HILTON GRAND VACATIONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 20, 2024

Alexa Pano

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Alexa Pano after her third round at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Bogey-free round, first bogey-free round on the LPGA Tour. What was this round like for you? What were some of the challenge to get bogey-free?

ALEXA PANO: I didn't know what was my first one ever. I know I've been close a few times and bogeyed coming down the stretch.

I don't know. I am just having a great time out here and been really relaxed the whole week. My game feels like it's in a very good place, so been a calm, relaxed week.

Q. Have you been able to pinpoint why it's in a good place? Was it off-season work? Mentality change? Mor comfortability out here? What do you think it is?

ALEXA PANO: Yeah, I did work very hard this off-season, and I think it's just showing up this week. It's a course that I'm a little bit familiar with as well.

The energy just feels good this week.

Q. Dad is out there holding court with some media members. Having this level of success, how special is it to share these moments with him?

ALEXA PANO: Yeah, I think it's great. He knows almost every celebrity out here because he grew up watching them. It's really nice to have him with me this week and let him fan girl a little bit.

But we're both really enjoying it, which is great.

Q. Having that familiarity with the golf course, how critical has that is been for you this week? Some people made a tournament debut and have never seen the golf course. How much has that helped?

ALEXA PANO: It's pretty rare for me, especially going into the second year, to know a lot of the courses because we've switched a lot. I don't have the best memories on this golf course. I played terrible last time I played here.

It's nice to be able to create some new ones and kind of know my way around and where not to hit it.

Q. Three birdies, 9, 10, 11. How fun was that roll to get on there?

ALEXA PANO: Yeah, felt good. I was kind of joking with my dad because I hadn't made par on my 10th hole all week. My trainer thought it was the snacks I was eating. She thought it was a superstition thing.

Today I didn't eat them and I made birdie. It was really funny when I made birdie because I still haven't made a par. It's okay.

Q. Speaking of superstitions, I know a little bit of frustrating after the back nine yesterday.

ALEXA PANO: Yeah.

Q. How good does it feel to get a 3-under on that back nine? I know it's such a beast out there.

ALEXA PANO: Yeah, my dad and I were joking around on 18 because I felt like I played incredible yesterday and didn't really see the results on the back nine. Today I was struggling a bit more and fire 5-under.

The scoring was there today, which is good. Hopefully it's there tomorrow. But looking to just kind of improve on all the little things I saw today.

Q. What is your previous experience on this course? Tournament play or...

ALEXA PANO: Yeah, so I have some friends out here that I played with before. Also I played the Gainbridge back when we played here a few years ago as an exemption.

Like I said, I didn't play great, but I love Lake Nona. The members, the community here is great. You're not going to get a much nicer golf course than this.

Q. Playing that, though, you know, I suppose you learned where to miss and learned how to deal with these greens.

ALEXA PANO: Yeah, I think the greens might be a little faster this week than when I played. They're quite the test. You definitely have to hit it in the right spots and be smart sometimes on the greens. It's not always the most aggressive play out here for sure.