THE MODERATOR: Welcome inside the media center here at the Palos Verdes Championship presented by Bank of America.
We have Allisen Corpuz, USC alum and Lilia Vu, UCLA alum here with us today doing a bit of a dual press conference.
Lilia, we'll start with you. This is a venue you've won at before, Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge back in college. What memories do you have of that win and this golf course?
LILIA VU: I actually remember during that week I shot over part in the first round, and I remember my coach telling me like, There is girls that shot over par during the round that ended up winning the tournament, so I just stayed steady.
This that course is pretty difficult, so I remember just fighting back and I did pretty well on the weekend.
Q. Allisen, again, a player that's played here quite a bit. Just right up the road at USC. What do you remember about this golf course, and did playing back here kind of jog your memory a little bit?
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I think this is the event I probably played the most, because I played it as an individual my freshman year, and made the travel team the following years, and then we had Pac-12s out here two years ago.
It's just such a beautiful golf course, and I'm really excited for this week.
Q. You two played against each other in college. Were there any times you played in the same group?
LILIA VU: I don't remember playing with you.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: I don't think we were ever paired together. Yeah, I think she was like -- maybe once.
LILIA VU: Maybe once. But we did play together last week, so that was fun.
Q. Speaking of last week, it was a good week for you guys in LA. The hometown vibes with the college connections. Allisen, got your second top 20 in a row. How exciting was that following up that performance in Hawaii?
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, my game feels like it's in a great spot right now and was able to capitalize on that, and I'm really excited to have the support out back at home and -- out here and at Wilshire.
Q. Lilia, second top 10 of the season. That had to feel pretty good.
LILIA VU: Yeah, it felt pretty good. Pretty shaky the first two days and then found my groove on the weekend and started to have fun.
Q. Both you guys are bringing in a lot of confidence into this week and have kind of an advantage having played this golf course before since this is a new event on the schedule. What are some of the trickiest holes out here, do you think?
ALLISEN CORPUZ: There is just a couple of tough like long par-4s. I would say No. 5 is pretty tough just alongside the hazard.
18 is playing pretty long.
And then there is just a bunch of elevation changes, so just have to be mindful about clubbing.
LILIA VU: Also, the greens are pretty tricky so you have to be in the right spot. The greens are not subtle, so you want to be pretty mindful of your approach shot.
Q. I just love this word, the kikuyu grass out there. Obviously playing at Wilshire last week it's a little bit different of a setup. How do you adapt your games to the changes grasses?
LILIA VU: I'm still trying to adapt to the kikuyu honestly. I hit a couple approach shots from the fairway yesterday and I just got stuck. I tried it twice and it still happened, also to my playing partner who I was playing with, so we're still trying to figure it out. Just gets a little stuck.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Just try your best each week. Yeah, like Lilia said, it is a little different from last week. I mean, everything is really beautiful out there.
Q. Let's chat about obviously connections here. How good does it feel for both of you? Obviously played last week at Wilshire and had a lot of hometown support. How does that support feel to have that kind of a while you're out there playing?
LILIA VU: Feels really good. Today in my program I had Bruins and then I also had Trojans in my group, so it just was really fun. It's just nice to be around a place that I know really well.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: I only had Trojans in my group and the San Diego State alum. Yeah, it's just always kind of a nice surprise to walk up to your pro-am group and get a, Fight on. Just see kids out here, their parents are already impressing USC on them. It's so cute to see them in their gear.
Q. Allisen, you're a rookie; Lilia, you've been out here before and did graduate from the Epson Tour. Allisen, are you picking anybody's brains like Lilia who you've had experience with in the past as far as rookie life and what you need to know?
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, Megan Khang is actually one of my close friends. I've known her since we were eight years old. Watched her have a couple really great years on tour, so she's really been great about letting me know what's up and helping me out.
Q. Lilia, how good does it feel to be back out here playing well?
LILIA VU: Yeah, it feels really different. I think when I was a rookie in 2019 I came in with a really different mindset, more like every shot is life or death. I felt a lot of pressure coming in.
And then going back to Epson and getting confidence coming out of there, I just feel a lot freer on the LPGA Tour right now. I think that confidence that I built over the years has really helped me.
Q. I just want to ask you both separately, talk about walking this course, what makes it difficult, and just what holes present the biggest problems to you? Lilia, why don't you go first.
LILIA VU: Trying to think. The nines are swapped from what I remember. I think hole No. 3 -- I mean, hole No. 12 where it's a dogleg right and there is hazard on the right and there is street on the left. Just off the tee just struggling to find my aim with the winds. It's kind of crosswind on that hole, too. Just trying to end up in the fairway. Kind of rolls to the right.
And then a lot of Allisen said, like the elevation changes, a lot of uphill holes, and then going down on that par-3, maybe minus 20 on elevation. A lot of elevation changes.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, just following what Lilia said, it's just a hilly course, so just walk stamina-wise it's going to be a long week. But we're excited.
Yeah, so 13 is a really downhill par-3, and then 7 is just a par-5 just straight uphill.
What's another hole? No. 4, that dogleg left down the hill. Just really getting the slopes and also knowing you're ball is not going to be in a flat spot.
So just being able to take a good swing and commit to that.
Q. I wanted to ask you both about this course hosting an LPGA event for the first time and just your general thoughts on that.
LILIA VU: I mean, they hosted the Northrup Grumman college events, so it's not too different I guess from the LPGA. There is grandstands set up, but I feel like this is home to me, honestly.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, I think it's a great venue for the LPGA. I'm really excited to get out there this week.
Q. Speaking of that, we're kind of playing -- I mean, it's only 6258 out there on the white line yardage right now. It's playing kind of like college conditions. Do you think that gives you an advantage?
ALLISEN CORPUZ: I think it's playing pretty decently long with the wind, but I always think just knowing a course is always a slight advantage, especially because it is the first time that the LPGA is out here.
There is a couple of girls that have played the college event, but for the most part it is a new course.
LILIA VU: Yeah, I think with the elevation change -- I mean, 65, right?
Q. 6258.
LILIA VU: 6258?
Q. Yeah.
LILIA VU: I mean, I still think this is a pretty hefty course because you're hitting up into the hill. You don't get a lot of roll-out. It's softer in the fairways, but the greens are starting to firm up a bit.
That's going to be the biggest challenge I think for the rest of the competitors.
Q. Kind of the biggest difference -- there is a lot of differences between Wilshire and here, but especially with how firm and fast Wilshire can be. Here, like you said, it's soft, it's uphill, it's kind of undulated. What do you do to adjust? That's kind of a hard thing to do to get yourself in a mindset to play this kind of golf course.
LILIA VU: I think for me it's going to be learning as I go, just see how the conditions are, because a lot can change in a couple hours.
Like today was playing a little softer than yesterday for some reason, and then I'm pretty sure they're going to speed it up by tomorrow.
Just anticipating for that. (Smiling.)
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, adding on to what Lilia said, just trying to figure out what to expect for the week and trying to practice a little more there.
These greens I think are a little more undulated and obviously like a lot less flat lies out there.
Yeah, just trying to go out and hit some good shots.
Q. Hopefully you're well today and you had a great practice round. My first question is for Allisen. You touched on course setup and playing here a lot in the past with your collegiate career. Do you find that really playing different? Is there anything in particular, whether it's green speeds, anything compared to what you've seen in the past?
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, well, the last time I was out here was for Pac-12s, which was a little under two years ago, so I think they made a couple changes throughout the course just kind of flattening out some of the greens and actually opening up a bunch of like roll-off areas on the green.
But the course is in great shape and the fairways seem a little softer so the ball is just not rolling out as much and the wind is just a little different from the college event because that's typically held the end of February.
Overall, I think the yardages are pretty similar. Yeah, I mean, obviously the greens are a little faster and firmer.
Q. I was going to follow up that with a question for Lilia as well. You mentioned tomorrow the green speeds may be a little bit, they will speed them up overnight. Compared to what you've experienced in the past at that golf course, how are they rolling?
LILIA VU: They're rolling pretty well. Definitely less bumpy than I remember it in 2018. Fast and firm, faster and firmer.
So, yeah, it's in good condition honestly.
Q. And Lilia, you had, what, three wins I think last year on the Epson Tour. Anything changed with your preparation as you went from Epson to currently? Is there anything you focused on more than one thing? Say, short game over striking or anything of that nature?
LILIA VU: Honestly, I'm trying to get better in every part of my game. It worked last year for me, the same mindset I have now, so I'm just keeping it the same and just trying to have fun out there.
Q. New event, new venue, new sponsorship with Bank of America being a presenting sponsor. What are you all looking forward to most this week out here at Palos Verdes?
LILIA VU: I'm mostly looking forward to all the spectators and volunteers coming out. I think there will be a lot of kids coming out to watch, because even at the Northrup Grumman we got a lot of spectators, so I'm excited to see everyone come out and watch us.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Yeah, same. Just really seeing all the support out here, it's so great to have fans back. Hawaii didn't have too many, but Wilshire last year had quite a bit of a turnout.
It's just really exciting to see people enjoying golf and coming out and bringing their kids and having a good time out here.
THE MODERATOR: Awesome. Thank you both.
LILIA VU: Thank you.
ALLISEN CORPUZ: Thank you.
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