FM CHAMPIONSHIP

August 30, 2024

Megan Khang

TPC Boston

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, I'm here with Megan Khang, our Boston resident at the FM Championship. Welcome back to the media center. You talked a lot yesterday about just feeling nerves and pressure to perform. How did you manage that today? Are you still feeling that way?

MEGAN KHANG: You know, definitely for those who haven't seen my scorecard, you can take a peek and it's very much a roller coaster ride. To be able to reel it back in and finish birdie, birdie to go in, I'm, what, ten back of Haeran who shot an incredible 10-under today; super impressive what she did. Now I guess 10-under is out there.

Going to have some work to do for the weekend, but definitely excited to be playing the weekend in front of a home crowd.

Q. I know kind of had that road bump on the front nine. To be able to bounce back and fight through that, what does that tell you about how good you're playing right now?

MEGAN KHANG: I was very happy. You know, kind of start off with a bogey today and then go back-to-back birdie, birdie and felt like a trend. Every time I bogeyed I birdied the next two. Just staying with it and having the crowd behind me.

I may have gotten a little frustrated on hole 4, 3 and 4, but there is plenty of golf left. I knew coming in there were some gettable holes and just kind of keep giving myself chances. Instead of focusing on the bogeys I made I had to change the mindset to be like, I hit some really good shots to make the birdies I did make on my front nine.

But just kind of stayed right there. Again, there is so much golf that just wanted to get the rock rolling again.

Q. Seemed like you've been able to bounce back from things like that a lot better this year maybe than in years past. Is that something you've learned as you've gotten older?

MEGAN KHANG: It's definitely something I learned as I've gotten older. As I've been on tour longer bogeys are going to happen unfortunately. I made a double today. It's golf. It's going to happen. You're going to have some good shots and some bad shots. At the end of the day it's how you persevere through it and come back. To be able to do that the way I did, I'm very happy.

Obviously a little bummed to not get the birdie on 7 as well. It's golf, and just going to try and take the positives.

Q. Looking ahead to the weekend as the home state hero, how much are you looking forward to playing in front of this crowd again over the weekend?

MEGAN KHANG: It's going to be a lot of fun. I have a lot of family that's coming out because I had some last-minute texts for tickets. I'm more than happy to help them out and show them how great these girls are, not only for myself but just on a tour level.

And it's an amazing feeling when you make those long putts last two holes where you get the crowd kind of going. Kind of got a little flat because I couldn't make anything in the middle. It's really cool having the crowd behind you. I think they all saw that I was a little frustrated as well.

Those pick-me-ups going to the next tee definitely helped me stay in a positive mindset.

Q. I was going to ask about your win. When you say you get frustrated like you were at 3 and 4, what's your process to erase that quickly so you can move on?

MEGAN KHANG: I'll admit I may have hit my golf bag to let out a little frustration. I'm not one to -- I try not to bottle it all in. Just a lot of the deep breaths and just trying to physically shake it off.

At the same time, again, trying to focus on what I did well on the front nine, my front nine. Then staying within myself and saying, you know what? It was just a fluke. That wasn't me. That was my alter ego. I don't have a name for her. Have to figure that one out.

But, you know, again, golf is tough. This golf course is tough. I knew that I was going to be able to possibly bounce back, and to go from 5-under at one point to 1-under is definitely kind of a little frustrating.

But, you know, just kind of take it one shot at a time and try to make the most of it. I think there was, what, five more holes to play?

Q. We saw you talking to Haeran outside the media center. Are you close with her and did you give her any advice about this course?

MEGAN KHANG: I didn't give her any advice. I was like, what did you do? We're all pretty friendly out here on tour and game recognizes game. That was a super phenomenal round she put together; flawless I believe.

It's hard to ignore that. You got to give credit where credit is due. I might go ask her for some advice after this.

Q. How would you compare this course with the other courses you've played on the women's tour? Apart from being at home and seeing a lot of your fans and the local crowd here, is this a course you would like to come back to again? You think the women would enjoy playing it regularly?

MEGAN KHANG: This golf course has been nothing but the best, top tier condition that we played in all year. I would love to have this tournament on the schedule here as well.

You know, it's really cool to have the men that have been here before us and then to have us come here and like everyone rolling out the red carpet for us as well. Not just kind of hospitality-wise but course condition-wise the golf course is in amazing shape.

I think when we first came out here there was no pitch marks on the greens and you go out there, and like I said before, there is no excuse for you to miss, other than maybe a little speed being off or reading off.

But these greens are pure conditions and everything about it. Not only that, but the fans have been amazing this week. I can only imagine what the weekend will look like.

Q. The course was initially designed of course for the men's tour. Are there things about the design of the course that would be nice to be altered to fit the women's game more, or do those things not matter?

MEGAN KHANG: I would say I think the LPGA has done a pretty good job of adjusting the golf course in order for the women to play it the way the men would kind of play it.

I know that some holes the men could drive the green. Like No, 4 they could all go for the green. Right now it's not necessarily reachable for us. Maybe we can push the tee up and have a little fun weekend golf.

For the most part, they've done a really good job of giving us some tough tee shots. At the same time, giving it kind of back. A lot of give and take. I'm very curious to see how 18 is going to hold given -- and if they wanted an interesting finish just because we are kind of further back than -- for most girls to be able to go for the green.

I will be interested to see had you they set that up come this weekend.

Q. On the personal side, we've heard a lot of Lexi Thompson, her decision to retire from the game. Just the personal challenges that you face. How are you finding life on the tour?

MEGAN KHANG: I'm very fortunate. I have a great group of friends, and a lot of times we like to get airbnbs together. It's really cool to kind of have that tight-knit group of friends we consider family out here.

At the end of the day I always joke the LPGA is a traveling circus. When someone needs help, you reach out and I'm sure someone will take you in.

That's just the atmosphere out here on tour. I'm very much extroverted and very outgoing, and s I am probably the first one to say hi to someone who's a rookie out here. My phone is always open. I don't shy away from that. That's just my personality. Sometimes my dad said growing up I was a little too friendly.

It's nice to have people come to you. I've been on tour for seven years when a couple of my friends had their rookie year and I was like whenever you have any questions, please message me. We may not have talked for three, four years because they went the college route, but at the end of the day we all look out for each other.

Q. Even though you're competing against each other, a very competitive environment, you find there is also enough friendship between the players that you can notice someone who might be a little down and pick each other up?

MEGAN KHANG: Most definitely. At the end of the day, you know, if you ask any golfer, you're not really playing against the person next to you. You're kind of playing the golf course, and whoever plays the golf course the best that week is going to end up on top.

We play individual sport, but at the end of the day we're not necessarily facing someone that's right across from us almost like a match play event. That's the beautiful thing about golf. If someone plays great golf you're going to acknowledge that. There is really nothing else you can do other than clap your hands for them.

Q. I was just going to ask you, only day two of the inaugural event. Is there any feedback about FM coming back here next year? Is it too early? Do you know how the decision will be made? I believe this is a five-year commitment with FM, but how that process is done or when a decision might be made to come back?

MEGAN KHANG: That's outside of my knowledge, but I'll leave it up to FM to announce. I have a feeling that we'll probably be back just because I think they're really enjoying the a little here. I can't speak on behalf of them, but I would love for them to come back here.

Q. You did mention at the end of the day yesterday you were going to the FM dinner. Was the food good? Was it well attended? Did you have a good time?

MEGAN KHANG: It was special. I had two lobster rolls, some sirloin, and teriyaki salmon. They were churros for dessert. I'm a big food girl, so FM knocked it out of the park.

To see just myself, I rolled in probably around 7:30, dropped myself off at my room, and at 8:00 there is still so many players there. It's nice when you have a late round just to know that there will be some food provided.

FM has gone above and beyond to make the players feel like we're world class athletes. I know we are, but at the end of the day to see what they're doing for us, it means the world to me and I'm super proud to be an ambassador.