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U.S. WOMEN'S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPSeptember 25, 2018Michelle ButlerSt. Louis, Missouri Q. It's a long day, right? MICHELLE BUTLER: Yeah, it is a long day. Q. Did you expect to be playing this much golf? MICHELLE BUTLER: Yeah, I mean, you have to expect to be doing that. But it was a long day. I mean, I think the second 18 is more of a mental grind. I haven't really played 36 in one day in a while, but we did a lot in college, and so it's kind of just, I think, really recognizing how you're feeling, and so there was a couple shots out there where I started getting a little lazy and I knew I was tired, kind of slowed down a little bit, and kind of focused a little extra on each shot. But I was very pleased with how I played in the second round, as well. I think I played better in the first round, made some more birdies, which was nice, but hit a lot of solid shots when I needed to and got it done, obviously. So that's a really nice feeling. Q. Now, you had a little bit larger lead in both matches, and it shrunk a little bit, and then you've got to stop that reverse momentum; how did you do that? MICHELLE BUTLER: Yeah, I think the first match, the round of 64, I was 4-up, I think, through 7, and I was 1-down through 15, and so I think you kind of -- you always have to play like you're down, and you've got to play to win each hole. Obviously you have to play smart, but I think that first match was a really good learning experience for me, and it was an awesome match. I played Olivia Herrick, and she's an amazing player, and then I think I was a little bit better prepared for it in the second match today -- yeah, that was the round of 32 this morning. I played Ana Alicia from Mexico, and I think we were all square -- I think I went 1-up at 5 with a birdie, so that was good, and then I made a really good par putt to halve on 6, and she birdied 7. She made a great putt for birdie. So it was kind of like, it's going to be a good match, just staying aggressive. I think a lot in match play you play to what the other player is doing, and sometimes that's difficult for me because I usually have a very good game plan of what I want to do, so having to alter that sometimes can be frustrating, but I felt like I stuck to my game plan a lot better today and stayed aggressive when I needed to. I'm a pretty aggressive player for the most part when it comes to hitting at the pins. I don't like to go to the middle of the greens that much. My college coaches hated that. But I'm pretty accurate, so it works out for me, I guess. Once I got up in the round of 16, I don't think I ever really dropped it. I lost -- I won 3, 4 and 5, and I lost 6. Didn't hit a bad shot but wasn't great, and then gave it a good run, but she had an easy two-putt. And then she kind of started coming back, and I think I -- you're really tired out there, and so I think I maybe wasn't thinking as hard. I thought more when I got over the shots, but I tried to relax, and the round went by pretty quick. I think when you go in mentally prepared that it's going to be a long day and it's going to be just a physical grind, it helps you out a lot, but I feel like I'm just gaining confidence the more I'm out on this course, like shot by shot, match by match. It's been good. I'm definitely playing a lot better than I did in stroke play. Q. And it's sort of a cumulative effect; you've been playing now five days in a row. MICHELLE BUTLER: Mm-hmm, and it's awesome. I haven't really played that many tournaments in a while, and so like first two stroke play days I'm a little nervous, and once match play came around, I've just been so eager to get out here and play and compete, so it's a good feeling to have that back, just where like I want to get out here and I'm excited and I'm ready to embrace whatever the day gives me, whether it's good or bad. It's been fun. Q. And just talking about the experience, it's your first time in a USGA championship, and you've been -- it's close to home. MICHELLE BUTLER: Yeah. Q. You've been getting support. What's that been like? MICHELLE BUTLER: It's been really cool. I've had such a good fan crew out here. My boyfriend Hunter has been here every day, my dad has been here every day. My boyfriend's parents, I'm very close with them. They've been out here like -- they have crazy busy work schedules, and they've been taking time out to come out here. So to kind of have them over there, they always call me MB. My boyfriend's dad came up with that. So they're over there just yelling, "go MB, go MB." It's pretty cool. I know they're rooting for me and just giving me thumbs up and having fun and all that, so it's been very cool. It's been nice having that support. Q. And being the first one, you don't necessarily want to look ahead too much. Do you know Lauren Greenlief who you'll be playing? MICHELLE BUTLER: I don't know her. I've never met her. I'm sure she'll be super nice, and I'm sure it's going to be a great match. Q. And now you just want to get a little bit of rest? MICHELLE BUTLER: Yes, definitely, go home, chill out, just watch some TV and get ready to do it all over again tomorrow. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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