JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 28, 2023

Sarah Kemp

Quick Quotes

Q. What was working so well for you today? That's a great round of golf in the challenging afternoon conditions.

SARAH KEMP: Yeah, I drove it well. I've driven it well the last couple of days. I didn't hit as many greens today, but I putted really well. I think I had maybe 27 putts. Around here in the afternoon with this poa annua, that's really good.

Q. I noticed the claw grip out there. How long have you been clawing it?

SARAH KEMP: I've got to say almost two years now. I started a couple years ago. Was having some putting problems, and it seemed to fix it.

Q. I know Aussies tend to play well at this golf course. I hear it reminds everybody of home. What was it on the greens today? Could you just see the lines?

SARAH KEMP: It's tough; it helps that you can tap down some of the marks now, so I did a lot of tapping, took advantage of that rule. But I think if you can just mentally, like okay, it's going to bump, I've just got to hit a good putt and sort of just accept what it is after that, but I think I did a good job of that, not trying to -- one hole I wanted to say to my caddie, oh, look at this. Like look at it. But I didn't. I was like, no, just hit a good putt.

Yeah, just sort of not getting annoyed at all the bumps, just the poa annua growing in the afternoons. Yeah, just staying patient and making a good stroke and not really caring too much about the outcome.

Q. You've got to hit the greens, though, and the greens are firm out here. How were you able to hold the greens with your approach shots?

SARAH KEMP: Luckily I had a few wedges in there that were stopping, but I've got a 6-hybrid, and I mix it out in between my 6-iron and 6-hybrid, and this is definitely a week for my 6-hybrid because they're super firm, so that really helps me on some of the long par-3s get some stop. Like it hits and stops, where my 6-iron wouldn't do that.

Q. What's the mindset heading into the weekend?

SARAH KEMP: Just keep doing what I've been doing. Last one was -- I played okay at Chevron, only missed by a couple, and I played all right in Hawai'i, too. My coach is in Hawai'i, so I think some of this stuff is starting to bleed off a little. Yeah, just keep doing what I've been doing. I think I've got a good plan going forward with just some drills and sending swing videos to my coach and just talking to him really, doing a better job of that. But same stuff.

Q. Tell me about International Crown. I know it's really cool for the Aussies to represent their country, and you've got a pretty good team.

SARAH KEMP: Yes, I am stoked to be playing that. It's been on my bucket list ever since that tournament came about. I knew I was close to getting in at the end of last year, and that was all I thought about at the end of last year and the beginning of this year, and that was my whole goal.

I know it was extremely close between Grace and I, but yeah, was lucky enough to just pip her in the end. I guess she could be in there, too, to be honest, but yeah, I'm so excited. I played a lot as an amateur for Australia, but I don't believe I've played -- actually I have, one other time I played for Australia as a pro, but this is so cool. Yeah, like I said, it's been a bucket list of mine, so to finally make it at this point in my career is pretty cool.