U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

December 10, 2020

Amelia Garvey

Champions Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. The other day you talked about your first major and the anticipation, some nerves, but you shot 1-under. Top 15 as it stands at the moment. Just tell us about that first round.

AMELIA GARVEY: Oh, unreal. I just had so much fun out there, yeah. I thought after eight months after, I thought I would be a bit more rusty, and nice to be 1-under, so really happy with where the game was at. Obviously there was a few nerves, but just tried to stay present and one shot at a time.

Q. What did you sort of feel out on the course as you teed off? First round at a major; so much must have gone through your round, but you obviously kept your composure, a couple of those back-to-back birdies, too, on that front nine before the turn really got you going.

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, I birdied the first hole, so that was a good way to start. Probably got me a little bit more nervous, to be fair. I said to my caddie, whoa, I might actually be leading the U.S. Open because I was kind of one of the first ones off. Yeah, nice way to start, and then settled in with a few pars, and yeah, just was really, really smart with my targets out there today. It's playing tough. The wind was swirling, and it was just hot, as well, so the greens were really firm. Yeah, just happy with the way I grinded it out and got in under par.

Q. I guess also, too, that's your -- I think tomorrow's round you've got to go to the other course. Did you spend more time practicing on this course or the other one ahead of the tournament?

AMELIA GARVEY: I spent a little bit more time on this one because the final two rounds are on this course, so I did get -- I got the same amount really on Jackrabbit. I played 18 and then went out and played nine the other day, as well.

Yeah, I mean, it's just one shot at a time, refocus, I guess, set some new goals and go out there tomorrow and smash it.

Q. You had a practice round yesterday with Lydia Ko. What did you glean out of that? Did you get some good tips playing alongside her, and did playing 18 holes with her and the way you went give you some confidence going into today?

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, it did. She was just raving on about she hasn't seen me play for three years. The last time I sort of played with her was when I did the Lydia Ko scholarship before I went off to college, so she was just telling me how my game is there, I just need to back myself really. So that was really a good confidence booster going in to today. Obviously I had a few nerves playing with her, as well, so it was a nice way to set up into the first round. But yeah, it was so much fun out there. It was just me and her, as well, so got to pick her brains a little bit, and just enjoy it out there with her.

Q. Do you reassess what your goals are even though it's only one round? Obviously making the cut is a must and you made a good start, so clearly you put yourself in a position if you play well tomorrow that goal will be achieved. You're only three shots back, really in good shape come round 2.

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, no, actually I said to my caddie when we were walking off the green, I actually thought to myself this morning, I have the game to win this thing, and then coming down 18, which was my ninth hole today, it was nice to see Garvey up on the leaderboard, so just enjoying it and enjoying being in the position that I'm in because I've worked hard and I deserve to be here, so just go out there and do the same thing tomorrow.

Q. With the rain forecast tomorrow, I know the tee times are going to be a little bit earlier. Does that change your approach?

BRITTANY LINCICOME: No, not really. I mean, it's just going to be -- it's a U.S. Open. It's always going to be a grind. So just go out there and it's the same for everyone, really. I think I'm off at maybe 8:40 tomorrow now, so it will be a little bit colder, might play a little bit longer. It did in the practice rounds. But just adjust and go ahead.

Q. Has it been quite a whirlwind day for you?

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, it has, to be fair. It's been a long day, as well. A little story about this morning, my caddie walked into my room at 7:00 getting ready to leave for the course and he said that I didn't have a putter. So basically he was cleaning the clubs last night and my putter head fell out of my shaft, and he was at the course at 5:30 this morning getting it fixed in the Tour van. Yeah, a bit of a stressful start to the morning, but yeah, I mean, we get everything in 2020, don't we.

Q. Well, it didn't show that it fazed you. Are you happy with your performance today?

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, I'm stoked. First tournament back in eight months. I thought that to be honest there would be a bit more rust, but no, I got off to a roaring start. I birdied my first hole and then got to 2-under quite quickly. Was happy that I kind of grinded it in. It got pretty hard out there with the wind. It was swirling quite a bit. So just really happy to bring it home under par.

Q. You're apparently tied for 12th. You're also ahead of Lydia, which is quite exciting. How does that go? Do you talk to Lydia at all after this?

AMELIA GARVEY: I just walked past her on the putting green. I let her do her work, and then her sister yelled out congratulations and good round. But no, I guess we're both just trying to represent New Zealand well and fly the flag high, but yeah, just stoked with my round and happy with where I'm at on the leaderboard.

Q. What do you do now to get ready for the next round?

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, obviously it was really hot today, so just go home. Probably going to hit a few balls on the range just to warm down. Yeah, it gets dark here in about 40 minutes so you can't stay out on the course all hours of the night. Just do a little quick warm-down and then rest up, get some good food and hydrate.

Q. Have you heard back from family and friends, and what's the reaction been?

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, my phone has just blown up basically. I've just talked to my parents. Didn't talk to my sisters. Obviously they're the ones I called up first. Yeah, over the moon. They're the ones that believed in me since day one, so just trusting that and knowing that I can come out here and compete with these girls, and proving that today is really exciting.

Q. Did you expect to be, I suppose, competing with those top players and actually showing that you have got what it takes?

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, I think so. I've always believed in myself, and I've always known that I've got the game to compete with these girls, it's just a matter of when it hits, I guess. I was really present out there today and stayed really grounded and was able to just take one shot at a time. I got under par fairly quickly and I was walking down the 18th, which was my ninth hole today, with a big leaderboard. I actually took a photo with it on like Monday this week and then kind of sarcastically edited Garvey at the top of the leaderboard, and it was actually pretty close to the top when I was walking down that hole today. Just enjoying those moments. I like that it's my first major, and all of this is pretty surreal, so yeah.

Q. What can we expect to see more from you?

AMELIA GARVEY: A lot, hopefully. Yeah, I mean, I'm not just here to make the cut now. I've put a good number up. I'm only, I think, three shots behind. Eyes on the prize, I guess.

Q. And it is doable, I suppose, to claw your way back?

AMELIA GARVEY: Yeah, for sure. Three shots is nothing in this game, especially with three rounds to play. I'm not trying to get ahead of myself or anything, but I've just kind of sat down with my caddie, though, and the first goal is to make the weekend. But there's no stopping me putting another good number up tomorrow.