MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 13, 2024

Ssu-Chia Cheng

Blythefield Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Ssu-Chia Cheng after her first round at the Meijer LPGA Classic. Can you take me through your round today? Lots of birdies on the card; 5-under 67.

SSU-CHIA CHENG: Yeah, I mean, overall just a great day out there. I just trying to go out there and enjoy the day, you know. The golf course is in great shape. It just -- I'm always happy to come back it Grand Rapids. Probably one of my favorite stop on the tour.

Obviously today everything just solid today. Hit the ball pretty good. Made some putts out there. Then made my eagle putt on 18, which is big.

So, yeah, just happy about the round today.

Q. I was going to ask about 18. Can you take me through the hole?

SSU-CHIA CHENG: Yeah, so 18 is just -- this year I changed the strategy a little bit off the tee, so I actually lay up back, like before the bunker.

So I just, you know, that way I feel more comfortable with the tee shots. Today I think just because of wind, I still had a chance to get it on the green in two, so I had a good 3-wood second shot.

Then I left about 18 or 20-footer eagle putt and I made a good putt. Yeah it's a good hole.

Q. I love that. Nice when you change a strategy like that are you sitting at home thinking of the tournament?

SSU-CHIA CHENG: No, you want to do all that in the practice round. Personally I don't want to think about too much at home. I think that just -- I feel like once you figure it out in the practice round you're pretty much all set.

Q. And you had a couple low rounds last week as well. Finding something in your game that's letting you go a little lower?

SSU-CHIA CHENG: I don't know. I don't know. I've been working on pretty much the same thing weeks, over the weeks. Then just I get to play in the U.S. Open to have my -- I've been just been grinding hard for the past few years with my coach and my team. I think we're on the right way, the right path, so I think I'll just keep doing it, yeah.

Q. You are so young on this tour, too. Are you finding your way here?

SSU-CHIA CHENG: Yeah, I would say, you know, I started pretty early, so it's been quite few years out here. So definitely I think just as I getting a little older I think I just get more comfortable out here. Somehow. (Laughter.)

Yeah, I think the experience, it helped a lot. Yeah.

Q. Do you have a U.S. base?

SSU-CHIA CHENG: Sort of. I kind of base myself in Tampa right now.

Q. Where do you play over there and practice?

SSU-CHIA CHENG: I go to Clearwater. Place called Countryside Country Club. Yeah, I go there pretty often in the off-season. Also I do go back to Taiwan in the off-season to see my family back there. Yeah.

Q. Coming off The Open with its demanding conditions, Lancaster, do you have a sense of relief when you come here? Obviously you know this course. Mentally is it kind of a relief?

SSU-CHIA CHENG: Yeah, for sure. I feel like you go into the U.S. Open you know it's going to be a tough week. So for sure it's definitely a relief. And going into last week for ShopRite and this week coming in here, they're both great course but it's definitely a little different. You have a little different mindset.

Like I said you miss your tee shots to the rough, you be like, okay, I think I still got a shot to the green. It plays a little different than the U.S. Open that's for sure, yeah.