ABERDEEN STANDARD INVESTMENTS LADIES SCOTTISH OPEN

August 13, 2020

Nicole Larsen

The Renaissance Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to Nicole who is our tournament leader on 4-under par. I think this is your first tournament back from the break. Can you talk about how you coped with the delay and then getting out there and shooting such a good score.

NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: To be honest, I've enjoyed being home. It's the longest I've ever been with like -- spent with my boyfriend and my family and being home in the Danish summer, like even though it was not really summer.

No, just I'm a home person and I love being home. So to me, it's definitely been a good period, even though I of course wanted to play tournament golf. For me personally, it's been really good, and it's not a different Nicole, but I feel like I'm in a better place and I felt that on the course today. I was more relaxed and whenever I hit a bad shot, I kind of moved on faster than normally.

THE MODERATOR: So did you hear the girls being able to play in a couple competitions like the Rose Ladies Series, have you had any competitions at home yourself, or is this your first competitive round.

NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Well, all three of us, actually, we all played in one of the Amateur events back home, and then we got invited to one of the men's events, which Emily actually won, and then they organized another event for us, mixed event, too, where 30 of the best pros in Denmark competed. So I've competed a little bit back home. I mean, it's not the same as out here obviously. But it was nice to have a scorecard.

THE MODERATOR: Talking more about your round today, you've actually had quite a few birdies on the back nine when people said it was playing so much tougher on the back nine. Can you talk about how you stayed consistent through the round.

NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: I had 26 putts, so that helps a lot. I didn't hit it like super close but I made a couple of long ones, and I just tried to keep it in play. I feel like that's kind of the secret to links golf. Like you've got to just play the round and then you make your putt here and there, and yeah, I mean, then it's 4-under.

THE MODERATOR: Have you worked a lot on your putting during lockdown.

NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: I worked a lot on my putting and short game, and actually playing my home course from the white tees, it's not I'm long but kind of same distance as out here, maybe a little bit longer. It forces me to make a lot of up-and-downs if my long game is not on point, which it wasn't out there today. So I definitely have improved my short game over this period, and, yeah, it kind of paid off today.

Q. Have you literally just been playing there apart from competitions?

NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Yeah, I played a couple rounds on other courses but mainly at my home course, yeah.

Q. When did you get into Scotland?

NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Monday at lunch time, and waited in my room the whole day.

Q. How have you found it with the protocols and everything in place? Does it make you feel reassured?

NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: I mean, it's different. It's not lonely but -- because you see other people on the course, but back in the hotel, because I'm not rooming with my caddie, yeah, you need to get used to that, especially going forward, I think staying on your own more weeks, that's going to be maybe not a challenge but it's definitely going to be interesting to see how I react on that. But I mean, yeah, there's some protocols and some new stuff you have to do, but it's not the end of the world, and yeah, I feel like it's easy enough.

Q. How are you killing time at the moment?

NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: I'm watching Netflix. I'm watching Billions at the moment.