U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 19, 2024

Gianna Clemente

El Caballero Country Club

Press Conference

Q. It's never easy when you go down, get to this stage in the championship. She just seemed to turn it on on the back nine.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I mean, there is not much you can do when the person that you're playing with is shooting 9-under for 15 holes.

So, yeah, it was a tough day. This is become quite a painful event for me, but, yeah, I played well and it's an accomplishment to make to this far.

Q. It's never easy to win this. Win 13 matches in a Girls' Junior, not a lot of people can say that. It's not easy to win that many matches.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah.

Q. Obviously you're doing something right.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, match play is very difficult. I mean, that's really the bottom line. You're going to run into walls like that. I mean, I have so much respect for Asterisk. She's so talented.

Good for her.

Q. And the back nine has been good for you. Today was really good. I think you birdied five of your last six in the morning match. Was it a little tired? Getting fatigued in the -- or was it more just her?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I mean, she hit every shot inside of five feet. I mean, so yeah, I hit a couple bad shots but I wasn't making bogeys, I was making pars.

Yeah, there is just not much I can do.

Q. You chip in for eagle to go 2-up. What's your mindset there?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I felt pretty good after that. I mean, I didn't expect that to go in obviously, but I felt really good.

It wasn't like I was playing bad. It's just she just switched to another gear and I just wasn't able to match it.

Q. Yeah, it's hard in match play when somebody is going that deep. It's out of your control. You can't go and tackle them.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah.

Q. Can't play defense.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, it's completely out of my control.

Q. You've got some big events coming up on your schedule. How do you regroup? Women's Am in a couple weeks.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Just go home. Just spend some time with family and take a couple days off. Try to not think about it.

I think that's all I can do. Just kind of move on to the next one.

Q. That's the next event, correct?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Uh-huh.

Q. Last one the summer pretty much?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Pretty much, yeah. I mean, yeah, there is not much left.

Q. You mentioned this event being painful for you now, it's becoming a painful event. Does something like that motivate you for coming back next year or another year?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: This is my last one, but, yeah, it's been quite a wild ride in this tournament.

I don't know, I guess I don't want to say it's my last one for sure, but it's looking like that right now.

Q. You're still 17, you could play in Atlanta. Closer to home.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I'm 16.

Q. You'll be 17 next year?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Could if I wanted to. We'll see.