SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

October 1, 2020

Lauren Stephenson

Seaview, A Dolce Hotel

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Lauren Stephenson, first round 63. How are you feeling now stepping off the golf course?

LAUREN STEPHENSON: Yeah, I feel amazing. It was a beautiful day out today. The weather was amazing and the golf was really good on top of that.

I got some good lucky shots out there, but I also played some good golf. It was really nice to see kind of hard work paying off.

Q. Some good golf included an eagle there. Take us through that. I know your caddie was talking about you guys didn't realize at that it went in.

LAUREN STEPHENSON: Yeah, so I was in the rough and I assumed it was going to skip forward. I just saw the bounce and I thought it had stopped and I was happy with that because I was worried it was going to skip through the green.

So I looked away and he was like, I think it went in. I was like, Did it? Did it go over? We had no idea. So I didn't want to get excited and then it be over the green.

But, yeah, it was pretty excited.

Q. When did you feel it really starting to click out there on the course?

LAUREN STEPHENSON: I mean, even the first four holes I could have been 4-under through four and I was 3-under through four, so I was really happy with how I was hitting it.

Kind of died off in the middle between ending on nine, and so when I turned to 10 I was like, All right, this is my special day. I can do it.

So I was like trying to buckle down and make more birdies.

Q. What have you been working recently? We had the week off between Portland and this. What have you been focusing on to get to a round like this today?

LAUREN STEPHENSON: Yeah, actually played last week on Symetra, but on my way to Symetra event I was able to see my coach. We just worked on tempo and just honing my swing in a little bit.

It wasn't too far off. Lucky since I hadn't been hitting it as well, that kind of upped my short game. It was a blessing in disguise, because now I feel like I've gained a lot of confidence putting. Now my ball striking is really good. Helped me today.

Q. With one round ahead of you, to go on to the second round, what is there do you think to work on as this course adapts to the weather this September?

LAUREN STEPHENSON: Yeah, for me I'm just going to go hit a few more balls, work on this drill I been working on. Just keep it consistent.

Yeah, then tomorrow just have fun and enjoy being out here. I'm super thankful that we get to play.

Q. What did you hit out of the rough on 14 and what was the distance?

LAUREN STEPHENSON: I hit a pitching wedge from 137.

Q. Okay. And like you said, did it feel good right away? Did you think it was at least close?

LAUREN STEPHENSON: Yeah, I made a really good swing and I was just super happy with it being short of the pin, what I thought, because I was worried about it going over.

Then I think it just keep trickled right in. I didn't really see it because I wasn't watching.

Q. You said the golf camera, when you saw the camera on you, that's usually a good sign.

LAUREN STEPHENSON: Yeah, I looked up and it was like -- he went straight to me. I was like, That's a good sign.