CPKC WOMEN'S OPEN

July 26, 2024

Rose Zhang

Earl Grey Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Welcome back to the media center, Rose Zhang. Great second round here. Super steady. Give us sort of the rundown on the round today.

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, I think I fought pretty well when I was out there. The wind picked up a little bit just throughout the round.

I think for me, I just tried to stay as composed as possible, make sure that my tempo and all my shots are as committed as can be.

So very satisfied and glad to be heading into the weekend.

Q. Yesterday and today players have been talking about how tricky the course is, especially the back. How good is making par out there and being steady, especially looking at the leaderboard?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, like any golf course, par isn't ever a bad score but especially out here. Sometimes you come out with a par and it feels like a birdie.

Just being able to kind of stay committed and even when you are finding yourself in the rough and scrambling, just anything in you to kind of grind it out there is immensely helpful.

So very, yeah, it's very tricky, like all the players said. I'm expecting the golf course to kind of firm up a little bit more with the wind and just conditions are probably going to be trickier.

Q. We talking a lot about weather, pretty much all week. Super hot early in the week, yesterday not and then today. How would you assess your game plan given today's weather and were things more different for you teeing up today?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, you have to go out there and just see what you have. You can't really control the weather. I think it's more so the game plan is just controlling the controllables.

I definitely think that the next two days will probably play similar to today and yesterday. Wind, it may pick up; may not. But I think regardless of what the wind is doing it's already playing pretty difficult. I can only imagine what it's like in the weekend.

Q. Score-wise, you're only 2-under par through two rounds and firm here in the top 10 and pretty close to the lead. Given that number, is it a surprising number to be so high up the leaderboard at only 2-under par?

ROSE ZHANG: Recently 2-under would've probably missed the cut or barely made it. Considering what everyone has been doing the past couple weeks.

I think it really shows a true testament to how difficult the course is playing. Any slight error leads to a bogey or even worse.

So just making sure that you come out with your best grit and also making sure you take your medicine every now and then. I think that's going to be key.

But didn't really expect the score to be this low or this high. But, yeah.

Q. Do you do anything to change your mindset in weeks like this? You talked about sometimes you have to take your medicine. Does the mindset have to change from those kind of shootout weeks that you researches.

ROSE ZHANG: I think it depends on the player of course depends on how aggressive they are as a player.

But, yes, do I think this there is some cases where you just can't aim at the pin. You just have to play slopes to the best of your ability, especially if you're not on -- you're not in play on the first tee shot.

That's when you really have to consider, okay, how do I make it out of here with the lowest possible score. But, yeah, I mean, in that regard there is a mindset change. But I think that just is depends on game plans for everyone.

Q. What's it like to be sitting here knowing you're an Olympian and watching the opening ceremonies go on on another continent? What's that blend like?

ROSE ZHANG: It's still a little surreal. I think I will have to go there and actually experience myself what it's like to be an Olympian to even think about it.

I mean, I've watched the opening ceremonies basically ever Olympics, so this is kind of like, oh, Olympics are happening.

I think when you go overseas and I am actually there the feeling may be different.

Q. Is it important for you to -- like are you the type of player with a good week in Calgary can take some momentum with you to Paris?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, I think month matter what, you can always take good momentum out of good weeks. Me personally, I can -- I know that I have it in me, so it does give me a bit of momentum and a bit of confidence to do what I need to do next week.

Q. This is just your second CPKC Women's Open, right? Last year in Shaunessey was your first?

ROSE ZHANG: Yep.

Q. Given the two you placed, Shaughnessy played pretty tough; this year playing tough. How would you describe the Canadian Women's Open? Does it feel like one the tougher tournaments? Feel like a major?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, the Canadian Women's Open in my opinion is definitely one that plays tougher, but I honestly love it here.

I think all the players, like I said before, we all enjoy coming here. Just from the I guess just the dining, just the way that everyone treats us, it really feels like a pretty major-worthy event.

We always feel really glad to come here. In had the two events I've played here I've really just taken it in and, enjoyed it. But it does play difficult, so it also does have a little bit of a major-esque vibe to it.

Q. Be funny to say it's a refreshing change of pace. You talked about some places 2-under you're not close to making the cut. When you come to a tournament like this where you know have to be so sharp, is that kind of shift your mindset and maybe just present -- just change the way you approach, maybe you do kind of relish when it's more difficult?

ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, I think obviously it depends week to week how the game is faring. It is a change of pace. It's honestly really nice to I guess just try to find that little grinding mindset within you to be able to beat the golf course.

Because at this point we're trying to beat the golf course not beat other players; whereas other golf courses the lowest scores are 20-, 25-under and that's when you know you have to beat players.

But I think -- I mean, everyone who is playing and competing in week, they know that if you slip up in the mind a little bit, that's when shots start tumbling and you really have to stay on -- stay sharp on all cylinders.