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U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 12, 2018

Kristen Gillman

Kingston Springs, Tennessee

Q. Congratulations. You're the 2018 U.S. Women's Amateur champion. You're now a champion for a second time. How different is this one compared to the one you won four years ago?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: I think this one was a lot harder I feel like to win because after the first one I won, it was my first time playing, and so I was kind of new to it. But every time I come back now, I've always talked about how -- like this week, I was the only champion in the field, and so I feel like that kind of brings a little bit more pressure along with it. But I think it also makes the victory a little sweeter, too.

Q. When you were looking at the trophy and you see your name on there, does that make your hair stand up and think, it's going to be on there again?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, it's really cool to be able to have it on there again. I mean, everyone who was playing in this tournament was picturing their name on it at the end of the week, and so it's really nice to be able to do that and accomplish that.

Q. Your performance today, I mean, I believe you mean, I think, nine birdies in the 30 holes that were played. You seemed like you came out with a house on fire, got up seven and you were 5-up at the break. Just talk about how you were feeling this morning on the range and when you got on the first tee and then to get up with that big lead. What's going through your mind?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: I was feeling really comfortable over everything warming up, and so I knew going into the round that I could just go after the wins and try to make the putts and try to be a little bit more aggressive because Jiwon is a great player, and so I knew if I wanted to beat her I had to make a lot of birdies. I was just going out there and just trying to birdie every hole. That didn't happen, but I was definitely trying.

Q. You're 5-up at the break, it's a long break, almost two hours. What did you do during the time? Obviously you had lunch, but how do you recharge yourself after that long of a break to go back out knowing you still had unfinished business?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, it's definitely hard to sit here I feel like for that long because I think the first time whenever I won, I don't remember the break being that long. I just kind of had to keep my mind off of golf, and I was just talking to my family and some of my friends that were here to kind of distract me for those two hours I had.

Q. And then you got back up again by seven. At what point did you just start feeling, okay, I've got this, I'm really in control of my game right now, and I've got to make her just make birdies to beat me?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: I feel like in golf, it's never over until it's over, so I kept telling myself that you don't have it won until it's actually done. So I was still -- I think the last few holes, I'd win and then she would win, then I would win and then she would win, so it kept going back and forth. But after every time I lost a hole, I was always fired up and wanted to win the next one because I didn't like losing those holes.

Q. There at the end, you got a little emotional. We haven't seen a lot of emotion out of you like you showed today. It obviously is a long week, and to win it again, is it just the fact that you did it again for a second time, knowing how difficult it is to do?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, it was definitely I feel like more emotional to win this time, and my mom wasn't able to come the first time, so she flew here last night to watch me play in the final match, as my parents would say. So it was really cool to have her be able to be here, too, to experience this win because I know that last time she wanted to be here, but she just had eye surgery, so she couldn't fly.

Q. The first time it seemed like the whole experience was -- you were just kind of going through it, nothing to lose, under the radar. How much have you changed in that four years? Obviously the braces are off, you've gone through a couple years of college, went to the Curtis Cup, played in a couple Opens now, won on the Japan Tour. Tell us about your transformation from four years ago to now.
KRISTEN GILLMAN: I think over the last four years, I've really been able to, I think, strengthen my mental game and just all aspects of my game because winning that tournament gave me so many opportunities and allowed me to play in some majors and professional events, and so I was able to see what I was lacking in my game. So I've just been able to focus on what I need to improve to be able to make it on Tour.

Q. When was the last time you were this emotional after a win?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Probably Japan. Other than that, probably a long time.

Q. Your route to this title is a little different. Four years ago you were down in every match and you had to come back in the final leg to beat Brooke, and then the two matches yesterday Friday and Saturday were nail-biters until the final hole, then today was a little different feeling. Talk about that, your route to the two titles and how different they were.
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, they were both really different. I was down in every match in 2014. This time I kind of realized that -- I think over the last few years, I've realized the importance of how you start your rounds, so I've really been trying to focus on starting my rounds well. Not just going against someone but just even in stroke play, just starting my rounds well, setting good momentum for the day.

Q. You had a setback with your wrist after you won; can you just kind of talk about the difficulty of that period and having to take time off from the game and battling back to where you are now?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, I think it was definitely difficult to take some time off due to my wrist injury, and I think the hardest part was not knowing if I would be able to play again or even be able to be the player I was, and so it was definitely hard taking some time off, but I think it makes you appreciate the game more, makes you realize the hard days really aren't that hard and that you just should enjoy playing the game.

Q. How long were you out for?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Five months.

Q. So that was right after the --
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, it was during the -- yeah, during that year that I won.

Q. Right after that?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, right after.

Q. You putted exceptionally well. You made so many putts. Can you just talk about your putter this week, and do you feel like you've -- have you worked on it a lot? Talk about your progress with your putting.
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, whenever I got to Alabama, I was really struggling with putting, and even at the beginning of this year, it was really bad. Just my confidence level was like an all-time low in putting. I was able to sit down with like Meg and come up with a drill, we call it this railroad track drill that I've been doing every single day for the last year and a half. It helps me with my path to make sure that -- I think path is so important, and so I think if you have a solid and competitive stroke, then it really allows you to be able to make putts.

Q. You did confirm that you're going to play in the World Am?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, I think so. I don't really like saying anything for sure because I haven't even talked to them about it. But I think so. He thinks I'm going to miss a lot of school.

Q. It's one week.
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, I know.

Q. Will you play Evian, as well?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: I'm not sure. I think we'll have to look at everything because Q-school I'm going to be missing so much school, so even know if my teachers will pass me.

Q. They won't line some stuff up for you to work on?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: I don't think they really care that much. I haven't met my professors, so we'll see how cool they are.

Q. When does Q-school start for you?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Second stage is in October.

Q. How many classes do you have this semester?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: I'm doing 15 hours, so five classes.

Q. And what do you have left after that?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: 15 hours.

Q. So you're going to graduate in May?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Mm-hmm, if I can just pass my classes.

Q. What's your GPA right now?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: 4.0.

Q. Doesn't sound like you have to be worried about your academics if you're 4.0. What's your major?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Marketing.

Q. What do you think in your mind was the best part of your game this week? What got you to this moment?
KRISTEN GILLMAN: I think my putting was probably the best part of my game because I think it -- it gave me, I think, in match play I was able to make a lot of clutch putts whenever it mattered, and so I think that has been the highlight of my game this week.

Q. Sounds like Chris was a pretty big factor, too. I heard the putt you made against Lucy, you had a little discrepancy, and he said about a ball and a half out on 18 on Friday and you listened to it and stroked it and obviously it went right in. How much of an impact was Chris on your bag? I know dad caddied for you in 2014.
KRISTEN GILLMAN: Yeah, my dad caddied for me in the first three rounds this year, but I think it definitely helped just having some local knowledge on the bag and just with some breaks and just some tricky things on the greens that most people don't see.

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