U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

December 10, 2020

Alena Sharp

Champions Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Through round 1, 4-over today, Cypress playing really tough, a little tougher than Jackrabbit. What were your thoughts on opening round?

ALENA SHARP: You know, the wind was up and down. The course actually, the greens seemed a little softer, so it was actually easier to stop the ball than I thought it was going to be playing later on in the day. Yeah, it's a tough golf course, and I didn't drive it very well, so I'm not happy with that, but I hung around and hit some pretty good shots out of the rough and just didn't make any birdies. If I make a couple birdies I'm not sitting with as bad a taste in my mouth.

Q. Turning at 3-over par, was there a turning point today, a shot or a hole that got you back on track as you played that back nine?

ALENA SHARP: Well, I started to hit fairways, which is important. I hit a couple of nice close shots but didn't make any putts. I just played pretty steady with my iron play, and I just knew I just needed to keep grinding away and something will drop, so hopefully tomorrow on Jackrabbit I'll have few putts drop for me.

Q. You mentioned the greens being a little bit more receptive than you thought, but nevertheless they're still giant greens. What was one of the craziest putts you experienced out there in round 1?

ALENA SHARP: Well, on the second hole I had a 72-footer. I hit it up there to two feet so I was happy to run away off that green. And then I had another crazy putt on 8. It was 40-some-odd feet and I putted it off the green. You've got to try and hit it close, and sometimes the ball just doesn't get as close to the hole as you would like it, and you have to play away from the trouble. That's what I did on 8, and I unfortunately three-putted. That was my only three-putt today, which I think that's pretty good.

Q. 4-over for the championship, but still a lot of golf to be played, potentially three rounds. How do you mentally go into tomorrow's round at Jackrabbit?

ALENA SHARP: Well, no more mistakes. I have to keep it around par tomorrow to play the weekend and maybe get a couple under over there. I know the weather is not going to be great, so just really got to keep grinding away and make it to the weekend and then make my move on Saturday.