SHOPRITE LPGA POWERED BY WAKEFERN

May 28, 2026

Gianna Clemente

Rachel Kuehn

Seaview Hotel & Golf Club, Bay Course

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, joining us ahead of the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern is Gianna and Rachel. Start with you, Rachel. Can you just talk a bit about what it means to you to be in the field this week and representing Team ShopRite?

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I mean, playing on the Epson Tour you relish every opportunity to test your game at the next level, so really thankful for the invite, really excited to be here, and really proud to be associated with Team ShopRite.

They give back to the community in really cool ways and obviously what this week means to women's golf with all the people they have involved in the pro-ams.

Yeah, just a really unique brand. Yeah, just really glad to be able to be associated with them.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I mean, over the last couple years I've been able to get to know the leadership within ShopRite and within Wakefern as well. They're some of the most supportive people I've ever met, and people that have become really close to me as well.

To be a part of this event and the way they've elevated this event is special, but I think they way they give back to the community is even more special.

So to be associated with something like that is a really cool experience.

Q. We just had Aza and Cheyenne in here and they were talking about how fun it was to get to know you guys and mentor you. And Gianna, they were talking about how they're twice your age and they found that quite funny. Can you just talk about that piece of it and getting to know those two players that have been out here for a while?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I think that's sort of part of the fun with Team ShopRite, is bringing in different players and to be able to -- I talked to them for about an hour last night at dinner. Just to hear their story a little bit and get to know them, it's a really cool experience.

And to be able to do this with Rachel as well, we both play on the Epson Tour, this is really cool experience for us and, yeah, I'm just happy to be part of it.

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I think there is so much when you turn pro that just kind of gets thrown at you. I've told everyone last year my rookie year felt like I was drinking from a firehose, so it was really nice to be able to have them to lean on and ask questions.

There is a couple veterans that have just been really kind to me and Gianna. Again, just shown us the ropes and just let us learn from their experiences. And that's kind of hard to come by, so it's -- they're relationships that I really cherish.

Q. Yeah. You guys, like you mentioned, are both playing on Epson this year. Both had really strong starts to the year. Can you just talk about that and the experience that you're gaining out there?

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I mean Epson, the goal is to prepare you for the LPGA Tour, you know. So it's been really special for me because a lot of these girls I grew up playing junior golf, college, amateur golf with. And so to be able to get out there and support each other, but we're all really competitive. We all want to get our cards and we want to beat each other. My good golf and someone else's good golf is not mutually exclusive.

So at the end of the day we all know that we're all -- Epson Tour isn't the end goal. We're all trying to get our card, and it's a pretty unique environment.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I feel like I'm still adjusting a little bit week to week, and I think the biggest adjustment for me has been learning the responsibilities week to week. Traveling week to week is a little bit of a new thing for me. So I did a little bit of it in junior and amateur golf, but still feel like I'm adjusting to it.

Yeah, just trying to learn every single week and get to know some of the rookies. I've been able to make more friends than I thought I would, so that's been nice, too.

Q. Just to bring us back to this week and this golf course, you've both seen it at this point. Can you just talk a little bit about the course setup and what you think will be important to excel at this event?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I've always really like this golf course actually. I used to come here for a U.S. Kids event I believe a long time ago. So been here quite a few times and always really liked it. I think it can be really fun. Obviously the greens can be a little bit tricky, but I think it's a really fun golf course to play.

Excited to get out there this week.

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, it's a good test. You have to drive it straight. Rough is thick and longer than I remember it being a couple years ago.

I think it's really important -- obviously around the greens can get penalizing, a lot of fall-offs, but there are definitely only birdie opportunities. The par-5s are gettable, so you want to take advantage.

You know, I think at the end of the day like you have to take advantage of your wedges in. There's a couple holes like 2 and 6 that you're happy to walk away with par.

But, yeah, it's a great test. I'm excited to get the week started.

Q. For both of you two, this was one of your first LPGA events when you got your first sponsor invite. Take us back to then, when you played here first, and fast forward to this week, especially with you two kind of traveling together on the Epson Tour and familiarizing yourself playing week in and week out.

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, when I think back to a couple years ago, like you said, it was one of my first LPGA starts. I felt very much like a fish out of water. Didn't really belong. Didn't know what was happening.

I almost like -- I'm sure I had a deer-in-the-headlights look the entire week. I have grown so much over the last two years as a player and as a person. I have no doubt that my A-game can belong out here.

It's a totally different mindset to two years ago. I feel like I can show up and compete, where if you asked me that two years ago there is no chance that would've been my answer.

It's a good opportunity for me to look back and be really thankful for everything I learned over the last two years.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: For me, I lean a bit more on the experience that I had as an amateur. I got quite a few exemptions on LPGA Tour and Epson as well, and I really lean into that and what I learned from that.

I mean, I Monday qualified when I was 14, so I was really young when I played my first ones, and I feel like I just learned so much along the way. And I was still kind of balancing junior and amateur golf as well, so that was tough.

But, yeah, I just really lean into that and really lean into my support system as well to get me through it.

Q. What are your expectations for this week?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I really try to not have any expectations. I feel like that's probably a pretty common answer.

But, I mean, just going out there and playing the best golf that I can. I feel like I have adjusted decently well to being a professional and I feel pretty comfortable now.

Now it's just about preparing the right way and going out and executing for me.

RACHEL KUEHN: I echo that. You trust your preparation and all the work you have done not only this week, but in all of your golf journey. You show up and try to hit the best golf shot you can on every single golf shot.

I always tell myself I am going to control my controllables, right? If I'm giving my 100% on every golf shot, controlling my attitude, controlling my emotional reactions, that's all I can do.

At the end of the day you're going to get good breaks, you're going to get bad breaks, and so just taking care of what I know is in my control, that's what I can expect of myself. The rest will fall how it will.

Q. I might be stealing the thunder from the guys over here talking about Philly sports a little bit, but the LPGA Tour travels to big markets and travels to smaller markets and medium markets. This tournament is in the greater Philly region; 38th year here. When you tee it up tomorrow, what's it like for you guys to tee it up knowing there are fans just all up and down the fairway on round one? Is it a different kind of pressure for you guys, especially since you are like playing week in and week out on the Epson Tour? Is that different pressure teeing it up in front of a big fan base?

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I feel like I've been really fortunate through all my amateur experiences to play on some of the biggest stages. Played on Curtis Cups, World Ams, I've played at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, so I've been really fortunate to be able to play in front of crowds before.

But I think it's really cool. To have fans lining the fairway on an LPGA event speaks to the growth of women's game. I don't know if that was the case five, ten years ago.

Like you said, you can count on it like clockwork tomorrow because this area loves golf. Women's sports and golf are on the uptick, so to be able to be part of that is very cool.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I agree. I think everybody at this event, this event is so elevated. It's one of my favorite events to play in throughout the year. I feel like just the people you meet in the pro-ams, how involved they want to be. And I don't necessarily see it as pressure but I think it's really cool to see all the fans out there. I've met multiple little girls and boys that have continued to follow me throughout the year and come back and watch me every single year.

It's just really cool to see the growth of women's golf, and they definitely have a really good fan base here for sure.

Q. So as younger players on the Tour, what is hard about trying to grow up and play golf full time?

RACHEL KUEHN: I mean, I grew up in a family where we didn't just play golf. We played golf, we played tennis, basketball, baseball, soccer. My parents philosophy was always the busier you are the less trouble you could get into.

So I really didn't start playing full time golf until I was pretty much in college. You know, I don't necessarily know if it's quote/unquote hard. I think you learn a lot of life lessons, the discipline, the perseverance, responding to adversity and setbacks.

The reality of golf is that you fail a lot more than you succeed. So versus a tennis match you got a 50/50 chance of winning. There are 144 girls in this field. The odds you walk away with the trophy is pretty slim.

So I was always of the mindset that sports and golf in particular teach you just a lot about life, so I feel like I try lean on that off the golf course.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I was a bit of opposite. I was pretty much solely focused on golf. I was probably five years old and, this is all I want to do. So yeah, I agree with what she is saying. I mean, you just learn a lot about yourself playing golf, and, yeah, you fail a lot more than you succeed for sure.

Yeah, I've always felt a bit older than I am I guess. It teaches you a lot about yourself and a lot about your life. Obviously we've both prioritized our future pretty clearly and we both work really hard. Yeah, you learn a lot of really good lessons on the way.

Q. Is there anything about the Epson Tour and the LPGA Tour that differ, and what are your guys' mindset playing on an Epson Tour event versus LPGA event?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I think everybody's mindset is similar on Epson. Obviously the main goal is the Race For the Card. It's in everybody's mind I feel like. For me, I guess it's a little bit different just because I'm a rookie and I feel like I'm still learning a lot.

I wouldn't be mad at myself at all if I didn't get my card this year. I don't feel like an extreme amount of pressure because I am so young, so I feel like that's a little bit different for me.

But just trying to learn a lot along the way was a big thing for me this year, and my caddie. I feel like we're just trying to learn the ropes a little bit and adjust to it. So a little bit different for me I guess.

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I'm not a rookie anymore but I still feel like a rookie. Still feel like I'm learning a lot. Made a lot of mistakes last year that I learned from them and I am sure I will make a lot more this year that I will hopefully learn from for the next year.

Yeah, like Gianna said the Race For the Card is at the top of all of our minds. Every cut you make is a little bit closer.

I mean, I think one of the biggest things that I've learned is how top heavy the points system is. Professional golf rewards having a couple of really good finishes rather than just making a bunch of cuts.

As far as difference between Epson Tour and LPGA Tour, I mean, I think we've both iterated we don't have expectations week in, week out. We have goals. I have a notebook filled with on- and off-the-course goals I'm trying to work towards each year.

So I'm trying to hit those benchmarks, but at the end of the day, again, I'm controlling what I can, and the rest of it is going to happen how it's supposed to.

Q. How do you use an event like this on a bigger stage not just to showcase your talent but to learn lessons?

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, no. I mean, yes. I think I was always -- both my parents instilled in my that every experience is a little bit more experience under the belt. So whatever happens this week hopefully we both go and play great.

You kind of put that in the memory bank of I can play on this bigger stage. I can compete with the top players in the world. I am capable of doing all that. Then you take that back to the Epson Tour and you know your game can thrive under pressure.

If you go out and miss the cut, then that's okay. You got the chance to play and got the chance to compete. The hope is to get a little bit better every week.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I agree. You just learn a little bit more about yourself every single week. I think there are going to be things to take from this week. No matter if I win or if I miss the cut, like there is always going to be something to take away from it.

I think you really just have to sit-down with yourself after every single week and figure out what went wrong and what went right and take it into the next week.

Q. So where are you -- not where -- has there been any who has been trying to give you advice on the Tour? Anybody taken you under their wing? Not just the people on Team ShopRite.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Morgan Pressel has been really kind to me over the last couple years. I don't see her very often, but she's always been very supportive of me; just somebody who kind of behind the scenes has offered me really good not necessarily advice, just support I feel like, which is what you need more than words of advice.

We all work really hard out here. I feel like support is really important thing, and she's been really kind to me.

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I feel like I've been really blessed with an abundance of people that have, like Gianna, just taken me under their wing. The person that comes top of mind is a gal by the name of Laura Wearn. She lives in Charlotte which where I live, so get to see her at practice every day. Cannot tell you how many times it's like 10:00 p.m., I'm booking flights, I pick up the phone like, Laura, I don't know what airport to fly into, what airline.

She's just been very patient with me. She's not my only -- there is so many people that have helped me; she's the first one that came to mind.

Q. Last one from me: So there is expectations, goals. What are you looking forward to accomplish this weekend?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I'm just looking forward to another week with my dad on the bag. It's been really special for us to have that relationship, that caddie relationship.

We have so much fun honestly. Even when things aren't going perfectly we're laughing down the fairways and stuff. He's been a really important person to have.

Yeah, every day I enjoy walking down the fairways with him.

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I mean, there is a lot of girls that I have gotten to see this week that are on the LPGA, close friends of mine that I don't get to see week in and week out anymore, college teammates, girls from the Epson Tour from last year. So, yeah, being able to have the week with them has been really special.

Yeah, just getting to test my game.

Q. You kind of mentioned this earlier, the growth of women's sports and the LPGA the last couple years. Where do you see the LPGA going in the next couple years?

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I think -- I mean, I think women's golf feels like it's on the up. Nelly Korda now feels like a household name, which I don't think there were any on the LPGA ten years ago.

What she has done for the game has been incredible, specifically for like the game within America. But you have so many international superstars on the LPGA, that I think globally everyone is paying attention now.

I know the hope is to obviously get more girls playing the game, eyeballs on the TV. I think Craig Kessler is going a great job so far with his leadership, but I think the LPGA is still looking to capitalize globally.

I think there is still room for growth. I think it's really cool when you have weeks like this that you have a couple younger girls in the field, too, especially with all the college events on TV now.

A lot of people now know what's going on with LCAP program and LEAP program, kind of get them from college golf that we're seeing on TV to the LPGA, Epson Tour, is going to make a big difference.

Q. Lastly, what's it like if a little girl comes up to you and says, I want to be you when I grow up?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I think it's really cool. For me I was that little girl not too long ago. I mean, my dad had me coming out to LPGA events when I was like four and five years old and I would just dream of being inside the ropes with them.

To be in that position now is really special. I try to take any opportunity that I can to sign a golf ball or glove or whatever it may be. I think it's amazing that we continue to get more girls into golf. I think that's really important, so I take any opportunity I get.

Q. You guys both mentioned the rise in women's sports, and are there a lot of other women's sports besides golf. Are there any athletes or stories in women's sports that have inspired you lately?

RACHEL KUEHN: I mean, how can you not mention Caitlin Clark and everything she's doing in the WNBA? I think what's been really cool to see what she's done with the league is like how big of a difference one person can make. Because I think it's really easy to feel small in a bigger pond where you're like, I'm just one person, one golfer, what can I really do for the sport?

She's changed the league. Yeah, to answer your question, Caitlin Clark has been incredibly inspiring to me.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: I agree. That's what I was going to say.

Q. Kind of as a follow on the autograph, so this week as a part of Team ShopRite you'll be doing a lot of stuff off the golf course. You touched on it a little bit. How important is that to you especially as you're not rookies, but you're growing on the LPGA. How important is that for you week in week out on the LPGA Tour, to do these initiatives off the golf course, whether it's clinics, signings, because you were there's a little girl as well?

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Yeah, I've always been one to volunteer even when it's not required of me. I've always been -- I've always loved doing things like junior clinics and things involving kids.

I've always been really passionate about getting more people into golf even if it's just my family. I encourage everybody to play. I just think it's so important, and I have always wanted to do those things even if they're not required.

I think it's really important for players to just continue to try to grow the game, and I think we're in a really good position to try to do that and to try to inspire people. I've always tried to do that to the best of my ability.

RACHEL KUEHN: Yeah, I also think it's really important just for perspective. You know it's really easy for us as golfers, our identity to get tied into what we shoot, and so having perspective of it's not about us. It's not about what we're going to go out and shoot the next day. It's about the impacts we're making on a larger community.

Like how can you grow the game? It was so cool today in the pro-am today. They had someone from the Special Olympics of New Jersey hitting a tee shot with us. It's just so cool. We can get so wrapped up in our own bubble to remember that golf is not about the number we're shooting. It's about the relationships we're making, people we're impacting.

Because at the end of the day like it's a game and it's taken us to very cool places, but it's a game for everyone. It's easy to forget that sometimes.

THE MODERATOR: Perfect, thank you guys.

RACHEL KUEHN: Thank you.

GIANNA CLEMENTE: Thanks.