KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 22, 2022

Jennifer Kupcho

Congressional Country Club (Blue Course)

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're here with our most recent LPGA Tour winner, Jennifer Kupcho. Welcome to the DMV. Jennifer, you come here off a big week last week at Meijer. How much of a confidence boost is that come into this week's third major of the year?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: It's definitely good confidence. I think hitting the ball so well last week is really important. Especially coming into a major. On these greens they're all kind of compartmentalized. It's definitely important to hit the ball well.

THE MODERATOR: Before we come to this week, I mean, that was just a heck of star power at the top of that. Look at that playoff, yourself, Nelly, Leona, Lydia, Lexi playing well, Brooke playing well. Yet, you're the one who came through with the win. I know they say sometimes the second win is harder than the first. Does it feel good to get another win and to say, I'm here?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think it's definitely special to get the second one. I kind of felt like I was going downhill after the first one, so to be able to get that second one is super special. Especially with everyone that was up there. I mean, best players in the world, and there's the same amount of best players out here this week, too.

THE MODERATOR: Absolutely. Now we're here at Congressional, which has a new look. Don't know if you have done any scouting or watched it back when Rory won. You were very little. What do you think about this course? You mentioned compartmentalized, but it's big and a major beast out there.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think the golf course is definitely a real test. It's very difficult out there. I think it plays really long and, yeah, again, the greens are very big, but very undulated. Being on the correct portion of the green is definitely important.

THE MODERATOR: This will be my last question before I open to Q & A. Big announcement yesterday from KPMG, PGA of America doubling this purse. Certainly you got a big paycheck when you won your major earlier this year, but even more to come. How exciting is it for you to see this opportunity now for you and your fellow players?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think it's great for women's golf. All of the purse raises that we've had, it's really special to have PGA and KPMG come up and do the same. I know we're all really excited for it.

Q. You seem like you putted really nicely last week. I know at the Chevron, you talked about how much you worked on that in the offseason. How much have you really accomplished in that area, and how has that changed things in your game?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think I've definitely gotten a lot farther. I think it also helps, there's two very similar things there as the type of green, the type of grass. We play on a lot of Poa and Bermuda, and those two are both bent. That also helps a lot with my putting as well.

Q. As you look back to this time ago last year when you were chasing that first win, now with two really nice wins under your belt, what do you feel is the biggest difference in you as a player?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I think just confidence. I mean, obviously, chasing a win is a lot different than having them under your belt. You have a lot more confidence when you are in contention to be able to actually follow through and win.

Q. One last one, if you could. I was doing a piece on Lizette Salas, and I know you two became pretty close through the Solheim Cup. What did you learn about her as a competitor playing along side her?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I think how patient she is. She, obviously, is not a long ball hitter and really doesn't have the strength to do that, so I think just her patience and playing her game instead of trying to chase what all of us younger players are doing is one thing that I really look up to. That's what makes her a great player.

Q. I wanted to ask you, first of all, how much does it matter to you or do you think about representing the United States when you are playing in major championships? Obviously, you've been on the Solheim Cup team, but is that something that goes through your mind, trying to carry the flag for the U.S. in these big, big tournaments?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I wouldn't say it's something that really goes through my mind when I'm playing individually. I think it's more of as a team, but obviously, it's always an honor to be out there representing the U.S. There's a lot of great players from everywhere around the world.

Q. Kind of as a follow-up to that: Where would you see the state of the game is from American women's perspective? Obviously, you and Lexi and Nelly rank in the Top Ten. Do you see a time where maybe American women can dominate this sport like they do in other Olympic sports, like basketball or swimming, whatever, track and field, whatever it is? Or is the game just international for that to be the case?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think for sure we're definitely trending that direction more so than even when I first came out here. I think there's a lot of great American players right now.

Q. I was just curious, now that there's only two players on TOUR that have won more than one title this year, you and Minjee, now that you have the second one. Have your goals or your thoughts on this year in general changed at all? Are you thinking about player of the year? Maybe you already were.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: No, not at all. (Laughing). I think, honestly, I just go into every tournament trying to play my best, but I mean, obviously, I know my parents are thinking about that, but it definitely is not really crossing my mind at all.

Q. What is crossing your mind in terms of what you would like to see or how you would like to see the rest of the season unfold for you?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I honestly don't have any goals like that. I think that's one thing that I'm really good at is not thinking so far ahead, and I just think about the tournament that I'm playing in at that moment.

Q. If I could just ask one more. Focusing on the tournament you're playing in, what do you like about this golf course? Do you find that it suits you well?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I think I really like the challenge of it. I think that it's going to be a really good test of golf, and certainly the best player is going to come out on top, and it's definitely going to take a lot of mental preparation and patience.

Q. You mentioned the challenge of the course. What do you feel is the most difficult aspect of Congressional from what you have seen so far?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: All of it. (Laughing). I think probably the greens, but I mean, that also relates to hitting shots into the greens as well as putting and short games. A lot of it.

Q. Is there a certain shot that stands out as one of the hardest approach shots or tee shots on the course?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I can't think of just one. I think one specific hole that's definitely going to be a pretty good test is No. 9. We're not used to long par-5s like that that you are forced play a three-shot hole.

It's essentially becoming a par-4 with an extra shot in it because you're not going to be able to hit less than a 9-iron into it. I think that's definitely super interesting and something that will be new.

Q. Have you found a good layup area? Alison Lee was saying it's tricky with those slopes before the green.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: It's the luck of the bounce, honestly, and the club you're hitting. If you are hitting a lower club, it's going to roll out a lot, and you could end up going all the way down the hill, which is not where you want to be. Yeah, the top of the hill is pretty much where you want to be, but you're going to have 150 to the front.

Q. You talked about, obviously, the confidence that comes from getting that second win. I mean, let's be honest, you weren't really happy with your ball striking on Saturday and Sunday. You ground out that win.

As you come to a golf cost that's as difficult as Congressional, I mean, how much does that boost your confidence and your ability to kind of grind out those really low numbers?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: After playing Saturday and Sunday, I mean, struggling on the range as well, coming here and struggling on the range trying to figure it out, I think it definitely makes me more comfortable knowing that I can scramble and still make out scores.

I did figure it out earlier this week, so hopefully I don't have to do that, but yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for your flexibility, and we will see you tomorrow, Jennifer.

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Thank you.