SHOPRITE LPGA POWERED BY WAKEFERN

May 28, 2026

Brooke Biermann

Seaview Hotel & Golf Club, Bay Course

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Joining us ahead of the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern is Brooke Biermann. Brooke, you turned professional this year following your start at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Talk about your adjustment to pro golf and life on Epson Tour.

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, it is an adjustment, but at the end of the day I feel like golf is golf, and I've just been trying to enjoy it. My whole mentality is just if I'm not having fun out there I'm not -- this shouldn't be my job.

So I've just been trying to enjoy four weeks at a time on the road in a hotel, and thankful I have my family traveling with me, at least one person out of my family traveling with me every week, which has been nice.

And then just trying my best just to take one day at a time. There is always going to be some okay days and some great days. You just try to believe that there is always great days around the corner.

Q. Yeah. You received a sponsor invite this week. First start as a professional at an LPGA event. Talk about what it means to receive that invitation and competing here at ShopRite.

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, I think that this is such as amazing opportunity to have an LPGA start at such a young time in my professional career, so this is definitely putting myself in this position with the best in women in the world right a which is amazing, just being able to test my game.

And I've learned already a lot on the Epson Tour and so I feel definitely comfortable in this position. I don't think it's overwhelming at all.

But I'm forever grateful for this opportunity. I played with two seasoned LPGAers on -- a couple days ago, and they were telling me how they have never forgotten their first LPGA event as a professional.

I can totally understand that because this is a special opportunity and event to be a part of.

Q. When you arrived here for your first event, what was the emotion like? Nerves? Excitement? Anticipation? All of the above?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, very excited. Actually, it looked like I could see the bay or the ocean out there, and I was like very excited to go see the course and play a couple holes.

So definitely excitement. I feel like I've been blessed enough to have put myself in the past in a lot of positions of playing in good events, so not too many nerves. Just trying to take it all in.

And I try to remind myself this is my first year as a professional, so, you know, everyone is learning. I'm definitely getting, you know, a lot of learning experiences with this.

But pulling in and getting checked into the tournament and also walking into the locker room with all these huge pro bags and I'm like, okay, I'm here with my little stand bag.

That's okay. Very excited. And these there women at that I looked up to forever, so getting to play alongside people like Brittany Lincicome and other people that I've watched on TV forever and aspire to be like them and play like them, and so it's awesome.

Q. So you mentioned Brittany Lincicome. Who are you looking forward to seeking out? And just you mentioned about other players making their first appearance. Brooke Henderson, another Brooke, her first event was here. Who are some of the players you look to seek out and say hi this week?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, well, I won't bother any players too much because I know this is business for them, as for me, too.

But I think people like Brooke Henderson and Brittany and all these people that have had such an impact on women's golf, they've inspired more than I'm sure just me to keep playing and be a professional.

Yeah, if I do happen to bump into them or get paired with them on Sunday, it would be definitely something that would be very nice to hear their stories, because I think we all assume that, oh, they were always that good and never had doubts in their mind.

So just hearing from them and the little things they've learned from throughout the years and how they -- would be great, and I would love to talk to them.

Q. You've been public and vocal about this, family means a lot to you, especially your little sister. Talk about how much she's your inspiration as you embark on the LPGA Tour?

BROOKE BIERMANN: She is. She is not here this week because she's actually competing in Special Olympics track and field, her state tournament this weekend, so she has bigger things than watching me play golf this week.

But Ashleigh, my sister, means so much to me. Of course we're so close. She has definitely pushed me maybe not intentionally, but just watching her every day go through just the simple task of life.

So trying -- seeing her push through that has been amazing and inspiring for me because every time I feel like I didn't hit this shot well or not, but I know if Ashleigh could she would keep trying.

That's what I aspire to do every single day. Actually last year I got to go watch the event she's about to compete in in track and field. Just watching all those kids compete and push themselves, even though it's very, very hard for several of them to run or do any of that, but they just keep going and keep trying, is very inspiring.

So I try to take that mentality every single day when I play. And I was really excited to see the Special Olympics van here. I think it's the New Jersey van, I don't know, here. I actually took out my phone and took a picture and sent it to her. Yeah, should we fly you in to meet your other competition here. (Smiling.)

That's awesome that the ShopRite has been also very supportive of Special Olympics from what I can tell in the community here, too.

Q. What advice or have you talked to your coach at Michigan State? What pieces of advice has she given you as you embark on your professional career?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, I chose Michigan State because we have a long history of success there. I wanted to have a coach and a mentor that understood that and where I wanted to go and was able to push me; she certainly did when I was there.

When I left, she made it very clear that she believed in me and my goals and that I could do it, so I stayed very -- I've stayed in touch with her. She's had several players out here. One of the best players to leave here was Sarah Burnham and Sarah was -- had three years of full eligibility on the LPGA, which is not an easy task coming straight out of college.

So just watching her. One of the biggest things I can tell from my coach and talking to Sarah too is just to enjoy it all and have no regrets.

This is the time of life that you just graduated from college. You can have a lot of expectations on yourself, but who wouldn't like to play golf for a living every single day? This is a dream for many people.

I'm just going to take it all in and do my best and see where life takes me. (Smiling.)

Q. So couple of the veteran golfers on the Tour have said they heard names but haven't been able to put names to faces. As part of the next generation of the LPGA, how does it feel to be part of the noise makers making their pro debuts this year and last year as well?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Oh, I guess feels pretty nice. I know that, yeah, there are some people, women out here that have been out here for a long time, so for me on my point of view, it's pretty cool to play with women that I've watched forever.

But on the other side, you know, I can relate to them, too, because my senior year when you have freshman coming in and we're all competing for the same thing, it is -- it's tough.

But they've paved the way for women's golf in so many positive ways. I hope I can do the same. Women's golf is heading in such a good direction and I'm happy to be a part of that, and hope that I can do more and the best I can to get more girls into it.

Q. So for the tournament, what are your expectations for this weekend?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Good question. (Smiling.) First off, to enjoy it and learn as much as I can. Then of course as a competitor, make the cut and compete.

You know, I'm enjoying life on the Epson Tour and competing there and last four events have gone well, so I feel like I have good momentum coming into this week. So I'm just going to take what I have for the last four weeks on the west side of the country and just stay patient out there and ultimately just have fun and compete.

Q. So as making your LPGA Tour debut here, do you have any way of approaching a new course? Is there a specific way you would try to attack somewhere you haven't played before?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, I think I like to see the course as much as I can, so I'm very excited to be able to play a pro-am today and see the course one more time before I tee off tomorrow.

But I really -- at the end of the day I try to rely on my practice and my preparation before the tournament even started. If I feel like I accomplished those things then I'll be prepared for the week, whatever I'm faced with.

So, yeah, I feel like this week I'm trying to -- there is a lot that -- I've played a lot of golf, so also rest something also very important.

But see the course as much as I can, rest, and then relax.

Q. Last one from me: So what's the most exciting part about making your LPGA Tour debut?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Hmm, I would say being able to play on one of the highest stages for women's golf at such a young time in my career is very exciting, because I feel like I have so many amazing opportunities on the Epson Tour, but this is where ultimately everyone on the Epson Tour wants to end up.

So having this opportunity already is amazing and something that I do not take lightly, and am very blessed to have this opportunity.

Q. Just wanted to say congratulations on making your debut on the LPGA?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Thank you.

Q. First things first, wanted to ask as a new member of Team ShopRite, one of the mentors and veterans you get to lean on is Cheyenne Knight. How valuable has having someone like that as a mentor been for you so far and how helpful has she been for you?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yes, I've met -- I met Cheyenne several years ago. I forget what event she came to. It was a junior golf event. She just left such a positive impact on me and I'm sure everyone else in the room just about her experience and being a golfer and being a woman and being a very, very successful golfer.

So it's great to have, and aspire to do that too and go events or whatever I can do to sort of make girls aware that this is an option, and to be able to compete and still play golf even after you're done with high school golf or whatever you chose too do.

So, yeah.

Q. One last thing. I feel like there is a lot of buzz for golf in the Tri-State area, specifically New Jersey and Philadelphia. Do you feel that type of buzz coming into an event, especially making your debut here for Philly golf in general? Do you see that buzz? Do you feel that buzz? Does that motivate you at all? Energize you? Talk about how this makes you feel.

BROOKE BIERMANN: For sure. This is clearly a very supported event and one of the longest events I think on the LPGA Tour from what I've heard, so just having that support in this area and the backing for when we have this event and then getting others into golf is so important.

I certainly feel like having the biggest pro-am in the country on in the world here is very, very cool, because that just shows that people are willing to show up and support golf, women's golf. But also, you know, they want to play the same courses that the LPGA women are playing and they want to support.

So it's amazing to see, you know, all -- everything that's gone into this event and exactly the buzz behind it.

Q. Have you built any relationships with any certain golfers these past couple days?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, so I played with Kelly Tan and Matilda, and they were very, very nice. I did not know them previously and they gave me great advice. I think they knew that I was fresh out here because they were like, who are you? I was like oh, I'm Brooke. I'm a rookie on the Epson but I have this amazing opportunity this week to play.

So we played 18 holes in a practice round and they took me under their wing and gave me a lot of great advice about being out here. They both have been out here for over ten years, which is a long, successful career in my opinion for them.

So just having their support and kindness, they didn't need to do that. They were focusing on their round and getting prepared for the tournament. But they were very helpful in sharing what they've had, and I saw that Matilda at the pro-am party last night and just gave her a quick little hi.

That's very nice. I appreciate that, because I feel like that's the way you build the Tour: make the girls around you feel comfortable and make it a stronger, happier place.

Q. Could you share some of that advice you got?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, so both of them have had success and they just said that first off to enjoy it, because the first thing Kelly said was how fast it goes by. I can certainly -- I can only imagine because I feel like college went -- flew by for me.

So just enjoy every year, and of course there is going to be a lot of positives. There is always going to be ups and going to be downs, as for every player, so just try to take it all in and enjoy it.

And they also told me to rest and just realize that you already know how to play golf. You don't need to overthink it. That's also very, very good advice, especially for this week. Golf is golf and lean hard on the preparation you had in the past.

Q. Going from the Epson Tour to the LPGA is a big difference. Have you noticed anything specific that's changed between the two tours?

BROOKE BIERMANN: Yeah, I think there is a lot more -- Epson Tour does a great job of support and having people there if you have questions or go through that. This is I think just a little higher stage. I think there is just maybe a little more experienced players out here that have had a little more success.

So, you know, that always -- but that comes with being at a higher stage and that's where I want to be, so I've noticed that.

And I think, too, having the opportunity to be along with them, it makes you realize that it's not too different. It's just a matter of getting used to being out here and everything. I would say the resources are about the same; probably a little better on the LPGA.

But Epson Tour has done so far a great job of giving us the resources we need to be successful out there and compete.

Q. What are your expectations this week?

BROOKE BIERMANN: First off, to have fun and learn as much as I can. As far as I think I said being a competitor is make the cut and compete to win.

But, yeah, I'm just trying to enjoy this week and I will take this opportunity and know that -- have faith that I can get back here and earn my card.

So I'm just trying to take it all in and learn as much as I can, so...

THE MODERATOR: Perfect. Thank you, Brooke. Appreciate it.

BROOKE BIERMANN: Thank you.