	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

CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN'S OPEN

August 27, 2016

Alena Sharp

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Q. Another good round in the books today. Can you just kind of go through it for us and your thoughts on how you played?
ALENA SHARP: Started off kind of ugly. I was not hitting it well the first nine holes, but I hung in there, and I think that's something that's gotten better with my game is when it's not good, I realize, okay, just keep grinding away, it's going to change, and the last six holes were great. I started finding my swing and relaxed a little bit, did something in my -- I relaxed my right arm a little bit in my setup, and I started hitting it like I was the last two days and just rode it and hit it close and made some putts. Really happy with how I finished.

Q. Kind of funny when you just find that little thing that turns things around. Is that something you've done often?
ALENA SHARP: Yeah, I think sometimes the momentum just shifts. I got away with a good bounce on 12, and I made birdie, and then 13 I ripped a drive, and from there on I didn't think of any swing thoughts, I just got into the target and it was a little bit more relaxed, and it helped me get through and hit some close shots and make birdies.

Q. You've been playing so well this year and really the last two years. I know you're really proud of the way you've turned things around, but to play so well here with the pressure you put on yourself at a tournament you don't maybe have the best record, how does that feel for you so far?
ALENA SHARP: I feel great walking off this round, because like I said, it wasn't a great start. To shoot 5-under today and be right there, I know that Ariya is playing really well, but I'm right in there. I mean, who knows what happens tomorrow. You never know. Things happen out here. You can get into trouble, and if I can get another round like today, get right up there and give it a shot.

Q. How nice is the support from the fans?
ALENA SHARP: Yeah, it's not -- I'm not from Alberta, but I feel like it. It's nice to have the hometown crowd behind you. Even though it's not my hometown, I love playing in Canada, obviously, and everybody is always cheering for me, so I really enjoyed it. Take ing it in. I love having people watch me.

Q. Does this 18th hole set up for a pretty good finish tomorrow with scoring and also with all the fans around?
ALENA SHARP: Yeah, I think so. I wanted to go for it today, but I saw the pin up short, and if I was short it would be a tough chip and ended up sucking back my shot. I think tomorrow if they move the tee up 10 yards, I think people will start going for it. Maybe we'll get some eagles and get the crowd into it.

Q. Is there an increased comfort for you just being in contention that's happened more and more over the last couple years?
ALENA SHARP: I think this year, yeah, I've been in the hunt the last couple months. Playing really well, and it's like, okay, now it's not a shock, this is where I am right now, and I'm riding my momentum and riding the confidence wave because I've definitely been on the other end of it before, and it's nice to be playing with no stress and really enjoying playing golf again.

Q. Can you just comment on the uniqueness of this three-week stretch you're going through right now where you represent Canada in the Olympics and then you come home and play in back-to-back tournaments in Canada?
ALENA SHARP: I can't think of a better way to come back from the Olympics than to play in Canada for two weeks. It just keeps that Olympic pride going, and I think if we were to come back from Rio and play in the U.S., it wouldn't be feeling the same for me or for Brooke. Next week I'm going to my own backyard, so I'm really going to enjoy that and get to see my parents and my family and friends. They're going to come out and watch, so I think it's going to be fun. I think we're really going to soak it all in again next week.

Q. Will the game plan tomorrow be to get really aggressive and take a run at this title, regardless of how far back you end up being, or are you thinking career-best finish?
ALENA SHARP: Yeah, career best is kind of sitting in the back of my mind right now as I see the leaderboard, but I'm not going to change the way I play the golf course. You've got to go after the par-5s and try and make some eagles, and then I have a lot of wedges in my hand, so I am going at the pins anyway, so I don't think I'll change anything. I won't change what I hit off the tee because I've hit a lot of 3-woods. It gets me in a great spot for a full shot in, so I'm not going to really do much of that. I think if I can get going on the par-5s it'll help, starting on No. 1. I'm not sure where the pin is tomorrow, but an eagle to start, that would be great.

Q. Are you excited to get going tomorrow, like you almost can't wait to get back out there?
ALENA SHARP: Well, obviously coming off this last six holes, yeah, I want to get back out there, but I do need some rest because I'm still a little tired from last week.

Q. How has this week been for you in Calgary?
ALENA SHARP: I've really enjoyed it. Got some good sleep on Tuesday night, got to see Lorie get inducted into the Hall of Fame. That was awesome to be there for that, and then got a late pro-am time, so that was nice to get another sleep-in and play later on on Thursday, so I actually got some sleep, and yesterday I went to Canmore to visit my aunt and uncle and they made us a home-cooked meal, so that was nice just to relax and then got to bed early last night and got up this morning and went after it.

Q. Your aunt and uncle live out in Canmore?
ALENA SHARP: They live in Calgary but they have a place in Canmore, as well, so it was nice to go and see that drive. It was beautiful. It was clear, so the mountains were all -- I mean, it was beautiful.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297