AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 3, 2021

Rachel Heck

Quick Quotes

Q. Talk about how you started out the day and your finish?

RACHEL HECK: Oh, my gosh, I just had the time of my life out there. That was unreal. Doubled the first hole; happens. It's not an easy hole. No hole out here is. But honestly I wasn't too worried about it. I knew I was going to have a fun day regardless. But it was definitely fun to roll in some birdies especially on the back nine and play some of those holes just walking down 12, 13, just taking it all in every second of it and really enjoying it and that's what we did.

Q. Was it a practice round or when did you get comfortable out there?

RACHEL HECK: I think just I have the best caddie -- there's David. He was just keeping me calm and we were talking and having a good time. He knows the course like the back of his happened. I have a putt, he's like, hit it here, and I'd say, okay, I'll hit it there and it would go in.

I think just knowing that he knows the course, my friends watching me, family there, people cheering me on. It was just really cool.

Q. Great confidence booster to finish off the season for you?

RACHEL HECK: Absolutely. Going into college postseason definitely a confidence booster. It's fun to play well after such a long time not playing. So just to be back out here, not only back playing golf but at Augusta National, that's pretty cool.

Q. Did you catch the game?

RACHEL HECK: I didn't. They were killing it -- let's go Stanford Basketball. That's awesome.

Everyone from back home has been cheering me on, sending me lots of messages and I really appreciate it. I miss them so much. I love Stanford with all my heart but I love Memphis. I can't wait to be back.

Q. Can you talk about the last stretch, what clicked? You had a few birdies.

RACHEL HECK: I just, oh my gosh, I was so excited to hit every single shot. Stepping up to 12 I was beyond excited; 12, I get to hit this par 3 shot and just taking away the expectations. I wasn't thinking, oh, I have to hit a good shot here. I was excited to literally hit the shot. I was excited to go for it on 15 and hit it on 16. I just think that perspective of enjoying every second and soaking it all in really helped.

Q. Looking at the leaderboard on the last two holes, did you realize what was happening?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, normally I don't look at the leaderboard but I'm at Augusta National, and I want to see my name on the leaderboard walking up 18. That's pretty cool. This is about more than the tournament, about more than winning. I want everyone here in this field to play well and show people what we got on the scores.

Q. You said yesterday that you were going to go for it. Did you feel like you did today?

RACHEL HECK: It was really fun. No. 8, actually during the practice round, we didn't really think that that was a go for it kind of hole. I hit a 3-wood and I was still short. But today I hit a really good drive and we're like, why not, let's do it. I hit it a little over the back and got up-and-down for birdie.

No. 15 was really fun. I had about the same yardage as yesterday and I hit a really great 5-wood that trickled a little bit over, another good up-and-down for birdie. That was just so fun standing over that shot. I couldn't wait to hit it.