Q. Here with Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, making everybody laugh before a press conference gets underway. Great start to your week out here, 3-under 69, five birdies, couple bogeys, but still hung tough and finished it out. How good are you feeling after that round?
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: Really good. Felt nice to have a strong start. Had some up and down on 11, you know, but it's golf. I answered back pretty well with a birdie on 12.
Then I had a couple opportunities and missed a couple putts, but, I mean, it's just golf, so, yeah.
But very, very happy with this round.
Q. First time at Mission Hills. What were some of your impressions?
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: I love it, but it's not my first time on this course though because I played the AJGA, the ANA Junior Inspiration, but it's my first major as pro.
It's super exciting. I love this place. I love the course. Like the conditions are just like the best.
So, I mean, it's just so fun to be out here, yeah.
Q. You told me a lot at Q-Series your happy golf motto is what you still stick to. How is the happy golf going so far this week? I know last week was a little rough on you, but how you feeling so far?
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: Really good. I had to remind myself about being happy me, especially after last week. I mean, we have a beautiful office this week and I think we need to enjoy that and see that.
So that's kind of my motto for this weeks. Enjoying. My parents is here, my coach is here, and have my whole team behind me. So it feels really nice.
Just the atmosphere is just crazy, so it's just like very exciting.
Q. How long has it been since your parents have been able to watch you play?
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: You mean this week?
Q. Like they're here, they're on site this week. How long has it been since they have been on site at an event?
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: Well, they arrived on Monday, and, yeah, for my dad it's his first time in the U.S.
Yeah, and my mom came here couple years ago with me on the AJGA tournament. It's just so nice to have them with me, because then I won't see them until July.
I'm just really enjoying every moment I have with them.
Q. Take a step back to last year at this time. You're playing ANWA. Can you sort of quantify where you have gone in the golf world from ANWA to the end of your college career to Q-Series to winning an LET event to now being here and what's it's been like?
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: I guess I just kept being me, and I really had clear goals and a very, very motivated mindset in what I wanted to do and achieve.
I've been working hard since then and even before. I had an invite two years ago for this tournament but it was right at the same time as the ANWA. I decided to play the ANWA, because I was like may be I'm going to be playing the ANA at some point. I'm happy that I'm here because it means that I made the right decision, but it's just everything happens for a reason and I turned pro at the right time. My coach in college was super supportive as well as the university.
Everyone has been super helpful, and so it helped me be on the rising slope, I guess.
Q. How has your first full tour season gone so far? Being a rookie I know everyone says it's intimidating. You know how the business is run. How has it been going for you?
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: Really good. Until now it's just fun. Even if last week I missed the cut, I really had a great time. It showed me that I can make it fun and funnier, and I think I kind of forgot about that side of me last week.
So I think I learn. After every week there is a lesson, and there was definitely one after last week. I learned it, and I'm trying to apply what I learned this week. So, yeah, it's been fun.
Q. Rest of the week out here, what positives from today will you take with you to Friday, Saturday, and Sunday?
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: I'm really happy with the way I've been wedging. It's very solid. But then I think I still need to improve my putting a little bit, and then just keep doing what I've been doing in this term of practice and work with my coach.
So yeah, I'll just keep practicing a little bit.
Q. Looking forward to more happy golf.
PAULINE ROUSSIN-BOUCHARD: Yeah, thank you.
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