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U.S. WOMEN'S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 15, 2016

Julia Potter

Choudrant, Louisiana

Q. How nerve wracking was it? 4 up and then all of a sudden, blink blink blink?
JULIA POTTER: I mean, I'm sure it was easy to tell, I was getting a little frustrated out there with the way I was hitting shots. It's match play and really anything can happen. I got 4 up and she got 4 back, so really anything can happen.

That's how I felt going into 16, was here's three holes to make something happen and go out there and win the championship.

Q. Talk about your shot on 16, the yardage you had, the club you used and the putt you made?
JULIA POTTER: It started with hitting a great tee shot off the 16 tee. I that really gave me a lot of confidence. I liked the yardage, I had about 80 into the pin, and it was a little downwind. I just took a choke 54 and tried to play the wind down to the pin and had a nice 12-footer for birdie.

Q. Was there any pressure that came off after that hole?
JULIA POTTER: Yes and no. I think when that happened, I was 1-up going to 17. I just felt like definitely taking 3-wood off the tee, so I don't put myself in anymore trouble like I have been. But really the pressure fell off after that tee shot because I gave myself the opportunity to hit the green, even though I didn't keep it on the green, I had a pretty easy chip and I felt confident after that.

Q. You said you worked hard since your last championship to get to this point again. How satisfying is that?
JULIA POTTER: It's incredibly satisfying when you have something in mind that's eight, nine months down the road and then it actually ends up happening. It's hard to believe, and at the same time it's incredibly satisfying and making me feel like anything I can put my mind to I'm able to do so.

Q. How did you feel this morning coming out and grabbing the big lead early?
JULIA POTTER: It was definitely a confidence booster. That, unfortunately, did not stick with me on the back nine. When I'm able to be 4 up, it does let me feel a little more relaxed out there. I wasn't striking the ball well from the first tee shot. So really that 4 up was a scramble of getting up-and-down when I needed to. It gave that little bit of leeway when the back nine caught up to me.

Q. What is the strength of your game? I'm going to bias you by saying, watching you on 10, I think it was, with that four and chip here and just those approaches, is that one of your strengths?
JULIA POTTER: I would say my short game is the strongest part of my game. It always has been. I've never been a very long hitter. If I'm swinging well, I can be accurate, but that was not the case today. It's nice to know that when one of those things happen and I'm not hitting the ball that great, I can still fall back and lean on my short game.

I think all week, especially these last few days, my putting has been my strongest.

Q. You mentioned your boyfriend was on the bag. What did he say to you during that four-hole stretch when you lost your lead going into 16?
JULIA POTTER: He just continued to say you've got this, there's plenty of holes left, you can make this happen, just have good swing thoughts, pick your target and commit to it.

Q. Was it difficult to kind of gather yourself together during that four-hole stretch there when you saw your lead gradually diminish?
JULIA POTTER: It did. But at the same time, it kind of lit a fire under me because I knew I was a better golfer than what I was doing out there. Just focus on those last three holes because those final three holes are not that easy. Yes, 16 is birdie-able, but it's a tough green. Then 17, 18, they are not easy holes. I know I had to keep sharp if I wanted to win.

Q. (Inaudible)?
JULIA POTTER: I think it is suitable for people who are good with their short game and accurate off the tee. That wasn't the case this morning, but I think that's what it was. I have won on a Donald Ross before and that was actually Asheville in 2013. So I just prepared for that. I played a couple Donald Rosses around the Indy area to get myself prepared.

Q. Your dad mentioned he actually felt some similarities between here and Asheville, particularly on the back nine. Do you think that helped you at all?
JULIA POTTER: Yes, I definitely think so. You always know what you are going to get when you step on a Donald Ross. It's going to be hilly, it's going to be undulating. The greens are going to be difficult to hit and they may look massive, but you really need to be on the right quadrant. So, yeah, I think that's exactly what helped.

I think it gave me confidence going into this week that I have had success on a Ross course before.

Q. You mentioned your boyfriend. What is his name?
JULIA POTTER: Kiel Bobb.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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