FORD CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY WILD HORSE PASS

March 29, 2025

Yahui Zhang

Whirlwind Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Okay, here with Yahui after her third round at the Ford Championship. Really great round today to move up the leaderboard. Can you just talk about your round and what you felt like went really well in your game today?

YAHUI ZHANG: I mean, today I was quite worry about today, the score I got at the morning, because the wind I saw on the app is really big and the pin place is quite difficult when I saw on the email.

So I just talking with my father and I just, just do it. I'm the rookie. What I'm worry about? Just like that.

Q. Absolutely. You got off to a really quick start. Two birdies on the first two holes; eagle on the front nine. Talk about the front nine and what you were thinking of making the turn.

YAHUI ZHANG: Yeah, after I got two birdie and two more par to save the par, two more holes to save the par, all I was thinking is if I got birdie I just play it. If I can sink the par I have to save it. Just like that.

Q. And talk can you about the eagle on 5?

YAHUI ZHANG: Yeah, that one is quite, I mean, out of my mind. Because the tee is moving forward like two tees, and there is only 262 yards to left and the wind is really big today there. It's downwind.

So I was thinking -- first I was thinking use driver, but I think that's too much, and also -- and then I think just use 3-wood and the wind is right to left, and at the first two hole the wind is quite blow pretty more to my ball.

So I just thinking I should aiming more right. If I can play on the green, I just play on the green. If I can play the bunker beside the green, I just put that there. I mean, just want ball safe at there.

I didn't expect that my ball there is only three yards far to the hole I just said, oh, I got chance for eagle. If I can't putting, it's still a birdie. I just try it. I just do it. Just kind of like that.

Q. That's so awesome. What does it feel like to move up the leaderboard as a rookie, not having too much experience out here on the LPGA Tour yet?

YAHUI ZHANG: So I have come to America like two years, and the last year I go to play the Epson Tour, so I think that's pretty good, because the name is Epson Tour road to LPGA. That made me used to the American course a lot, and also their academy that I stay, IJGA, the boss there is so nice. Andrew Summers just let me stay at there and practice a lot, a lot of ball.

And I think that's more to let me used to the course in America, so I just -- I was thinking a lot, yeah.

Q. You just mentioned a couple things about the Epson Tour, but are there any more things that made you feel like you're prepared to be out here on the LPGA because you competed on the Epson Tour?

YAHUI ZHANG: The most person is Shanshan Feng. This name is I think all of your guys have heard this name before. She have teach me a lot of things, and she is also the one that prove me into the Epson Tour and LPGA Tour. She told me that I think you can play. I think you can play on Epson. I think you can play on LPGA.

I mean, she give me a lot of like confidence in China when I talk to her.

Q. Has she served as a mentor to you?

YAHUI ZHANG: Yeah, kind of like that.