Read a transcript of the post-Round 3 interview with Akshay Bhatia and Jennifer Kupcho.
Read a transcript of the post-Round 3 interview with Akshay Bhatia and Jennifer Kupcho.
Q. Waiting it out here, but what’s it like to be in contention here on a Sunday?
JENNIFER KUPCHO: I mean, I think that’s everything we always dream to do. Like we’re always wanting to be in contention, so it’s just great to be out here, great to be out with the PGA guys. It’s just been a really fun week.
Q. What was the game plan heading into Sunday and how did that go?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I mean, we just kind of did our own thing, honestly. I didn’t start off too hot with my driver, I put her in some pretty brutal spots, but she was striping it early on and I felt like I was putting it pretty good start of the day, kind of get some momentum for our group. We just kind of plotted along, try to shoot a score.
Felt like that eagle on 17 was huge for us. I mean, kind of knew what we had to do, we kind of slowed down on the back, but overall it was such a fun week with Jennifer. Can’t wait to come back hopefully together as a team and try and make a run again.
Q. What was the teamwork like out there as you all needed to start making a run to have a shot at the top of the leaderboard?
JENNIFER KUPCHO: I think it was just positive vibes, I don’t think there was any type of game plan necessarily. I think it was just being positive like hey we’ve still got this, like it’s fine, like just like plugging along basically. I think that’s what kind of works for both of us so I think that’s pretty much what we did.
Q. I know y’all didn’t know each other before this week. Will you keep in touch? Will you all be friends after this? Loaded question, I know.
JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, it’s hard to get a lot out of him. I’m like, what do you do? He’s like, nothing really. I’m like, c’ mon, give me something. I know he likes cars, that’s about all I got out of him.
AKSHAY BHATIA: I feel like I’ll probably always support her after knowing her this week. I mean, such a good person, fun to be around and always rooting her on. So all in all I didn’t get too much out of her either other than she likes to be competitive as we all do. Yeah, what a blast.
Q. How important are these kind of events for both organizations and how important to have more opportunities like this in the future?
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I feel like it’s so great for golf. I mean, I feel like golf has been so separated for the last three years, especially on our tour. For just us to come together as, you know, a collaboration, play together, get to know their games. Obviously I’ve known a lot about LPGA players for a long time, playing with Lydia was amazing, looked up to her. She came out real young.
Yeah, I was telling her I feel like a Ryder Cup kind of scenario of LPGA and PGA would be so much fun. I think everyone out here will probably rate this tournament a 10 out of 10 every time. Just so fortunate that Grant Thornton did this event.
JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I mean, I agree, I think it’s great for both men’s and women’s game. I think even like coming up the juniors, boys and girls play together, so it’s great to see us on the professional level coming together. Yeah, thanks to Grant Thornton for a great event, it’s been really fun.
Q. What was your favorite part of the week?
AKSHAY BHATIA: I mean, making a lot of birdies, that was fun. We don’t ever make that many birdies I feel like. So I don’t know, just competing with each other for me and having someone to hold me accountable and likewise for her. It’s so stress free when I’m hitting from the fairway pretty much every hole, I’m not used to that. Such a fun event, just competing as a team is unique.
Q. Do you still feel the nerves going down the stretch? It got a little interesting there on 18. Does it feel like a normal event at that point even though it’s unofficial when you’re pushing?
JENNIFER KUPCHO: I mean, yeah. I think, like I said before, I think yeah, everything we train for is to win, so we treat this event just like anything else. I mean, his favorite part was just the whole tournament. I mean, I was super happy and excited to watch him putt that eagle putt on 17 and not have to putt mine. Yeah, definitely nerves I would say.
AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I would say same thing. I mean, I think anyone out here wants to win this golf tournament, they don’t just show up just to have fun and be relaxed. Like there’s still a lot to play for obviously. Putting your name on a trophy for the second year this tournament’s been around is, you know, it’s going to be there for a long time. You’re still playing for money and everything like that.
So yeah, I felt pretty nervous. I mean, I was hitting it right for the first four holes, that doesn’t happen if I’m not caring, I guess.
