Q. All right, here with Albane Valenzuela. Way to play; 5-under out there today. Just tell me about your round and how it felt out there to get a good low one in.
ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, 5-under. I'm super happy. Played some very steady golf. Was a little bit shaky off the tee, but I felt like my iron play was super solid. I was rolling some good putts. Yeah, just put a good round out there.
Q. Four birdies in your first seven holes. To have that start, what is mentally going through your head to maintain that heading into the back nine?
ALBANE VALENZUELA: I feel like last week really helped. I had a really good run; it was on Saturday. I think I was 8-under through 16, and kind of like going deep at that point kind of showed me I had the birdies under my belt.
I just tried to have that same attitude, that I can have a lot of birdies out there on the course. So just tried to carry that from last week and just clean up a little bit the messy stuff.
Q. You've had a great season obviously. We just talked about your first CME Group Tour Championship. Seems kind of shocking considering how well you've played since you've been out here. To have this good of a year, what's that meant to you?
ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, I mean, I've missed CME by a few spots last year. It was definitely very disappointing. I feel like I've always been a little bit of a rollercoaster player. Some good weeks; some not-so-good weeks.
But this year overall obviously better. To be here at CME among the top 6 of our players on Tour is not nothing. This is definitely very competitive to be out here on the LPGA.
Yeah, great year. I mean, Olympics and Solheim, that's really all I could ask for. Just hoping for a good finish this week and we'll see.
Q. How did those weeks bolster your confidence as you were working to make your first CME?
ALBANE VALENZUELA: Yeah, it was a lot of pressure to get into both, especially Solheim. It was nerve-wracking. I was super nervous January 1st onwards because I knew I had a big task ahead, and it was to make it on that team.
So a lot of pressure, and I think I handled it really well. I mean, I played solid over the summer and had some good finishes knowing what was on the line, so I think it proved myself a lot in those moments.
And, yeah, so far so good.
Q. What did you find last week that maybe helped you get ready for this week with everything that's on the line here and all of that money?
ALBANE VALENZUELA: I meal, like after Asia I had to go through major everything change. Just like swing-wise I was not hitting the ball exactly how I wanted. I was not putting great. I just tweaked a fear things here and there. I saw some really good improvements last week. I was hitting some great golf shots, rolling some really good putts and that gave me some confidence going into this week.
Q. I'm curious how the Solheim Cup experience shaped you and changed you in any way?
ALBANE VALENZUELA: I mean, that's the pinnacle of women's golf, right? To be a Solheim Cup player is probably one of my greatest accomplishments and something I'm extremely proud of. It's something I've always wanted to do and now to call myself a Solheim player is definitely very special.
Hasn't really changed me as a person; hasn't changed me as a golfer. I think it's definitely proven that I can belong at the top of women's golf. That's what I strive to become, and I just try to get a little bit better every year.
Q. Was it a unique kind of pressure?
ALBANE VALENZUELA: It was so different. I mean, I feel like it was actually a lot of excitement. It was definitely pressure but I just loved it. I mean, the energy was electric. The crowds were crazy.
Obviously a lot of USA, USA, USA, so it's probably different when you play on your own soil. It was such a special moment. I loved being in the team room, being part of Team Europe. You just play for something bigger than yourself, and I think I've always done well in those environments.
Same as Olympics. You just get extra energy to play in something a little bit bigger than just myself.
Q. Obviously off to a good start. What would be a solid result for you here this week, besides the obvious one?
ALBANE VALENZUELA: Obviously I think everyone is looking at that $4 million price tag. I try not to look too much at the result. I feel like in the past I've always been stuck on results, and ultimately all I can do is control my own round, my own energy, my own commitment.
I think I'm just trying to enjoy it out there. It's the last week of the year. It's kind of the bonus week. No matter what, everyone is having a paycheck.
It's just a great week. This is like the cherry on top of a season so I'm just really trying to go out there, play 100%, and then off-season.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports