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CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 18, 2017

Stacy Lewis

Naples, Florida

Q. How do you feel about your position and your day?
STACY LEWIS: It was a good day. I feel like I've played a little bit better every day. Still kind of left some out there today. By far wasn't perfect by any means.

Felt like I played solid and played some of the harder holes good. You know, just need to play the par-5s a little better and then I think I would like my position a little more.

Q. After winning, because we've talked so much about all this, but after winning, how much does that help, again, to be back in this situation?
STACY LEWIS: It's just -- I don't know. There is a lot of relief now. I'm not putting so much pressure on myself to try to win. Knowing it just takes good golf and it takes some things falling your way.

Especially here with the way this leaderboard is, the way this golf course plays, it's going to be tight coming down to tomorrow. You just have to get off to a good start and see if you can ride it through the back nine.

Q. You've played this tournament with a lot on the line before, Vare Trophy, things like that. What's that like, and how does it compare to a major, Solheim Cup?
STACY LEWIS: It's honestly some of the worst pressure. I think the worst pressure I felt was trying to win Vare Trophy when Suzann and I -- I think we were seven or eight shots apart.

I mean, every shot you're thinking about that Vare Trophy and what is Suzann doing, what am I doing. It's so much pressure. It's really hard. It's hard to just free yourself up and play golf.

It's almost nice to come here without all that pressure, but you want to be in that situation as well. It's just really tough.

Q. Will you watch the leaderboard a lot tomorrow with it being so packed?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I always do. I like to look at scores and see what's going on and see what people are doing.

My group there, we played the front nine. We were all playing pretty good, and actually the guy driving us to the turn said, Oh, some of the girls said the hole locations are harder today.

All three of us were kind of like, Really? We played pretty good, so we didn't really even know. So I think that's why you're seeing some scores coming back. Hopefully it's set up similar tomorrow and good score wins this thing.

Q. David Leadbetter said that he's isn't always sure what he sees going to see next time he sees Michelle, and he's her coach. Playing with her a little bit like that, too?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah. I mean, today was -- that's the straightest I've seen her hit it in a while if that's anything. She's just kind owned her game and is in control of it.

It's not as funky as it was I would say earlier in the year. It looks a little bit more natural.

She's not hitting the big cuts. I mean, playing some good golf.

Q. That pressure that you felt to win after a drought, she's kind of going through the same thing. Did it take you having a win to get rid of it to figure out what it took?
STACY LEWIS: Well, you know what it takes. You know what it stays to win. It's just hard to free your mind up to actually do it.

Unfortunately, a lot of things are out of your control. If somebody holes a putt on you or somebody holes out from the fairway on you, I mean, there are so many things out your control. If you can kind of come to terms with that, it makes the winning a lot easier.

Q. You're out, there, you're grinding. I know this is a tournament that you badly want to win. What has been the secret to getting better every sing day so far this week?
STACY LEWIS: Well, I really struggled with the ball striking the first day, and I've slowly got more comfortable with it. Wasn't perfect by any means today, but jut did a good just did a good job of getting the ball in the hole and take advantage of the good shots and made a bunch of birdies.

I feel like I got to play the par-5s a little bit better tomorrow to have a chance coming down 18.

Q. When you got that win earlier in the year and everybody had been talking about how long it had been since your last win, how much pressure did that take off of you?
STACY LEWIS: A ton. I mean, I think my shoulders dropped a few inches and I was able to sleep a little bit better at night.

It was just so much more relaxed going to a tournament not necessarily dreading it. You're excited to be there, excited to have a chance to win. Just renewed the love for golf a little bit and the enjoyment of competing.

Q. I know you don't play for money, you play for wins, championships, but you came into this thing inside the top 12. You have a mathematical shot of winning the $1 million. Will that be on your mind tomorrow?
STACY LEWIS: Well, I kind of saw the list of what Lydia had to do, and I'm just one place ahead of her. I don't really think I have a chance at that thing, but I do know I have a chance to win it, and that's what I'll be focusing on.

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