this year, what as a player do you need from a coach to succeed?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I think it's really just like all the behind-the-scenes work. Stacy has done a really good job being our captain and making sure we're organized and have everything we can to be best prepared.

She has a whole big team, a much bigger team this year than a couple years ago. They all are working behind the scenes to let our parents know what's going on, to let everybody just take care of all the behind-the-scenes work so us players don't have to worry about letting our parents or anybody else know what's going on.

She's made the experience a lot easier, so just her leadership has been really good so far.

Q. Is there anyone on the team that you feel your game suits good for foursomes and stuff like that?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yes and no. I think it's just going to be kind of a trial and error. I think we have a little bit of stats that we're going off as well as personalities.

Obviously probably not going to share those pairings right now, but to be able to look at the stats and look at who you get along with, those are two really big components that go into who you're going to play foursomes and four-ball with.

Q. Wanted to ask you a little bit about just the emergence of Colorado golfers now. You have a major win, Wyndham won this past year. Just how proud that makes you feel playing here in high school and seeing Colorado emerge on a national stage like with the U.S. Am here as well?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, it's amazing. To be able to chat and cheer on Wyndham, that was really cool. It's really good too see Colorado golf, and, I mean, even the juniors that are coming up are all playing really well and going to big colleges.

It really started with both of us, so it's exciting to see that, and I think we're both so honored to be really big start of that.

Q. How would you describe this past year that you're close to concluding versus last year? Last year, several wins; this year very close, but no trophies yet. Any specific difference you can point to?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Not necessarily. I think after breaking through and having my first win last year I kind of became -- I just really became really confident with my game that I could win out here, and won two pretty quickly.

Then all of a sudden nothing came, and I think that really just like -- I had to take a step back during the off-season to realize you just went three years without a win and now you've won three. It's not just going to all come as easily as it just came.

So just taking a step back during the off-season and realizing that it's not as easy as it looks. So just going into this year really just having fun playing again after the last half of the season last year. It was a hard, a hard rest of the year and I really just didn't want to be on the golf course.

So coming into this year just really mentally getting myself into it and really just trying to go out and have fun, and also doing other fun things on the road just trying to make this life a lot more fun.

Q. How was the experience at Pebble Beach this year for the U.S. Women's Open, and how important do you feel it is for women's golf to hit those famous courses like that?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think it's really important. Obviously I didn't play super well there, but to be able to be at Pebble Beach was really cool. It's really great that the sponsors are getting us to those places that the men have played at for so many years.

It's really growing the women's game.

I have to do a little shoutout. I may not have played well at Pebble Beach, but my husband was the caddie for the winner, so that was at least exciting, to be able to cheer her on even though I didn't play my best. (Smiling.)

Q. Now Rose Zhang is on the squad as well.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yes.

Q. You have a unique position. You two did go head-to-head in her first professional tournament. Have you talked to her at all about the Solheim Cup experience coming up? Based on what you've seen, what would you predict in terms of how she'll be able to handle the pressure cooker you're headed toward?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I haven't really talked with her much actually. I haven't really talked to any of the rookies all that much honestly. It's such a busy time out here since the team has been announced.

So that will come more during that week of when we have the four days leading up to it.

But I think, I mean, specifically Rose has played on the biggest stages in amateur golf and now has played on some of the biggest ones out here. She's one we're not worried about. I think she's ready to go and ready to do it.

Q. Do you still work with Ed as your coach?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I do.

Q. I talked to him a little bit ago. He was named one of the best teachers again by Golf Digest. You work virtually I take it when you're out on tour.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah.

Q. Talk about that relationship. You guys have worked together for a long time, and how that works for you.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, we've worked together ever since -- I don't know, I was young, maybe 10, 12.

But, yeah, we've worked really well together virtually. I haven't been back to Colorado, I don't know, in probably about a year actually, so it's been quite a while. But if I really need him, he's more than happy to come out to an event and it's just a really good relationship.

He knows my game so well and he doesn't need to be here every week. If I have a problem I can just text him a video. I have my TrackMan, TrackMan number, so he can get all the info he needs to help me.

I mean, at this point in the career I'm not trying to make big changes. It's just simple grip changes or, hey, your club face is closed. It's all very simple stuff.

That's one of the things he's best at. He just tries to make it as minimal change for the player as possible and that's why it works so well.

Q. I spoke with Mark Hubbard, also a Colorado pro and Wyndham a little earlier this summer, and they both spoke -- Wyndham especially -- about one of the keys they felt for their better years this year was they sought out some guidance on their mental approach to the game. Wyndham is very articulate about having sought a coach and gives her a lot of credit for helping him there. Are you working specifically on that at all with your game? Do you have a good sounding board that you feel to help you approach the mental part of the game?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I don't have someone necessarily particularly. Ed has taken a lot of classes on the mental game and he does help me with that as well.

But I think for myself, really at the start of the year it's really just using the people that are around me instead of necessarily reaching out to someone in that field to do that type of work with me.

Q. Overall, like how do you feel about women's golf as a whole? Seems to be it's on the rise; getting more TV coverage. It's easier to find if you want to watch it. How do you feel about that, being a big part of the LPGA Tour right now?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think it's big. I think we're all working together to get women's golf out there. And, yeah, to be playing in primetime multiple times this year has been really good for the game.

It's just getting better.

Q. Anything off the course you're looking forward to in regard to going to Spain?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: No, not necessarily. I think it's going to be a really cool experience to have my husband also caddieing on the team. Obviously not for me, for somebody else, but I think it's going to be a really cool experience to have him in on all that, and I think all the off-course stuff with the whole team and team bonding is going to be really great.

Q. What have you heard about the course? Anything specifically aligned with your skills or are you still learning about it?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I think still learning about it. I think the biggest thing is it's a bit of a hilly course and I think it's not super spectator friendly.

I think just being ready for that physically as it is a little bit of a roller coaster of a week. So being ready to go into it and ready for the exhaustion.

Q. What do you think that first tee is going to be like? They always talk about that in the Ryder Cup, that first tee, especially in the Europe. Know they're talking about this on the Ryder Cup, too, that the course is not real spectator friendly. What do you expect from that first tee and what do you expect from the fans in Spain?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Not to be U.S. fans. I don't know. I don't really expect that much. I obviously have been part of it before but it was all U.S. fans before, so I don't know. It will be a bit interesting, because in the past I just had everybody keep yelling, but I'm not sure the European fans are going to do that when I ask them.

It'll be a little bit interesting to see how it goes. I mean, it's the first tee so it's going to be nerve-wracking regardless of who is watching.