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BANK OF HOPE FOUNDERS CUP

March 20, 2019

Stacy Lewis

Phoenix, Arizona

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. I would like to welcome in 12-time LPGA Tour winner, Stacy Lewis, here to the Bank of Hope Founders Cup.

Stacy, today has been a really special day for the LPGA. This morning we unveiled to the world the DriveOn brand positioning that we're very excited about. Very introduced it to players last night. You've been a part of a future spot that's going to run.

STACY LEWIS: Uh-huh.

THE MODERATOR: What do you think of the new campaign and the words "Drive On"?

STACY LEWIS: First I'm excited about the new campaign. I think we'd kind of worn the other one out.

But just to tell everyone's stories more, and inspirational stories of why we do what we do and what drives us every day. Kind of really goes along with the women's movement that's going on in the country right now.

I'm excited to hear everyone's stories and see how it all comes together.

THE MODERATOR: What did you think the reaction was last night in the room when all the players saw it for the first time?

STACY LEWIS: I think they're excited. I think just exciting to see something a little bit new and different and maybe a little bit edgy, something maybe you're not seeing anywhere else.

I think everybody is excited about it.

THE MODERATOR: When we talk about DriveOn stories, your are entire story pretty much is a great example of having to drive on through adversity, from the scoliosis, pushing through, having to many come back from prosecute surgeries and all of that; different things when you went through a long win drop and to come back and win for your hometown of Houston.

When you think about DriveOn, what has inspired you throughout your you career to DriveOn?

STACY LEWIS: I think it's changed. I think back to when I first started playing golf and started getting better. The inspiration of watching other athletes and women perform. When I first came on tour watching Karrie Webb and the way she went about her game. I was like, I want to be like that. I want to be like her and the way she just goes about things. And then, gosh, you meet people along the way that inspire you.

Now I have a little girl that is the reason I do what I do every day. I want to be the best that I can be, but I want to be the best mom I can be, too. I think my DriveOn story is now about her more than it is about any golf.

THE MODERATOR: No doubt becoming a mom really changes your entire focus and purpose.

STACY LEWIS: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: When you think about that and having a young daughter, how excited are you to be able to share that message with her, of what you're doing out there in trying to speak to the next generation?

STACY LEWIS: It's pretty fitting. Throughout my career I've talked about purses and elevating the game and elevating women. It's pretty fitting that I would have a daughter.

My hope is that she never has to come up here and talk about not making the same amount of money as guys. That's what drives me every day, is to make it better for her. Whether it's golf or whatever she's doing in the workplace, getting a job that she's making the same amount of money as a male counterpart. That's what I'm out here doing every day.

THE MODERATOR: When we talk about being a mom, second event now being out here as a mom. We saw you at the Diamond Resorts, and that was the first time bringing Chesnee out. How is it different this week? How are you adjusting? And what did you learn from the first week out on tour having an in infant.

STACY LEWIS: The first week was very tiring, I will tell you that. It's literally just get through every single day. You know, I honestly I was like you play your golf, get home, get her in bed, and it's like, Okay, what I do I need to do for tomorrow? You start setting clothes out and getting the diaper bag and the strollers and by the time you go it's 10:00 at night already.

So it's just get through every day. She's getting easier now to take care of, so that's made things easier. And she's sleeping a lot more. I feel like we're getting things figured out. She does really well traveling so far, so we have really been doing pretty well.

THE MODERATOR: This week we welcome back Gerina out on tour, her first event out here with A.J.

STACY LEWIS: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: Have you guys talked about the balancing? I know you talked about using each other as resources.

STACY LEWIS: Yeah, we actually had a little meeting last night, and after the meeting we were sitting there talking about our kids' poop, so the conversations have changed a lot over the years. She kind of made the comment, How are we going to do this? I was like, We're going to get through every day.

It's hard to want to take that time away from being with your kid to go practice, but at the same time you need do it. It's finding the right balance for both of us. It's different for her than it is for me.

We're figuring it out together, but it's fun to have someone to go through it with.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Stacy?

Q. So the bottom line obviously is important to you. How do you think this DriveOn campaign, how important is it in impacting the bottom line do you think in getting more sponsors and attention to the tour?
STACY LEWIS: Well, I think anything we do that's telling our stories and pulling people in from other sports and other genres and whatever they enjoy to do, I think if somebody that's a dancer can find inspiration in a golfer, we found a new fan. That's what I see in the campaign, is pulling more fans in from other areas.

You know, sponsor-wise I don't know. I don't think we'll know that for a while. I just think about the movement that's going on in the business world, and the more stories we can tell the more relatable we can be to companies, that's what ultimately is going to boost that bottom line.

Q. You haven't played in while. How is your golf game?
STACY LEWIS: I know, that's like last now, right? (Laughter.)

Q. Is your distance back totally? How are you physically?
STACY LEWIS: Physically I feel good. Still would actually like to gain a few more pounds. I know that's kind of crazy.

Got my distances back, which is nice. Just don't feel like I've played a ton of golf. That's kind of the only downside. I mean, we've had horrible weather in Houston so there is not much I can do about it.

I feel like everything is in pretty good shape. It's just getting in that rhythm of playing rounds again and having to make putts.

Coming to a place that I've played well over the years and won at, that certainly helps. This year I think we're going to have a long golf course with a little bit cooler weather, so just going to play a little than years past.

Q. This morning at the panel they were talking about how they wanted to unveil DriveOn at the Founders Cup specifically to tie-in the past of the LPGA towards the future. What's that like, just being able to have that at an event like this where some of the Founders are here, but then obviously there is the emphasis of moving forward?
STACY LEWIS: Right. I mean, I love this event. I really do. I love getting all the generations together and having the kids out there, especially the last day when all the kids come up 18 with Marilynn and Shirley.

They're riding around in golf carts watching us play. Marilynn got up and spoke at our players' meeting last night. It's really a perfect place to unveil this campaign. That's really what it's all about. You can have DriveOn stories from past generations, see it in the kids, and I just think there are so many will stories to tell. It's just a good place to unveil it.

Q. Do you have a good enough feel yet for whether you have to curb your ambitions, goals, or that you can approach the game the same way you always did?
STACY LEWIS: I would say expectations are definitely a little lower just having not played as much. The mindset though, it's really different now. Just golf is not the top of the list anymore.

It's okay. I still feel like I can play great golf with it being that way. I don't know. The intensity will still be there. That's not going to go away. But that's just who I am.

There is more important things to worry about than a golf swing and golf shot. Hopefully I think that might end up helping my golf game at the end of it.

Q. In that same vein, where do Solheim Cup ambitions fall?
STACY LEWIS: That's kind of I guess you could say three kind of main goals this year: One, to get in the U.S. Open, to win, and make Solheim Cup. Those three are kind of on my list.

Just with Brittany having a baby and there is kind of some veteran players that aren't probably going to be there, so I really feel like I need to be there for Juli. I told her I was going to make the team on my own. She wasn't going to have to pick me. That is definitely a goal.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions for Stacy?

Q. Do you mind weighing in on Nelly and what you have seen in her? Did you see this kind of coming?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I mean, the first time I really spent much time with Nelly was when we did the practice session for the last Solheim. We did it actually down in Houston. The way Juli does the pairings Nelly was actually with me. I mean, I was blown away. Super talented obviously golf-wise, but she's got a little bit more spunk and attitude in her than Jess.

They have completely different personalities. I told Juli when we got done with that thing, she was like, What do you think? I said, She's going to be better than Jess when this is all said and done. I just think she's got that little bit more of competitiveness and little bit more I'm going to beat you. I don't care. I don't need to have a smile on my face all the time. I just want to come out here and win.

I really liked what I saw. The wins and all that hasn't surprised me a bit.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very much Stacy. Best of luck this week.

STACY LEWIS: All right. Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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