KIA CLASSIC

March 23, 2021

Haley Moore

Park Hyatt Aviara Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Hi, Haley. Welcome to the Kia Classic. It's great to have you. This was supposed to be a big welcome event for you last year, your rookie year on the LPGA Tour. Right before we headed west the world changed. Does that make it even more special to come back here for try two this year?

HALEY MOORE: Yeah, definitely does. Just to finally be competing at home is great. Definitely look a lot different without fans out here, but I just know that all my family, friends will be watching online and on TV and everything.

So it's just great to be back home and just be able to compete here with great weather.

Q. Beautiful weather.

HALEY MOORE: Yeah.

Q. You live only about 30, 35 minutes away, one of those rare events we all wish for where you get to stay at home. So while this is your first time playing in the tournament, you said you played this course before. Did you attend it as a kid? How did you get to get around here at Aviara?

HALEY MOORE: Yeah, I came out here a lot as a kid watching and it was at La Costa and then came out here the last couple years as a spectator and watching. Just kind of really got to see how it was playing and watch a lot girls out there and seeing how tough this course did play, and how -- yeah, just how great it was to be out here.

Saw some really good shots, and it's just I think this is a great golf course for us to play. It's always in really good shape all year and has gorgeous views and exciting holes as well, especially some good finishing holes going down the stretch. So should be in for a good week.

Q. You mentioned seeing some great shots when you were here as a spectator. What are some moments you remember from watching when you were a kid, or some players that you were excited to follow?

HALEY MOORE: Oh, it was -- this is a good one. It's hard. I watched -- I was kind of just kind of standing on a couple holes here and there, so I actually was on hole 16 and I was kind of standing up more by the green, and I was just watching all the girls on the weekend who were going to go for it with the risk-reward, and I can't remember who, but this one girl, she hit a -- actually hit a really good shot and it actually -- she had made birdie and that got her closer to the lead.

She did end up winning. I can't remember what year it was. But it was just, it's great. The last three to four holes coming down the stretch are really good holes, and I think those are the holes to watch out there this week.

Q. What is your tactic as you play those last three, four holes, including, as you mentioned, the Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole?

HALEY MOORE: Yeah, I mean, 15 is definitely -- I think it's a tough hole coming down the stretch, because when it's in the afternoon it gets kind of windy so you're dead into the wind and that green is sloping very good right to left, so your second shot is going to be key.

And then when you get to 16, that's definitely another choice. I mean, you just have to figure out where you are on the leaderboard, like if you want to make a charge, do you go for it. I would say if it was me, I might take a chance. Heck it's risk-reward. You never know what could happen.

And then 17, get out with a good birdie or even par, and then 18 you just got to -- 18 is I think one of the best finishing holes here in San Diego. I've never seen a good finishing hole with the water all down the right, good green, and just like -- it's just a beautiful finishing hole, and I think a lot of the scores will be -- a good score on that hole will have a good outcome.

Q. I'm going to ask one or two more questions and open up for some media. Obviously 2020 was a crazy year, not the rookie year you expected. Now we're on rookie year part two. How did you approach 2020 and now maybe how have you changed that as we come into 2021?

HALEY MOORE: Yeah, so, I mean, I was really -- I was kind of really excited to get the west coast swing going, right as my rookie season, but then COVID came and just really wasn't sure when we were going to start up again or anything, so I just kind of prepared a little bit just because I knew we would get back soon.

And then once we start back up in June and we had been told it was kind of like a free kind of run, no status would change, I just knew -- I think it was actually good for me because I could really get a feel of what tour life is like. Tour life is different, especially like as a rookie. You have to adapt pretty quick to it to get used to it.

I think that was something that really kind of was in my favor a little bit, just to be able to get some good reps in. And now as I start my 2021 season with pretty much everything on the line, it's great to finally be able to travel every week wherever I go and play some good golf.

Even if it's not the best golf, I always have another week ahead of me.

THE MODERATOR: I have a few questions about the DriveOn campaign and your story, but first I want to open it up.

Q. Thank you very much. I'm just curious, are there any extra nerves playing in a hometown tournament? Sometimes you see that on the PGA TOUR with guys like Phil Mickelson struggling at home. Curious your thoughts if there are any extra nerves playing in your backyard here?

HALEY MOORE: Yeah, I definitely do have some just because I came out here the last couple weeks preparing, and, I mean, just trying to get all good reps in and just trying to get the greens down here especially because they're really tough out here.

And so, yeah, there will be some nerves, but I just know that all my supporters, friends, family, and my caddie will be behind my back no matter what happens. We're just out here to have a good time and a good week.

Q. You kind of touched on it, but I imagine that this has to be a bit of a dream come true. I mean, as a kid watching and playing golf out here, and now all of a sudden you're playing in a professional tournament in your backyard. Is this kind of a dream come true at this point?

HALEY MOORE: Yeah, definitely is. It's a little different with no family out here, but I know they'll be at home watching and probably more nervous than me trying to figure out what did she do on that shot or where is it going and everything like that.

Even if I make a birdie or something I know they'll be cheering from home.

Q. And then just final question from me: Curious to know what your thoughts are on your growth from when you first came on tour to where you are now and just how much you've grown at that point?

HALEY MOORE: Yeah, I've definitely seen a lot of higher steps in my game. All aspects have improved a lot. I still have some to improve on, but I just think from the last kind of six months we had in 2020 whatever tournaments we were playing in, I definitely saw a lot in my game of week to week. Like when I did not have my best stuff, what I could do to kind of save my round and not try to -- just save it and not have it go the other direction. And if I'm coming down the stretch needing to do something, I guide myself the right way to do it.

I think that has been key going into this season now with everything on the line. I can definitely, if I'm in those pressure situations, kind of know what to do.

Q. I want to ask you about the DriveOn campaign. It's two years ago right about now when we announced that campaign at Founders Cup, and your incredible story of what you've overcome is one of the key touch points that we've had over the last year. What has it meant to you to be able to be part of this campaign and use it as you work with the Haley Moore Foundation to support kids who have made it through the things similar to what you have?

HALEY MOORE: To be a part of the DriveOn story was something amazing. When I first heard of it I just knew that kind of with what I had gone through I knew that I was probably going to be approached about it and be able to kind of create like my own story and everything. I wanted to create this foundation later in my career, and I just want to thank Roberta Bowman and all of her team for working with me and developing a story.

I mean, kind of my story, it has a huge impact today still on young boys and girls and anyone else who was bullied. I just think showing my story kind of all around and sharing it through my foundation is going to be key.

Q. You've had the opportunity to be on Good Morning America. I know you just did an opportunity with the BBC. So many other things. Did you see this in your future when you first started thinking about starting your foundation?

HALEY MOORE: No, not this quick. I knew I'd probably get some media opportunities, but I wasn't expecting those big ones, like GMA or BBC. Probably going to be more in the future.

But it's just great to see that like my story is showing up and everyone wants to hear about it. I think that's just very key.

Q. And the DriveOn campaign has had amazing stories: Yours, Madelene Sagstrom's recent story, Lizette Salas. What do you think this means to young women in the game seeing the game of golf as a step forward for them and a path into life?

HALEY MOORE: I think it's going to motivate them to even come out here and work their way out to the LPGA Tour because they know that everyone had a different past growing up and it did affect them. They know how they got through it.

To see all of our stories of what we did to overcome it is going to motivate them to be like, okay, here is my story and now here I am. I want to share what happened and how I got through. And I think it'll be very inspirational.

Q. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I am going to close with one question. We talked about this earlier. We are celebrating Women's History month right now. There are so many inspirational women out there, yourself included, who are out there inspiring the next generation and the current generation. No slight to mom, Michele, you're always a great inspiration. Who are some women who have inspired you, women you might have met and women you might not and would like to meet someday that you look up to for what they've done.

HALEY MOORE: Definitely one woman who I met and actually got play with at Lake Nona was Annika Sorenstam, of course. I played a lot of her tournaments growing up and she was always talking about how it's more than golf, where no matter if you have a bad day on the golf course or anything, you know you have many days ahead of you.

And I just want to be that person. I just want to kind of be that person where I don't just golf. I have another background of life. I had an obstacle that I overcame. With my foundation starting up in my rookie year, I would love to have girls kind of be in an inspiration -- I would love to be an inspiration to other girls and anyone out there to come out her on the tour.

THE MODERATOR: Well you've got a great role model in Annika and you're doing great things. Enjoy the week and enjoy sleeping in your own bed. Don't get that very often out here.

HALEY MOORE: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: And good luck this week.