Hear from 2024 KPMG Women's PGA Champion Amy Yang at PGA Frisco.
THE MODERATOR: All right, defending KPMG Women's PGA Championship Amy Yang is with us now. Amy, welcome back to Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco.
AMY YANG: Thank you.
Q. Now that champ week has arrived, does it feel a little different coming into this one as the defending champion?
AMY YANG: I mean, I'm very -- I was very excited to come back, and it is even more exciting that the tournament days are coming. Been preparing really well with my team and really looking forward to teeing off tomorrow.
Q. Can you tell us how your Champions Dinner was a couple nights ago?
AMY YANG: It was amazing. It was amazing. When I got an email who is going to cook for Champions Dinner I was curious how the food will come out because he's from Japan and I asked for Korean food.
But it came out amazing. Every dish was perfect and I enjoyed it so much.
Q. At that Champions Dinner is obviously a gathering of everyone who has won the tournament at one point or another. What was it like to not only tell your story from winning, but hear other stories from past champions as well?
AMY YANG: I was very honored to be one of the past champions at the dinner. And we did -- at the end every one talked about good and bad shots they had in their career and that was very fun.
I especially thought the players who have played long time ago, the stories was more exciting and fun for me. Just very heartwarming and very maybe humble in there, too.
Great day.
Q. I asked Ronni Yin about what was the most popular dish at the Champions Dinner and she said the kimbap. She was excited about that. What were some of your favorites and the most popular things on the menu?
AMY YANG: Oh, it's very hard to pick because every one was so good. I would say the tofu soup was favorite maybe more me. Yeah, it was very, very good.
Q. You had many good performances in major championships without winning. Was there ever a sense that it may not -- you may not be able to get over the hump here? Did it make last year's victory even sweeter because you had been so close in so many others?
AMY YANG: Yeah, yeah, I've said this many times in other interviews, too. I came very close to many major championships and never won before, so on Saturday night I was very nervous and I was questioning myself, can I do to this time?
But I distracted myself calling my friends and family and just told myself, you know, go out tomorrow and just every hole, every shot, just embrace everything and see what's going to happen.
That experience taught me that I can do it. I can still do it. If you have dream and goals achieve and you work hard at it, you can get it. Yeah, that's what I learned from last year.
Q. Was winning a major as, I don't know, sweet, rewarding as you always envisioned it to be?
AMY YANG: Oh, yeah. One of my biggest goal as a professional golfer and it took a long time, but it feels extra special because it took for a while.
Q. Did you get a chance to meet Craig Kessler so far, the new commissioner?
AMY YANG: Yes, briefly at the Champions Dinner. Very nice guy and really looking forward to what he will do for the Tour.
Q. I know he's been asking a lot of questions. I don't know if he did already ask you or if you had an idea of something that you think is going really well with the Tour and what you think needs to be improved.
AMY YANG: Oh, I'm not sure. (Smiling.)
Q. It's okay. With any organization, some things -- what do you really like about the Tour and what are the challenges that maybe he might face?
AMY YANG: I can only think that our Tour is getting better every year, and I hope continues to go that way. Yeah, just I can't think of what needs to be improved for now.
Q. How much do you enjoy the area? How much do you things around here? I know you are a local.
AMY YANG: How much do I enjoy this area?
Q. Yeah, living around here.
AMY YANG: Oh, yeah, very much, very much. Maybe because I had media center two weeks ago, I came back on -- when I came back on Sunday out here just felt more extra warm welcoming and felt comfortable on the golf course.
Q. Yeah.
AMY YANG: Yeah, I like Dallas area, too, because they have very good food around and, yeah.
