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OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016: GOLF

August 17, 2016

Gerina Piller

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Q. Pretty happy?
GERINA PILLER: Being 2‑over after four holes, it's always good to end the day under par. Just really looking forward to being a little more consistent and getting off to a better start tomorrow.

Q. How good was that run, 9, 10,11?
GERINA PILLER: Yeah, that was huge. I think just seeing a few putts go in, and hit some solid tee shots and iron shots, I think that gave me a lot of confidence. Especially for the back nine, I think the back nine might be a little more demanding as far as ball‑striking goes. It's just one of those courses that you can't really take your mind of it or slip. And the wind definitely made it more difficult. But there's a lot to take into effect with the bunkers in the fairway. That's a place you don't want to be. Just with the pin placements and where you want to be on the green; it just takes a lot of thinking and really good execution.

Q. Do you like it? Is it good for your style of play?
GERINA PILLER: I think so. I think it allows you to be aggressive when you want to be aggressive and if you want to play a little more conservative, you can do that, as well. There's a few par 5s that I'm able to reach in two. That's huge for me. You know, with the right wind and the right pin placement, I think some of these par 4s will be gettable.

Q. How much have you been getting around the Olympics? Have you seen anything besides basketball?
GERINA PILLER: We haven't. We've just been getting settled in. Golf takes a long time to prepare for, so we haven't had a lot of time to see everything but hopefully with it starting, we'll have a little more time in the afternoon, since our tee time is a little earlier. Looking forward to maybe getting to some other events and just kind of seeing the Olympic Village and hopefully some athletes.

Q. Saw you get a little emotional yesterday. What prompted that?
GERINA PILLER: I mean, for one, I'm kind of an emotional person I guess. Any time I talk about representing my country, and just like what it would mean to hold the medal for our country and hear our National Anthem; I'm just so proud to be an American, and I think our country is the best. Couldn't be more proud and more blessed to be an American. So any time that I can represent our country and succeed and stand on the podium, it just gets me every time.

Q. You played different sports when you were a kid. Were you a big Olympics watcher?
GERINA PILLER: Yeah, actually I remember the '96 Olympics with Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes; Kerri Strug being carried off by Béla Károlyi. Obviously I thought that would be pretty awesome to be in the Olympics, but it's gymnastics. I can't even touch my toes, so that dream kind of went out the window.
When golf came back in the Olympics, I thought, it's like, wow, here is my chance to go to the Olympics, and never thought I would be standing here giving an interview about being in the Olympics. It's just a dream come true.

Q. Have you seen a mosquito since you've been here?
GERINA PILLER: I have not seen one. I think I've seen a beetle thing land on me, nothing close.

Q. What were your nerves like on the first tee?
GERINA PILLER: I think it was more just like an anxiousness to get started. You're just kind of pumped up. Any time when they announce you, you're from the United States of America, it's a pretty cool feeling. There are some nerves, but I think it's more of just like an anxiousness of wanting to get started. Being here since Sunday, the preparation. If it was up to me, I would just tee it up and not play a practice round.

Q. Do you get together with Team USA and discuss a strategy or anything?
GERINA PILLER: We played a practice round together and we definitely bounce things off of each other. I don't know if‑‑ I think we all have the same goals, get that gold, silver, bronze. But it's been great with them. Staying at a condo, go out to eat with them.
It's hard because you're on Team USA, but it's individual stroke‑play. So you know, we'll see where they go with the future. Hopefully maybe they can kind of incorporate some type of team event where we can play as a team and not stroke play.

Q. Are you just thinking podium sweep?
GERINA PILLER: That would be pretty awesome.

Q. With your husband, is it tougher than it usually is to be away from each other?
GERINA PILLER: I don't think it's going to be any easier, just leaving him. I know I would love to be there supporting him. I know he would love to be here. I think I'm more concerned with me not being there for him, because it's a big week for him and he's had his card before and hasn't kept it. I'm just praying that he has a good week and he's just content with whatever comes at him and he just plays to his best ability, and if he does that, I think the good results will come.

Q. So if he gets his card this week and you get a medal, who gets bragging rights?
GERINA PILLER: I don't know, that's a good question (laughs). I think we'd both be happy with that outcome.

Q. You live in Fort Worth?
GERINA PILLER: We just moved to Flower Mound. Still DFW area. It's been tough, moving during the summer when we're never home, but excited to have a new house.

Q. Given the depth of the field, do you figure the odds change?
GERINA PILLER: I think it's anyone's game. I think that golf is kind of one of those things where you get hot and you keep rolling with it. When you're in track or you're swimming and you're trying to beat a specific time, you know if you're swimming at that time or not. Like we don't know‑‑ teeing it up today, I don't know what's going to be the lead at the end of the day. So you've just got to go out there and do the best you can, and you know, just look up the leaderboard when you're done and hopefully you're at the top.

Q. Do you have a better idea of what the winning score might be?
GERINA PILLER: I don't to be honest. I'm sure the weather is going to have some effect. I think Tuesday was supposed to be a washout and it was a beautiful day. I'm learning that every day here just changes constantly. It's definitely going to depend on the wind and if the rain, no rain, or if it starts to firm up and get fast, I think that's definitely going to be a factor, as well.

Q. How much emotional momentum do you get from the circumstances of how you got in last week? Are you on a bit of a high still?
GERINA PILLER: Yeah, definitely. I feel like this year, I've played really well and it's given me a ton of confidence. To squeak in at the end, that's pretty cool. And it wasn't like I finished 40th. I Top‑10'ed in the U.S. Open. So that's an accomplishment in itself, but yeah, definitely.

Q. And your mom is here this week?
GERINA PILLER: My mom and my dad, they got to come down. They are enjoying it. Hopefully I'm not wearing them out too much. My mom is actually an elementary P.E. coach and she told me this story that she was telling her kids: You can be an Olympian, too, and she pauses, and like, wow, my daughter is an Olympian. It's pretty cool to hear her say that.

Q. Where does she teach?
GERINA PILLER: She teaches in Roswell, New Mexico.

Q. Inbee is in good form today.
GERINA PILLER: Yeah, that girl's good. She makes everything she looks at. I'm going to have to go ask her for a putting lesson after that. Yeah, that's pretty impressive. She's kind of plain vanilla, she gets it done. She's a great player.

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