THE MODERATOR: All right, here at the 2025 ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer; joined by Gianna Clemente in the media center here. Sponsor invite this week; part of team ShopRite. Obviously a big week for you. Talk about what this event means to you as a whole, especially with those two things I mentioned.
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, it's just a really cool experience for me this week. Being part of team ShopRite has been amazing. I think it's really cool what they're doing, making a little team for the tournament and us being able to rep the logo all year long. I just think it's a really cool initiative they have. It's been cool to be a part of and meet so many new people through that. The ShopRite team has treated me so well.
Yeah, just excited to hopefully play some good golf this week.
Q. Being part of Team ShopRite, you've been giving back to the community. I believe you were part of a clinic yesterday. Different initiatives here and there. What has this experience been like and how glad are you to be able to do those extra things?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I think it's really fun. Some people might see it as more responsibility, but I'm more than happy to do things like that, especially the women's clinic that I did yesterday was so fun.
Just being able to grow the game and hopefully get more women into the game as well is really important to me. I think it's really cool what they're doing. Just happy to be a part of it.
Q. Second consecutive start here at ShopRite. What do you think you took from your experience last year playing at this course and just being in this area?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I think just knowing the course really well. I've definitely gotten my fair share of rounds in here. Played in the Monday qualifier two years ago as well. Definitely gotten a lot of the rounds in. That's been really cool.
So, yeah, just hopefully knowing the greens a little bit better and knowing the lines, and, yeah, just going out there playing the best I can.
Q. We've seen you multiple times on the LPGA Tour already this year. You're no stranger to LPGA Tour events. Can you speak to the events you started in this year and how you feel your game is trending, especially continuing to play in these professional events?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I'm just super grateful for any opportunity that I get as an exemption. I've got a couple this year and hopefully get a couple more.
But it's just really great experience and definitely has taught me a lot. I learned a lot about my game and what I need to do to improve.
So, yeah, just staying really present, in the moment is really important for me right now. Yeah, just learning as much as I can; enjoying it.
Q. How popular are you in school?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Well, I actually don't go to school. I go to online school. So I bet I would be pretty popular though if I actually went.
Q. I'll tweak that a little bit. How popular are you with your friends?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, they've definitely seen some of the things I've done and seen me on TV a lot, which is it's a little weird for myself to see myself on TV, but they think it's really cool. I'm really lucky I have really supportive friends and family have been along for a crazy journey that I'm on.
Yeah, it's been really cool to see.
Q. Crazy journey. That's probably a good way to put it. Do you sometimes feel like you're older than you actually are because of all the stuff you have to ingest and learn and learn to be good at and smile about and be very appropriate and all that? Do you sometimes feel older than you are?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, for sure. I really enjoy the spotlight and the pressure and especially getting opportunities like this at ShopRite; I really enjoy that.
But the first time I was probably in the spotlight I was probably 11 or 12 years old. It's been happening for quite a while now. Yeah, you just learn to enjoy it and just really, as I said before, just staying present and enjoying every moment.
Q. Was there anything that ever really caught you off guard? You said the first time you were in the spotlight. Did anything ever kind of hit you as a "wow" moment? Like I'm like popular, I'm famous? Probably so. Anything like that that struck you that's kind of either embarrassing or cool or really gets your juices flowing?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: I think it still does. It still kind of shocks me I guess how many people know who I am and kind of the name that I've made for myself being on TV a bunch, just really playing competitively and being genuinely competitive in these LPGA events and starting to make cuts and things like that.
Yeah, still shocks me a little bit. I never thought I would be playing in LPGA events at 16, 17 years old. Yeah, it's a really cool experience, and I think my family might get a bit shocked as well it's a crazy journey, but we love it.
Q. Are you the type that likes to have expectations or are you the type that likes it just see how things play out and build off that?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: I think subconsciously I have pretty high expectations for myself. I try to say that I don't have expectations when going into a week like this, but I think selfishly I definitely do, just because I know I've put in a lot of work and I have definitely put a lot of time in over the years and I want to see that pay off.
Yeah, just really going out there and taking it one shot at a time is really important for me.
Q. You have your dad on the bag again this week. Just any pointers from the past couple events he's been caddieing for you, and I guess why you maybe always have him on the bag?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: I think just a comfort level. He's really knowledgeable. Probably knows my game better than I do.
He really enjoys it as well. He enjoys being out there and caddieing. I think we just work really well together. I have a swing coach, but he's kind of -- he's the one that's working with me every day at home and traveling with me.
So we just know each other really well. I think we're really similar too, so we kind of read each other's minds a little bit. It's just we're really comfortable out there.
Q. And school, have you wrapped up yet?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yes, thank God.
Q. Asterisk was in here yesterday and she was talking about she had four finals one day. Didn't know if you had something similar.
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah. I've definitely -- I finished a bit early this year, which was nice. But being on the road and traveling as much as we do, Asterisk told me about her finals, so I heard about that a little bit. It's hard to keep up but it's summer now.
Q. I was going to ask how you balance that. We don't talk to a lot of players out here still doing some of those things. How important is it for you to keep balancing some of those things?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I think just work really hard in the off weeks and really getting ahead as much as I can, which is a bit hard at times. Sometimes you really just don't feel like doing it, but I like to go to tournaments and really focus on just the golf and not really have much else to do.
So I think, yeah, just working really hard when you're off and then just forgetting about it on the golf course.
Q. First, is it hard to stay focused on school? Do you have a favorite subject, favorite thing that you like learning about? I would imagine it's probably a pretty big balancing act between golf and all you've got to learn out there and staying true to your education.
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, balance is really important. It's definitely difficult. There is a lot to balance between trying to work as hard as I can and trying to also have the highest grades possible, and then also trying to have friends and have some sort of a social life. Yeah, it's a hard balance.
I think just staying present, in the moment, on and off the golf course, is really important. You know, when I'm doing an exam I'm not thinking about what shots I'm hitting on the golf course. When I'm on the golf course I'm not thinking about an exam that was due yesterday. Just staying present and not worrying about the future.
Q. That's a great answer. Lastly, do you remember the first time you were asked for an autograph and how that made you feel?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: The first time? Yeah, actually, I do. I was 11. I qualified for the U.S. Women's Am when I was 11 and there were some little girls standing on the back of the range. I was like, wow, these girls are not that much younger than me. So that was kind of crazy.
Yeah, I always try to go out of my way for anybody that wants an autograph. I remember not too long ago I was that little girl that wanted everybody's autograph.
Q. You've continued to get points in the elite program from the past two starts this year. Other fellow players are continuing to kind of notch up there and get closer to the card. Can you speak to again how important that program is and how cool it is not only for you to be getting points, but the other amateurs, too, to have the opportunity to get some points there?
GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, it's a really good thing for women's golf. Hopefully I'll be able to get another point in weekend.
But, yeah, it's been really cool to be able to get LPGA starts and then get my points that way. It's really cool to keep up with and see how everybody is doing. I think it'll definitely grow into something great.
THE MODERATOR: All right, thank you.
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