THE AMUNDI EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 14, 2024

Ayaka Furue

Evian Resort Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right everybody, welcome back inside the media center here at the Amundi Evian Championship.

I am pleased to be joined by this year's 2024 champion Ayaka Furue.

Ayaka, welcome to being a major champion. What are the emotions your feeling right now?

AYAKA FURUE: I didn't believe that I can get the major win so I'm so happy right now.

Q. Let's talk about the game plan today. What was your mindset and what was your strategy going into the final round?

AYAKA FURUE: Before starting the round I feel like a little bit -- I have to do the aggressive play today, but like after I started playing I feel kind of like a little bit frustrated about my play. Like I didn't get any birdie chances.

But after the 15th hole, I could gain my momentum. I could gain my confidence. So that was really good for me.

Q. Three birdies and an eagle on 18 to close out this major championship. What was working so well for you on those closing holes and how comfortable were you feeling in your play?

AYAKA FURUE: I became a Star Wars fan like a month ago, and then I love the sentence with, May the force be with you.

Then I believe that sentence on 15th hole. I just -- the sentence came up in my mind and I was just keep going on with that quote, yeah.

Q. Obviously this eagle on 18, I would love for you to walk us through that hole.

AYAKA FURUE: Thank you so much.

Q. Walk us through No. 18 from the tee shot to the putt going in. Take us through the tee shot to when the putt hit the bottom of the hole.

AYAKA FURUE: I wanted to hit my ball on the fairway, but I got it on the first cut. But there was not that problem for me. Just I was wondering which club do I have to take.

Then I hit the upper clubs so that was kind of good for me. That clubs made me hit it on the green and then that was really close to the hole.

And then Stephanie hit the ball so close to the hole, like that was birdie putt, so I thought I had to hit close to the hole.

And then just had an eagle putt and it was really good.

Q. It takes a lot to win a major championship. Can you just put into words how proud you are of yourself having come so close? Explain just how proud you are of yourself to be table recover and close it out there at the end?

AYAKA FURUE: I feel so honored to be the winner of a major championship, but I feel like I put every effort to win every tournament.

I feel very comfortable with this win, but just take one win on the tour was really good for me.

Q. How much inspiration or how much did you really want to get a major after seeing Yuka win this year and playing so well in Pennsylvania?

AYAKA FURUE: After Yuka's win, I feel like Japanese players win is very important for me. It's really like good for me. And then I feel this tournament, this course, I feel I could win this tournament because I love this course and I love all of here.

So I feel very happy to win here.

Q. So after seeing you play for a while and seeing that second shot on 18 into the green, I wonder sometimes do you have any fear on the golf course?

AYAKA FURUE: Obviously I had fear and I was really nervous toward getting 18. I was getting nervous and nervous when I walk through the 17th, 18th.

Q. So when you look back as a young girl playing golf in Japan and you imagine winning a major, did you imagine it would be something like this?

AYAKA FURUE: I didn't imagine at all because I didn't get any major titles in Japan, JLPGA, and I didn't really think about that, yeah, doing this on the LPGA.

Q. That young girl, thinking back, you have to think of all the people that help you to get where you are now. Your family, your friends, coaches. Who are the people you want to thank right now?

AYAKA FURUE: Thank you very much for supporting me all the time to my family and to my, yeah, everyone.

I sometimes feel frustrated with them, like sometime I get in trouble with them, but I really so happy to make this win.

Q. Seems like this year, and even some of last year, there were so many times you were so close to winning and just came up short. Wondering when you were playing today, especially after your bogey on 12, was there any doubt that it could come up short again?

AYAKA FURUE: I didn't want to get any bogeys on the last nine holes, but I did. It feels like it was kind of a little bit pressure for me, but just keep trusting myself and it worked.

Q. It's not every LPGA tournament where the winner gets to have their country's flag wrapped around and you get to take photos. What was it like seeing the flag get parachuted and take photos with the flag around you?

AYAKA FURUE: I was so impressed with all the photos, all the parachutes. Yeah, I like -- I was really moved of that.

Q. I know you're not playing until the Scottish Open. Will you be going home to Japan and what will you expect from the reception when you do go home?

AYAKA FURUE: I just want to make this win of confidence and then just get close to the Scottish Open win. I would like, yeah.

Q. Would you be able to tell us how long your putts were on your last five holes?

AYAKA FURUE: On the 14th hole, ten meter to the hole.

15th hole, 12 meter.

16 hole is 1.5 meter to the hole.

17th hole par putt was one meter to the hole.

18th hole eagle putt was 3.something meter to the hole.

Q. How did you react after making your long putt on No. 15?

AYAKA FURUE: I usually not the type of person who reacts to my birdie putts a lot, but that was really lucky for me, that was really fortunate for me, so I just reacted. So, yeah, a lot.

Q. What was the club that you hit onto 18 green?

AYAKA FURUE: 6-iron.

THE MODERATOR: And the last one from me here in the room, you said in the past you might not have been mentally strong enough to close these events. How have you worked on that and what did you learn about yourself today down the stretch?

AYAKA FURUE: Yesterday third round I was mentally blocking, so, yeah, I didn't want to do that again today. I just want to keep my mind and, yeah just kept doing myself.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you every one for joining us near the media center and congratulations again to Ayaka Furue.

AYAKA FURUE: Thank you so much.