	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. SENIOR WOMEN'S AMATEUR

August 29, 2019

Lara Tennant

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Q. So I heard some of what you said in your speech and a lot of that holds.
LARA TENNANT: Yeah.

Q. I know you were just hoping. What does it feel like to have gone back to back, to have not old validated, but actually completed a sweep.
LARA TENNANT: It feels amazing. It feels -- at this point I'm still in shock. I do think the second time may be a little harder than the first because you understand how fun it is to win a USGA Championship, how the year ahead is very exciting as a result.

So I really tried not to focus on those things, but it's hard not to.

Q. Yeah. Do you think that difficulty in completing this repeat that you've done is more difficult physically, the golf part, or the mental part?
LARA TENNANT: Oh, it's definitely the mental part. This week I don't think I -- my swing wasn't as crisp as it was last year. I really had a lot of confidence in my swing this year. And there were times I was confident this week of course and I played well, but I would say mentally it was just one of those things you just have to grind it out, get the job done.

Play against par, you know, instead of your opponent. That's what I continued to do throughout the week, to stay calm.

Q. You had windy conditions to deal with several days, too.
LARA TENNANT: Windy conditions, and then today most especially the pin placements were very difficult. So it was very difficult to get birdies out here because you couldn't necessarily go for the pins very often because they were tucked and these greens were difficult, so you just had to play it smart and get your par.

Q. Was there a point mid-round -- you had taken the lead, No. 9 maybe; you had a chance there to make birdie.
LARA TENNANT: Uh-huh, yeah.

Q. Couple holes where maybe you kept Sue hanging around a little bit.
LARA TENNANT: Yes, I did. I felt like I wasn't take advantage of some opportunity to go even 4-up at one point, but I also thought I had played my own game and some putts didn't drop. I felt like the stokes were okay.

You just need to keep positive and keep at it. No 9 I hadn't had that shot and I wasn't prepared for it. That's a no-no in golf. You know, I just played it safe.

Q. Was an unusual spot to be with the hole that close and downhill.
LARA TENNANT: Yeah, surprised it didn't roll down. Typically I think they do. So I felt okay about No. 9. I did, I did. But I think the critical shot was on 14 when my ball hit the pin. Didn't go in, but it gave me a two-putt with a very, very long putt, so...

Q. And that was maybe not heading off the green, but it was going to go by significantly, right?
LARA TENNANT: Yeah, it would've been, because I had been quite a distance from each the two previous holes and three-putted, so I needed a two-putt in there.

Q. It was probably, what, 45 feet, maybe 50?
LARA TENNANT: Right, right.

Q. But it hit dead center.
LARA TENNANT: Dead center, dead center. So you just have to get some of those breaks in order to win.

Q. What was your impression having to face Sue for the second year in a row in the final?
LARA TENNANT: You know what? Sue is a tough competitor and a fabulous golfer. Like I said, won so many golf tournaments. Last year I honestly apologized to Sue for beating her because I really -- at this point in the game when you've played ten rounds in eight days you're both exhausted, you both worked hard, you both played well.

I wish both of us could have won. I wish the same for this year. I really had to not be distracted and just focus on my game. You don't get many opportunities to be in the finals of the USGA Championship. When you do get there, you have to put your best foot forward and hope for the best.

Q. Deficit for a couple holes after the 2nd hole. What do you do at that point?
LARA TENNANT: Well, this week I've been down. I haven't played No. 1 that well, and so I've been down initially a few times. I really didn't think much about it. Again, I was just trying to get pars and maybe make a birdie.

But I kept going. Kept thinking the right thoughts and just played my own game.

Q. And your dad, two in a row with him.
LARA TENNANT: My dad did so well. He was a great caddie and he really helped me figure out the wind and club selection, and just such a great moral support.

Q. This was the first USGA event for Cedar Rapids; what was your impression of how they pulled it off and the course itself?
LARA TENNANT: They pulled it off fabulously. They went all out. I could tell there was so much preparation and that every member here contributed.

I don't think -- they did not miss a beat. It was just a wonderful, wonderful week I know for every competitor. Not just for me, but for every competitor. The feeling around here was just how welcoming and supportive they were.

That's always nice, to go into a tournament and feel that from the people who are hosting.

Q. Congratulations.
LARA TENNANT: Thank you so much.

Q. Your name will be -- hopefully you'll get there at some point to se it in the Hall of Champions, but your name is there twice now, or will be.
LARA TENNANT: Just a dream come true. It's overwhelming. There are no words for it because it's just something that of course you hope to win, but to win twice is just such a bonus.

Q. Yeah. Also this year as opposed to last year, any moment that you can think of? Like as you were battling through, is there any one point where you say, This is what it was all about? This is what got me here? Any one thing?
LARA TENNANT: I think it always help to have done it once before because you just know it's going to be tough and you just keep going. You just say, You got to give it your all at this moment and worry about being tired later. You just have to every shot give it your all. That's what I did.

I think Sue did the same thing today, but I happened if hit a few more good shots.

Q. The mental part of it, of letting anything roll off your back, it's hard to do in the moment, right?
LARA TENNANT: It's hard to do. It is hard to do, but I knew I could do it. I just kept telling myself to hit good shots and hope for the best.

Q. Just keep moving forwards. Well, congratulations again.
LARA TENNANT: Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297