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Q. Here with Megan Khang after her first round at the T-Mobile Match Play presented my MGM Rewards. Just a whirlwind heading down the stretch. Take us through the last couple holes and you Albane going at it back and forth.
MEGHAN KHANG: Just felt like the first ten holes were mine and the last eight were kind of hers. Just never great having that big of a lead and watching it fall apart. She hit some great shots. In golf you need some good bounces as well.
I definitely felt like I gave her some, but that's golf. That's also match play. With Albane, I mean, I've seen her play on Solheim Cups and I know she's such a great match play competitor and golfer herself, so I knew never to count her out.
It definitely took all 18. Coming down 18, obviously kind of seeing where her shot went off I was kind of bummed that I nearly followed her over there. Thankfully she went first. I thought she hit a great shot. Unfortunately the greens are pretty firm. Kind of went all the way back to the green, and at that point I told DT, my caddie, if she's going to win the hole she better make that putt because we're going to make par.
I didn't know how I was going to make par, but spoke it into existence and thankfully ended in my favor.
Q. You were joking with us and on Golf Channel and you looked into the camera and said, I love golf. Is that how you kind of maybe ease the tension of watching a lead fall away or do you lean back on your Solheim Cup match play experience? What keeps you from ultimately collapsing?
MEGHAN KHANG: I missed a short one on 15. It was in all honestly an awful stroke. You know, seeing Albane hit the -- make the birdie on 16 and then hit another great on 17 and obviously mine going long, I'm going, this is a good chance she makes that.
I was fortunate that it just missed, but at the same time, I just missed a short one two holes ago and I knew how big that putt was. You know, as soon as it went in the light kind of -- the flip switched, and funny enough I looked into the camera and I was just like, I just love golf. I couldn't make the putt two holes ago, but it's okay.
That's the fun part about match play. You just kind of have to let it go. I might have a little bit more learning to do in that sense, but, again, happy to get the point.
Q. Is it nice to kind of be battle tested a little bit, especially on such a difficult course like Shadow Creek?
MEGHAN KHANG: Definitely. Shadow is such a great venue. When we come here the course is in great condition. Even this year they were nicer to us making the rough a little less thick, but it's definitely still sticky.
But coming here, knowing that I can make birdies on the front nine, and even though I may not have felt that I performed well on the back nine, obviously can kind of muscle through it and kind of like teaches me a lot about myself as well.
Q. This week is such a grind as it is. How do you recover to be ready to go tomorrow morning after a match like that?
MEGHAN KHANG: I have a really good physio, which funny enough, we joked because his name is Tom, and Rose, Albane and I all have Tom. So we joked with him as soon as the pairings came out, like Team Tom is in for it this week. So we're all joking with him, oh, who do you want?
But no, I mean, just kind of trying to play the least amount of holes you can. Obviously today it took all 18, but just really trying to stay in the moment, not trying to press and just play my own game.
At the end of the day whatever it takes is how many holes it's going to take. Whether it takes 18 or 36 in a day, you know, it's pretty good when you're coming out on top. Just you just know it's going to be a grind this week. You hope to play less holes, but at the same time, you're prepared to play all of them if you have to.
Q. Can you talk about the partnership between you and DT and his energy, especially how his energy helped you in a round like today?
MEGHAN KHANG: Yeah, no, I mean, I'm sure DT got tired of me venting. He's a very positive person, and even when I was kind of losing the lead he was like, you're still 1-up. 16 I lost and I'm like, I'm not 1-up anymore. (Laughter.)
But at the same time, being sarcastic with him, but he's like, that's okay. You still have two holes. You can still put out a win. The only one beating you is yourself. I was pretty hard on myself.
Having him being be so positive sometimes gets annoying. It's really great to have. I joke, but it means a lot that I have someone in my ear rooting, truly rooting for me internally and externally.
Q. Have you found your coffee shop this year yet?
MEGHAN KHANG: I had coffee this morning at Vesta. I had a lovely herb avocado toast. I have no idea what sauce was on it, but a nice spicy sauce. If you have any recommendations, message me.
No, I've been trying to -- today having an afternoon tee time I'll try to find another coffee shop. I went to Mothership earlier this week. I can talk about coffee all the time. I'm always open to recommendations.
I feel bad because I do oak milk, so it's hard for other people to really get a true taste test.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports