U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 19, 2025

Aphrodite Deng

Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course)

Press Conference

Q. Congratulations on becoming the 76th U.S. Girls' champion. What does it mean to you?

APHRODITE DENG: It really means a lot. I just can't believe that I won.

Q. Coming into the week, did you think that you were capable of winning the Girls' Junior? You've won a lot of big championships. Did you think you were going to come out on top?

APHRODITE DENG: No, I didn't really think about the end result because I knew there were a lot of good players here. I just tried to win each match.

Q. Was there any point this afternoon, today, where you let your mind wander towards that victory, or did you feel like you stayed in the moment throughout the whole match?

APHRODITE DENG: No, I think I stayed in the moment throughout the whole match. I did get a little tired at the end.

Q. What did you do to keep yourself energized, not feeling that tiredness? Did you do anything special?

APHRODITE DENG: I talked to my caddie.

Q. What did he tell you?

APHRODITE DENG: We just chitchatted.

Q. About what?

APHRODITE DENG: Just random stuff.

Q. What was the most challenging part of this week?

APHRODITE DENG: Just probably keeping my energy up because it's been a really long week.

Q. What do you feel like you've learned about yourself as a player?

APHRODITE DENG: I learned that I'm pretty consistent and I'm pretty good.

Q. What about as a person?

APHRODITE DENG: I think that I stay pretty calm in front of a crowd and cameras.

Q. Did the pressure get to you at any point? Were you feeling it?

APHRODITE DENG: No, I didn't really feel it. Maybe on the last putt a little bit.

Q. What about on the first hole of the afternoon, par-5, you went long? At that point did you feel any nerves or anything?

APHRODITE DENG: No, it's fine because I was still 3-up, and as long as I stopped making mistakes, then I'd be fine.

Q. I know you just took home a win at Mizuho. Did that prepare you for having those crowds and cameras around, just being on that stage with those professional golfers?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah, that definitely helped a lot. I think without that experience, I would not be able to be that calm this week.

Q. What do you think was the best part of your golf game this week and then the best part of your mental game?

APHRODITE DENG: I think the best part about my golf game was probably saving my recovery shots.

Q. What about your mental?

APHRODITE DENG: Mentally it was just pretending that no one was there and it was just me practicing.

Q. You talked a little bit about your caddie earlier. Did he just kind of help you keep in the game and keep your mind off the end result during those matches?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah. He kept me really calm. I wasn't that focused on golf, and I wasn't that nervous.

Q. It was a long week; you had to win six matches to get to that point. What kept you going throughout?

APHRODITE DENG: Just playing my own game and focusing on myself and playing against the course.

Q. What's next on the schedule for you this summer?

APHRODITE DENG: I'm going to play the Women's Amateur.

Q. Are you feeling confident about that this week coming in?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah, I'm really excited to see.

Q. Do you feel like your match play confidence goes up significantly with this?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah, it does. But match play anything can happen.