	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 5, 2016

Virginia Elena Carta

Springfield, Pennsylvania

Q. You were all over the golf course today; did you feel that way? Your second shot on the first hole startled me. I'm sure it startled you, too.
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: The second shot on the first hole? Yeah, that was such a great shot. I mean, the lie of the ball was super tough, so I didn't expect to hit a good shot, not even like to do like three yards, but at the same time, the first hole, as I said, I was feeling a lot of pressure. I don't know why last night I was feeling super nervous, and as I woke up this morning, it was the same thing. It was kind of tough, and this is why after winning I cried because all of my emotions kind of like went away. I was excited, but it was super, super tough.

Q. After winning yesterday you cried?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: No, today.

Q. You let out a big sigh as you walked away from the ball as Maria was setting up to try her birdie putt. You were walking away from your ball and you took a big breath and a big sigh, and frankly you looked very tired at that point.
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: On the last hole you mean?

Q. Yeah, on your last hole.
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: Yeah, I was kind of exhausted, but at the same time because I left myself a really good birdie opportunity, I was like four feet or something like that. I knew like I could make it. Even if she made it, I could have made it, too. I was still focused. Of course it was more like mentally tiring than physically today just because I was really nervous and feeling the pressure. That was why it was mentally tiring.

Q. Your second shot on 17, Jay Delsing and I were standing out there, and we both thought you were going to take out your 3-wood, and then you take an iron out and then you laid up to where you had about 75 yards. Then we saw your approach shot, and okay, that's why, because your ball bounced I think a foot and then came to a very sudden stop.
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: Yeah, I did it on purpose because I couldn't reach the green. I mean, we knew before, like since the first shot, we didn't aim like left to hit it into because we couldn't reach it with the wind in front, so I aimed more right with my driver to hit that hole in three shots. Then because it was a three-shot hole, not anymore two-shot, I didn't want to leave myself a really short like chip or something into the green. I think like between 70 and 80, my game is pretty good, so we calculated it, and it was like 70 meters, whatever. That was like the perfect match for me.

Q. What club did you use to make that second shot?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: 5-iron.

Q. And what did you use for your third shot?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: 54 degrees.

Q. How many wedges do you normally carry?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: I have 58, 54 and 50, and then also the pitching wedge.

Q. Did you change your mix of clubs for this tournament?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: No. They are all the same. I'm going to change soon. I'm not going to have a 4-iron anymore. I'm going to have a hybrid instead. That's going to keep my ball a little bit higher. But my coach here is not that happy because he says that I'm hitting the 4-iron pretty good. But at the same time, I think it's a change that is going to help my game in the long-term.

Q. What did you first meet Amanda?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: Amanda came to Duke at the end of January this year, so she worked out with us, and that's where I met her first. She gave me a lot of -- I don't know, a lot of -- like since I met her, I really wanted to get better. Like I knew who she was, of course, before, and I was super excited to have her as kind of like a role model because I knew that she played at Duke, and her name is like all over Duke in trophies, pictures and whatever. But then when I met her, like she was super nice and she shared a lot. So that was great. She gave me a little bit of more confidence and also energy to work harder.

And then just meeting her at nationals and having her commentating my game, I think that was like the best thing ever. And then talking to her before the last round at nationals helped me again.

Then in Ohio she was a celebrity guest in one of the pro-ams, so I saw her again in Ohio, and we talked about how to go into the first round because I was nervous, of course, because it was my first LPGA event. And then knowing that I can count on her, and she's there for me, I think that's the best thing that I can ever ask for.

In fact, this morning I knew she was at a wedding for one of her teammates, and Coach Brooks is there, too.

Q. Who's getting married?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: Anna Grzebian.

Q. Another NCAA champ.
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: Yes, so I knew she was there, so she was busy there, and Coach Brooks is there, too. That's why he wasn't here today. So I didn't want to disturb her, so I texted her, but I knew she probably wouldn't have replied or maybe not in time for my match to start, but she replied. It was like 8:00 in the morning and she replied in like five minutes, and that was amazing because, I don't know, she keeps me composed, and just having her as a friend I would say, that's awesome.

Q. Was that in Rhode Island? Did she get married in Rhode Island probably?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: Yeah.

Q. Have you ever cried after a match before?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: Yes, I cried in France at the French International. I didn't cry when I won, I think. I cried way before. I think it snowed, like 64. It's not like 64, the carded 64, but it's carded 32, and I cried not before, after the second match, so in the morning it was really tough, and I won on the 19th in the morning, and then in the afternoon I had this girl who's Nanna Madsen. She's playing on the LET and she's really good, and she was like the top player in Europe at that time. I knew that match, like especially at the beginning, was really tough. Like I wished that was like the final, not like the second match.

And that match, I think we were like 5-under, and it was like unbelievable. On the last hole, I missed the green long in a bunker, and I had like the entire green downhill, and she missed it left, short. She hit first, and she was like five feet from the -- no, more, probably six feet, and then I had like less than one-footer for par because of my shot from the bunker, and I won the 18th. That was like huge because it was like tough. It was like mentally tough because I knew who I was playing against, and just winning like that, that was great.

The coach here, he was there, and he could not caddie, but he was there. No, that tournament was like exhausting. I won like the first match on 19, second on 18, third, 16, fourth, 21st to go into the final, and then it was a 36-hole final, and I won like on the 17th of the last -- no, of the second round. So I walked a lot.

Q. When was that?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: 2014.

Q. Is there a story behind your name, Virginia?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: Virginia Woolf, the writer.

Q. Was your mom a fan?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: My parents liked her, so that's why.

Q. Have you read her stuff?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: No. I probably should. I feel stupid.

Q. Did you drink both those Cokes or did he drink one?
VIRGINIA ELENA CARTA: No, one is in my golf bag, but it's ready for tomorrow. Probably a little bit earlier tomorrow because if I wait until the 10th, I don't know how that is going to work out.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297