MIZUHO AMERICAS OPEN

May 7, 2026

Aphrodite Deng

Mountain Ridge Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Joining us after the first round of the Mizuho Americas Open is Aphrodite Deng. Aphrodite, you won at this event last year, obviously at a different course though. How are you feeling out there and do you feel like you have a different sense of confidence being a repeat player?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah, I think there is definitely some confidence to that just because I won last year, but it's a difficult course so plays pretty tough, this one, compared to Liberty.

Q. What do you think specifically is going into the toughness of the course? We've had a lot our LPGA Tour players talk about the greens specifically. Could you share from your perspective what you think is tricky?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah, I think the greens are super slopey and they rolled it really fast. Also it's windy, so it's pretty hard to putt on the greens.

Q. How did you mitigate that? How are you continuing to play so well with those conditions?

APHRODITE DENG: Just trying to like not three-putt and just trying to make as many putts as I can out there.

Q. Obviously the Stableford format is a little bit different from regular events you play.

APHRODITE DENG: Uh-huh.

Q. Is that something that you pay attention to, or still out there just trying to make birdies?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah, I'm still playing golf out there and just trying to shoot the best score I can, even though the Stableford is a little different.

Q. You played in the group with the two other ladies also at the top of the leaderboard. How is it getting to play out here with your friends?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah, it's great. We all played really good today, so kind of like pushed each other on the course, which is cool.

Q. Seeing as you are originally from New Jersey, and of course this is a New Jersey course.

APHRODITE DENG: Yep.

Q. Do you have any thoughts on how this course differs from, say, others ones you've been on; is it nice to be back around the area playing; thoughts on that?

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah, it's good to be back playing in my hometown with like all the people supporting me.

And this course is just kind of like a typical New Jersey course with long rough, and, yeah.

Q. Good for sledding.

APHRODITE DENG: Yeah. (Laughter.)