MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP

October 24, 2023

Rose Zhang

Allisen Corpuz

Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome everyone to the media center here at the Maybank Championship. I'm Emily Carmen with the LPGA, and I am joined by Rose Zhang and Allisen Corpuz, both young American golfers on the LPGA Tour.

Allisen, I'll start with you over there. Your first time in Malaysia, correct?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Second time, but first time for golf.

Q. Tell us about your impressions of the golf course so far.

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, it's really beautiful. I only saw the front nine and walked part of the back. It's very scenic and I think it's like any other course: You hit it straight, try to hit the fairways and greens, and try to play your best.

Q. Rose, you're impressions of the golf course? This is your first time, correct?

ROSE ZHANG: Yes, this is my first time. I've only got to play three holes right before the delay, but like Allisen said, it's a ball-strikers' golf course. You have to be able to hit the fairways and the greens.

There is a good bit of undulation on the greens and you need to be able to place yourself on the right tiers, so just club usage, game plan will be essential.

Q. Rose, for you this is I think your fourth week in a row. How is the body feeling? You have one more week to go in Japan. How are you feeling overall? What is your game like when you're fatigued?

ROSE ZHANG: Right. It's definitely been a process for me, a journey. I've learned what it's like to be out on tour the last couple weeks, learning how to navigate my body, myself, my mind. It's not just about the golf, but it's about everything behind the scenes that I'm a lot more aware about.

I'm enjoying it. I feel like this is the perfect rookie year that I could have asked for for me to be able to play this many stretches of events.

But it's slowly getting to me. I have one more week before I take a little bit of time off right before CME, so still in the grind.

Q. Allisen, as we wrap up the end of the season, this is your last event in Asia, how are you feeling with the season so far? I know you had your first win, and just overall your thoughts on where you are right now in the season.

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I think like Rose, this season has been all that I could have hoped for and more. Just really excited for another good week in Asia. Malaysia is beautiful and really, really excited to be here this week.

Yeah, looking forward to a week off before Pelican and CME to wrap up the year.

Q. My question is for Allisen. Basically, you won the U.S. Women's Open. How did that change your life?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I think just immediate fact was it got me into a few events. Like got me onto the Solheim Cup team.

I think just the exposure it's given me. It's given me a lot of opportunities. I have met a lot of people since then.

Yeah, like just been able to just get a few more opportunities that I don't think I would've had otherwise.

But, no, it's been really great.

Q. Question for Rose. Your amateur career was a pretty good one. So are you looking for your pro life to go on a similar trajectory?

ROSE ZHANG: Right, I would say that amateur golf and professional golf, even though we're talking about the same sport, it's very different in terms of lifestyle and the overall I guess feeling of being an amateur and a professional.

But I don't necessarily translate my amateur golf career over to my professional golf career, especially when I first announced I was going to turn professional and my tour debut. I didn't have any inkling of expectation for me to come out here and have to win every single event or even prepare myself to be on the top immediately.

I knew that I was starting from a blank page right when you turn professional, so no really overlap there.

Q. So the question was you guys played earlier on. (Indiscernible) try and keep the ball on the fairway and then onto the greens. But did you not find the fairways wide?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, there is a lot of bunkers out there I think depending on the hole. I think there is a few fairways that are wide and a few that narrow up a bit.

Q. The other thing was this course you guys are playing on has a reputation of being quite long. I haven't really been on the course myself. I'm not really sure. But is it long, and with the weather that we're expecting, do you think that will be a factor?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, so I only played the front nine and walked part of the back. I feel like the LPGA always does a pretty good job of setting up the courses in a fairway.

At the end of the day everyone plays the same course. There were definitely a few holes that were on the longer sides. I definitely think there were opportunities to score as well.

Q. Rose, your take on it?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, Allisen has seen a little bit more of the golf course than me. I only played three holes and that was on the front nine. As of the moment, no matter what golf course you're on you're going to have to be precise with your numbers and calculations. Your game has to be firing on all cylinders for you to post up good scores.

But I see this golf course being -- it can be challenging, but if you're playing well it's kind of a golf course where you can have more opportunities for birdie and potentially put up a good score.

Q. Two questions for each of you. Playing in Malaysia, obviously one of the bigger events with a strong field here this week on the Asian Swing, what made you both want to come and play at this new event?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I think just the opportunity to play in a new event is always special. I mean, I can tell people that I was in the first field here. I mean, just being in Asia is always really special.

I always just try to structure my schedule in a way where I'm not playing too many weeks on the road and not taking too much time off as well, and feel like it sat in a good spot in the schedule.

ROSE ZHANG: Right, and for me, just it's all first-time experience ever playing in Asia in general, so for me to be able to come out here and see Malaysia for the first time, I have a couple family friends out here just watching, so being able to meet up with them and kind of just being in a new country, not only seeing the golf course, playing the golf, but also being in a new setting, it's kind of something that I always wanted, especially being on tour.

Now I get to travel and see a new place. It's pretty cool.

THE MODERATOR: Last question. With this purse being one of our largest non-major purses, $3 million, what does it mean to you guys to see brands like Maybank really trying to elevate the women's game through those larger purses?

ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I think it means a lot to have companies like Maybank step up and promote the women's game. I mean, I know it gets said a lot, but the girls out here are really good. I think it's hopefully bringing us the exposure that we need.

ROSE ZHANG: 100%. Just now women's golf is definitely seen by a lot more people. There is a lot more TV viewership and the purses have definitely increased over the years, which all the professionals are really excited about.

It's just elevating women's athletes and the women's game in general. So being able to have these sponsors like Maybank really promote the game, it's a real big honor for us.

THE MODERATOR: Awesome. Thank you both.