JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP

April 23, 2024

Hannah Green

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, here with Hannah Green, our defending champion here at the JM Eagle LA Championship.

It was a year since you won here last year. Since then you're another LPGA champion. How has the year been since you won here at JM Eagle last year?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, very up and down season. Probably my most inconsistent actually even maybe as a rookie. Didn't really perform that well in the major championships last year, but then I also had some good results.

It was just a rollercoaster of a season. It even has been a rollercoaster of a start to the season as well this year having a win and a also a couple weekends where I haven't played.

I am looking forward to being back here at Wilshire and hopefully defending my trophy.

Q. What is it you love about this course? I know you have I think it's three Top 3 finishes in a row here. What is it about this course that suits your game?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, it's a really nice course. I think it helps that the fairways are pretty generous because that's not my best statistic. I also have a lot of members that come and watch me and cheer me on, which I don't usually get when I am playing in America, which is kind of nice.

But you have to be quite patient. Even if you hit it close, it doesn't always mean that you've got a chance to make the putt.

I played the back nine today and it seems like they're a little bit firmer and quicker than we played typically this early on in the week, so had some putts that went by the hole pretty far.

I've got to dial it in on the putting green a little bit. Other than that, really like being in LA.

Q. Earlier today when you were talking with Golf Channel you said one of the reasons you perform so well here is because you have a good time on and off the course. What sort of things do you do off the course that you enjoy about this area?

HANNAH GREEN: I think the food is big here. Great White is like an Australian cafe that is just across the street, so I've been there when I have a later tee time and have breakfast over there.

Even just like the restaurants, obviously Koreatown is right down the street too, so I've had some food there. It's nice to be able to switch off properly.

And I also have a really lovely host family that I have been staying with since 2018. I'm staying with them again this year, so not breaking any trends from last few years. They're able to watch me now not working as much as they used to, so that's always helpful, too.

Q. What's it been like for you to watch Nelly on this run and her level of play?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, she's been playing amazing. I played with her in Palos Verdes the first two weeks, so that would've been I guess her second win out of the stretch.

She played really solid obviously all week, but didn't seem like she had her best game which is kind of scary for the rest of us.

So I think she's probably just so tired from everything she's been doing. Obviously won five events, so playing great and not hitting as many shots as perhaps the rest of us.

But being the face of the LPGA right now and women's golf and just golf in general up with Scottie, it's tough. She definitely deserves to have a break and get ready for the next event.

Q. I have just a few more. Heading into this week off a major championship, I know you didn't play the weekend last week.

HANNAH GREEN: Uh-huh.

Q. How does your game feel and how do you come off a missed cut and focus on the future?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, so actually had my coach with me last week. Unfortunately I felt like I actually played okay. Just really screwed up the first four holes of the championship on Thursday.

Actually felt like it was kind of different to perhaps -- last year I also missed the cut at Chevron and came into the week and obviously won.

I am pretty good at taking results from the previous week and putting them aside, but it's maybe a little bit more pressure now that I've actually won here. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Again, it helps that I like the golf course. I wish that I could say that about every course we played and had the same feeling.

It's kind of the same when we go to Portland. I won there and had some good results and I get the same type of feelings. Even just playing the back nine kind of remembering the putts that I holed, I kind of recreated the putt that I holed on 18 in regulation. Just things like that really make it helpful and give me more confidence.

I don't want to get too ahead of myself. I still need to make sure I play four solid days of good golf.

Q. The Wangs raised the purse this year. We are playing for the biggest purse outside of a major. CME here this week. What does that sort of commitment mean to you personally as someone who's a champion of this event?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, it's huge. I think they've had -- it's almost been like a domino effect. We've seen with the major championships with the associations raising the purse, and I think now the other events want to have those type of purses.

And also getting a free hotel room this week. Little things like that makes a big difference to when we're playing out on tour. Even though I'm not in the hotel had week I know a lot of girls were really grateful and looking forward to the pro-am part tonight, too.

Q. Yeah, that's pro-am parties are great.

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah. I hope I win a prize again.