U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 18, 2025

Xingtong Chen

Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course)

Quick Quotes

Q. Great playing, great wins today. I want to ask you, what does it mean to be a finalist in a USGA championship?

XINGTONG CHEN: It's unbelievable for me. I didn't even dare to imagine it when I came here to play U.S. Girls'. I'm just so grateful for this opportunity, to be able to come to the U.S. it's so far away from Singapore. It's my first time here, so I'm really grateful for this opportunity to play my best.

Q. I can tell obviously it means a lot to you. Could you talk a little bit more about the road to get here?

XINGTONG CHEN: Basically I'm just grateful for everything that my parents have given up for me. It's so hard to find time. We've kept pushing off this trip for a few years now, so to finally be able to come here, qualify and then play a few tournaments in the U.S. and be able to just get around, I'm really grateful.

Q. Can I ask, you mentioned the trip being pushed. Can I ask why it got pushed a couple times?

XINGTONG CHEN: It was just the schedules never worked out and it was just so expensive.

Q. Switching gears a little bit to your matches today, could you walk me through your morning match from your own perspective?

XINGTONG CHEN: Morning match, I think it was just me keeping calm, keeping steady. I had a lead pretty early on, I think, so it was just being able to walk through it, just go through the steps, the process that I've played for around five days already.

Q. This afternoon obviously a really close match with Grace. Obviously she was a strong opponent. She was medalist here this week. What did it take to beat her?

XINGTONG CHEN: Yeah, it was really tough because I think both of us were really tired from the long week, and just keeping the energy and the focus up was really key to winning this match. I think just keeping calm, not letting setbacks like panic me too much.

Q. What do you tell yourself in those moments to stay calm?

XINGTONG CHEN: I just tell myself, you've already gone through so much. You've already got to this point; what's the point of fearing so much?

Q. By making it to the finals, you're now exempt into Bandon, into the Women's Amateur, so what does that mean to you?

XINGTONG CHEN: Oh, Women's Amateur? Really? Oh, wow. Well, I'll have to move a few things around in my schedule. I didn't expect any of this, so yeah, I'm just really grateful.

Q. Obviously Bandon Dunes is a very known course. What do you know about it?

XINGTONG CHEN: I don't know much about it, honestly. I'm not familiar.

Q. Talk me through your mindset, a 36-hole championship match. It's going to be hot. What's your thinking, your strategy?

XINGTONG CHEN: I'm just thinking, stay calm. You've already got here; you deserve all of this. Just take in the moment and just enjoy.

Q. Another thing that's interesting is this afternoon, of the two matches that were left, the four caddies that were left, you were the only one who still had a local caddie. I want to ask you about your relationship with the caddie this week, how helpful it's been to have a local caddie. What's been the dynamic?

XINGTONG CHEN: Honestly, I don't tend to rely too much on my caddie, so for me, caddies, I just need to be able to make good conversation with, and I think Gavin has been great in that aspect. We've become quick friends, and conversation flows really easy between the two of us.

He just keeps me calm, just reminds me to breathe, to drink, just do the basic stuff. I don't like to depend on other people out on the course, so just having a good friend next to me, I think.

Q. You guys typically would have conversations unrelated to golf?

XINGTONG CHEN: Yeah, unrelated to golf, just laughing, trying to make the course -- even though it's stressful, make it a happy situation.

Q. It rained on you guys right here in the middle of the afternoon. Did you feel like you had to make any adjustments?

XINGTONG CHEN: Honestly, it was just on one shot, and I probably didn't adjust as well. I sliced it into a bunker. But it's all right. You deal with it. Things happen. Nature happens. Everyone deals with it. You just go to the next shot, think about the next shot.

Q. Do you kind of feel like you've got some momentum going? Most of your matches have been somewhat decent comfortable wins. Today you came back to the 18th for the first time in match play.

XINGTONG CHEN: I think it's the second time. I came in the first match.

Q. Do you feel like you have a lot of momentum going into this last match?

XINGTONG CHEN: I mean, for me, I think today I really struggled in the afternoon. I kind of struggled with my putting. So I think that will be key for tomorrow. I'm not really -- I'm not going into tomorrow with a lot of expectations. I just want to enjoy the moment, just -- yeah.

Q. I want to ask about your putting because you mentioned earlier this week your putting had been giving you some trouble. Has that been consistent throughout the week or did it pop back up today?

XINGTONG CHEN: Yeah, I think it kind of popped back up. I think it's mostly a mental issue with me. I doubt my lines too much, then I misread it. It's all that stuff. I'm still working on it. It's always going to be something I've got to work on. I'm glad it has worked this week at least. Hopefully it works again tomorrow.