THE MODERATOR: All right, joined by Rose Zhang here at the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards. Rose, made it out of the stroke stage last year. Got on to some match play. We're going back to all match play this season.
What do you remember most about last year and do you feel more equipped and ready to take on Shadow Creek?
ROSE ZHANG: I think Shadow is an incredibly challenging course, so I'm very well aware of certain places to be and not to be.
I think last year stroke play was great for me personally, and match play, kind of that transition to a different format kind of got me a little bit shaken up.
So I think like with the congruence of the entire week being match play, at least it'll get my mindset into like how to actually compete and play hole by hole with and against another competitor.
So I am excited.
Q. Now that you got to play both stroke play and match play, what are some of the bigger differences in terms of how you approach the course itself, certain holes? Anything you'll do this year in strictly match play versus maybe some approach you had during stroke play last year?
ROSE ZHANG: I think overall it is important to have a game plan going into match play. At the same time everything in your strategy is dependant on what your opponent does.
Obviously don't want to stray too far away from your overall game plan starting the week, but I do think in certain moments of whether you're down or up that will determine, especially on this course, what club to use and what lines to aim at.
I think there is a no-fear type mentality when it comes to match play because at the end of the day it's either a win or a lose. I think that that's both helped and hurt me, but I think more so helped.
I like to play full send strategies, and I think I'm more excited for the way this format is going to turn out.
Q. I believe it was this time last year you were just settling in, moving into being a Vegas resident. How has it been being a full year Vegas resident?
ROSE ZHANG: Yeah, it's pretty crazy that I'm like officially a full time resident here. I haven't been here as much given that I've been at school and also been traveling on Tour.
I will say that the times that I spent here were more so in my house or at the club that I'm at, so I haven't gotten the chance to explore out a little bit. But I do think it is a very convenient place to be at.
The only thing I have to complain about is the -- it's just so dusty. Allergies kick up. So dry. You know, you can't completely complain either.
Q. You talked a little bit last week about the winter quarter and how much work went into that. You weren't playing much golf or practicing much. How difficult is it to play a course like Shadow Creek when you're not battle tested yet?
ROSE ZHANG: That's a very good question because I actually have been feeling that in the last two days that I've been out here. I will say that my game last year versus this year has been a little bit different given that last year I actually put a lot of reps in, like during the winter quarter that I -- where I was practicing and also going to school at Stanford.
But then this year I did something a little different where I didn't play a lot of golf at all because it was a lot of heavy load in courses and also the mentality of resting.
So I think my golf game has taken a little bit of a back seat, and I think there is a lot of improvement that needs to be made throughout this entire year to really build up to where I want to be.
But that is the intent behind it. So especially with some course like this, I think the match play portion will help me become competitive and not think too much about how much I'm lacking in my skillset.
Q. Is it kind of a case of just getting thrown into the fire; might as well play a really difficult course?
ROSE ZHANG: You could definitely say that. I will say that I think even last week I felt like I was just thrown in with no sort of preparation at all.
Obviously the girls out here are incredibly talented. They not only put in the hours, but they also revolve their entire life around this sport; myself included.
Given that I was a little bit farther away from the sport obviously doesn't give me as much time as them to prepare in the best way possible, but I still have a mindset of trying to improve and learn as much as possible because this year is going to be very long.
Q. Noticing on the TVs behind you the commercials for Augusta Women's National this week and seeing your face up there. What kind of memories does that bring back?
ROSE ZHANG: It's such good memories to be fair. I feel like ANWA -- ANWA has actually been on my radar for the last four years of my golf career, or amateur golf career.
I think that is the pinnacle of playing amateur golf. If you are able to compete at Augusta National and be on live television with that many people, that many crowds, and also kind of compete for that sort of title, it's honestly shown how far the women's game has gone.
I have so many fond memories of everyone treating you like a princess when you're out there. I actually played my first ANWA when I was 15 or 16, the first inaugural one. That was already an experience of its own. Everyone was either crying making the cut or everyone was crying not making the cut.
So it was just a lot of tears shed all around after round two. The cut has always been very difficult. I think they changed it to where there isn't playoff. It's including ties. I may be mistaken for this year. That will take a little bit of relief off.
But I remember always seeing a playoff just to get into the third round, which is like honestly an absurd format. I also recall memories of sleeping on two nights of leads, which is very different from any other event that I played in.
Q. And then just wanted to ask about the state of American golf on the women's side. Lexi retiring, Ally retiring, Marina retiring, Brittany retiring. Do you feel like there is a responsibility for you and some of the other younger players to kind of step up and take the helm?
ROSE ZHANG: Yeah. I mean, I would say that for anyone who is playing out here, we always number one want to play the best we can, but especially if we are representing our own country. There is no bigger honor. A lot of American veterans out here on the LPGA Tour have retired, so I can definitely see that perspective shifting.
But I also think it's the way of life where there is going be people who retire and the younger generation of really talented golfers are going to come up.
There is a lot of great American golfers who are going to be the up and coming Tour players that are going to be competing week in, week out, so I am very optimistic about just being able to do what I do and also try my best to represent in the best way possible.
Q. It was announced last week you're establishing a grant, the Liberty National Achieving Competitive Excellence Grant Endowment. Just how much of an honor is it to be in a position now to give back to girls that you were very much in their shoes just a few years ago?
ROSE ZHANG: It's so incredible because the AJGA has created a platform for me to really thrive as a junior golfer and allowed me to go to Stanford and to have opportunities and play in major championships when I was only a junior.
My family sacrificed a lot to help me play golf, and financial burdens are obviously very difficult. So for that, I was an ACE Grant recipient and I felt so grateful for the reimbursements that I was able to receive to be able to play nationally.
And for me, the biggest thing is with my platform, no matter how big or small, I wish to give back in the best way possible. This is something that like I hold very near and dear to heart, which I am very grateful that I'm able to do so, especially for Liberty National, for ACE Grant, AJGA, and a lot of the younger players that will be out there competing and not having to worry too much about financial burdens.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports