MIZUHO AMERICAS OPEN

May 14, 2024

Ayaka Furue

Liberty National Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, here in the media center at the Mizuho Americas Open with Ayaka Furue. Ayaka, we'll just kick things of. You're a Mizuho ambassador. Just talk a little bit about what it's like to be an ambassador of Mizuho and what their sponsorship of you has meant.

AYAKA FURUE: I'm so honored to be part of Mizuho family as a brand ambassador.

And I enjoy the course last year very much.

Mizuho is known as the famous like worldwide famous company so I feel so grateful to be part of Mizuho.

Q. And what do you remember most about last year? There is lots of activations happening this year and exciting things they do for this event. What do you remember most about being here last year?

AYAKA FURUE: I finished with a good place last year, and so I feel very like connected to this course and this event as well.

I played with amateurs last year, like first two days, so that was kind of good impression for me.

Q. What's it is like being at a venue like this? Very popular venue at Liberty National. Just being in New York City for the week, how is that for you?

AYAKA FURUE: I love this course very much because of the view. Like we have a lot of kind of different from other courses, so I love the view as well.

And I also think we can go to the ship to the hotel, so, yeah, it's kind of one of the biggest points of the Mizuho Americas Open.

Q. What do you remember most about the course from last year and what do you like most about it? What suits your game?

AYAKA FURUE: I can really remember that the 16th that was tee'd up so I can hit the driver and like get close to the hole, so that was kind of one of the memorable holes I had, yeah.

Q. And talk a little bit about your performance this year thus far. You started really strong with four top 10 finishes. Talk a little bit about that start of the season and what kind of confidence and momentum that gave you.

AYAKA FURUE: Yeah, I just see Olympics, I want to go to Olympics, and so that's why I could like play well this year and, yeah, going well this year.

Q. What would it mean to you to represent Japan in the Olympics?

AYAKA FURUE: I will definitely have a confidence when I go to Olympics. Yeah, if I have kind of -- if I'm (indiscernible) to go to Olympics I will definitely have more confidence and play kind of aggressively.

Q. How long has this been a goal of yours, to play in the Olympics? Could you talk about growing up and seeing players play in the Olympics and what that would mean to be one of those players?

AYAKA FURUE: I think the Olympics is going to broadcast worldwide, so people who don't play golf, they know what's the golf is and they come to know golf.

So, yeah, that's one of the key points what I wanted to do.

Q. Just how excited are you for this week? What are you looking forward to most about your play and just the tournament in general?

AYAKA FURUE: I'm so happy to be back here as global ambassador for Mizuho. You know, actually I want to win here. Yeah, and it's depends to the Olympics game too. Here is kind of -- yeah, that's depending on right now.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much for joining us. Best of luck this week.

AYAKA FURUE: Thank you so much.