JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP

April 24, 2024

Rose Zhang

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, we're here with Rose Zhang as she's about to tee it off at the JM Eagle LA Championship.

This one is pretty close to home for you. How familiar are you with this area and Wilshire Country Club as you're about to start the event this week?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, I'm not as familiar in the LA area as I am in the OC area where I'm from, so I don't have as much experience playing Wilshire. I did get to play a Monday qualifier here couple years back when I was 16 years old, so that was the last time I really kind of got to see this golf course.

But I knew it was a very prestigious track, but also plays difficult, especially when you're out there and regardless of normal weather conditions or hard weather conditions, it plays pretty tricky.

So it's really nice to be here, close to home. I do have friends and family who are coming, so it's always fun to just stay by.

Q. Obviously this was one the last events last year before your first win at Mizuho. How is it feeling being unfamiliar with the beginning portion of year and about to head into the portion of the year that you're more familiar with?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, it still feels like I'm a rookie out here just because I have to navigate myself around so many different golf courses. Throughout this first little segment of the year I know that there has been very difficult tracks, so I've just been trying to take it in my stride and prepare as best as I can.

It always feels like there is always something out there that I need to figure out, so hopefully going into the next couple weeks I'll take a little bit of a breather in terms of trying to scramble myself around areas and be able to kind of, I guess, hone into my expertise from last year.

Q. Yeah. As you head into Mizuho in a few weeks where you will be defending, how is your game feeling through the beginning of the year?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, game has been feeling interesting. I think that I've had a very fulfilling journey thus far. I've been learning a lot. There has been a lot of ups and downs and some weeks are not as consistent as others, but I think these growing pains are really good. I've been taking it I guess one by one.

I think that it's always -- even if you feel like you're taking a step back, you'll be able to take two steps forward afterwards once you kind of learn and navigate yourself around.

Been really thankful for the entire process and looking forward to, I guess, working a little bit harder and honing in on things that I might need to work on.

Q. Just one more question about last week. That was your first time at The Woodlands. Obviously a really tricky course.

ROSE ZHANG: Right.

Q. Now we are well underway with major season. Just tell us your impressions of the first major of the year from you and how you're preparing for major season in general.

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, it's interesting, because I felt like I took a lot of positives from I guess not playing that great, especially last week.

I think that -- well, just beginning with the first major, I've never played that golf course before. I've always thought of playing the first major in Palm Springs in Mission Hills, so it's a little bit of a different experience there.

But I love the track actually. It's just wasn't able to capitalize on a couple things and just didn't shoot low enough to make it.

I think going forward into majors it's going to be, at least for me, kind of less emphasis on it being an actual major and taking it day by day, what I need to work on and prepare so I stay, quote-unquote, fresh going into the week.

Q. What was it like watching Nelly's performance last week?

ROSE ZHANG: It was incredible. I don't even have any words just because, I mean, obviously she's the third player ever to play and win five in a row. It's so hard to win once out here, let alone five times back-to-back.

I think it's been very inspiring for not only me, but a lot of other players. It's just her being able to be herself when she's out there and her being able to commit to what she's doing with her team around her, and that's really kind of what I saw when she was out there performing.

She was having a good time and also very into the game, very competitive, not letting anything sidetrack her.

I find that very admirable, so really props to her. It's kind of an honor to see that happen, especially in my lifetime now. And also just the game of golf. She's really growing the women's game exponentially.