HUGEL AIR PREMIA LA OPEN

April 21, 2021

Tiffany Chan

Wilshire Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Seven birdies today.

TIFFANY CHAN: Yes.

Q. You had I think four straight on the front nine.

TIFFANY CHAN: Yes.

Q. Let's start with that kind of streak. What was going on there?

TIFFANY CHAN: Today my goal -- it's my home course here. I played for USC, so my goal is try not to be too aggressive because it's my home course so I know the course really well.

So I still try to be a little more conservative. I think the first birdie I have was on hole 4? 5, that par-4, with two fairways. I just tried to play middle of the green and then when I see one putt goes in and then just kind of confidence coming up. Because I been putting not bad on the weekend in Hawaii.

So I just rolling putts in, hit it close the next hole, and then kind of like in a row on the front nine. And then I told my caddie I just want to -- don't want to be aggressive. Still middle of the green. Back nine I have one three-putt which is little misread of the speed.

But I kept holding my pressure on and then middle of the green all day and made some putts.

Q. Worked out well. You had birdies at 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, and 17.

TIFFANY CHAN: Yes.

Q. Did any of them stand out as maybe more memorable?

TIFFANY CHAN: Yeah, I actually had an easy wedge shot on hole 8, and then I was trying to use the slope to sponge back, but the green is not as receptive as it was in college so it kind of stay up.

I putted really soft but then the ball keep rolling. But I have the pin in. I usually have the pin out, but I have the pin in on that hole so it hit the middle of the pin and went in.

I was like if that didn't hit the hole it would be probably five, six feet past. So I think it was good out here, and I made a lot of good birdies. Before the round start I told myself, It's not going to be easy today because it's cold and windy. So I just kind of keep my composure out there.

Q. A little cooler than most L.A. temps.

TIFFANY CHAN: Yeah. I don't remember playing cold in Wilshire. I don't remember that. Maybe I just stayed home. I don't know. I don't remember that.

Q. How many times a week or how often did you play here when you were at USC?

TIFFANY CHAN: We usually come out like once or twice a week, but then almost every day after school I just stay out here like 3:00 until late at night.

Yeah, so I -- it's basically I live out here.

Q. So this course is home.

TIFFANY CHAN: Because it's the closest to campus and just everyone here is really nice to USC. I think they like SC better here, so they always let me stay here, practice, let me go out on the course by myself.

Q. Do you have a place out here, anything?

TIFFANY CHAN: I used to live like off campus but I live in Vegas now, so...

Q. Oh, Vegas?

TIFFANY CHAN: Uh-huh.

Q. So you're pretty comfortable out here.

TIFFANY CHAN: Yeah, the condition we play when we were in school is a totally different. Greens are super soft, fairway soft, so we always play really low here because the greens condition was easy.

But when it's playing firmer like in the tournament it's not easy, so really have to play -- know where to land and where to putt.

Q. Start off 6-under and one off the lead, I imagine that has to feel really good for you.

TIFFANY CHAN: Yeah, I mean, it's still the first day. You can't win on the first day but you can definitely lose. For this year on and then I talked to a lot of -- since I live in Vegas, a lot of PGA friends, Korn Ferry friends, and they tell me Thursday, Friday, you just got to play conservative, make the cut, and then go low day by day.

That's how all the best player do. I'm just going to keep on the same goal tomorrow: middle of the green and then hopefully some putts will go in.

Q. Anybody in particular that you had conversation with out in Vegas?

TIFFANY CHAN: Yeah, I talk to Doug Ghim a lot. He was the guy that played with JT the last day. And John Oda. He plays on Korn Ferry. Both great players and they just keep telling me just grind it out and play smart.

Q. So how instrumental has Na-Yeon Choi been for you?

TIFFANY CHAN: Yeah, so obviously she is veteran out here, play for a long time. We both live in Vegas now and she has been on top of me for my practice and all that. So from her past experience really helped me for how I played.

Q. Good person to learn from.

TIFFANY CHAN: Yep, uh-huh.