ANA INSPIRATION

April 3, 2021

Gaby Lopez

Mission Hills Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. We just talked with Mirim who said it was definitely a little challenging today as soon as the wind picked up. How do you think you fared?

GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, I think today played tough because there was just some crosswinds off the tees to very narrow fairways. At the end of the day you're going to play with the wind, you're going to know how much the ball is going to curve to be able to hit the fairways.

I think that's the key to this golf course, it's just maintaining the ball on the fairway.

Q. You started off with a little bit of an up and down front nine there. What do you kind of do to mentally refocus on the back nine?

GABY LOPEZ: Right, yeah, I started off a little funky not hitting fairways, and I think I just tee'd up a little lower and just tried to hit that stinger, fairway finder, I think.

I don't know, I felt a good feeling out there on the back nine and I was able to hit hard, because when I go at it is when I hit it the straightest instead of trying to protect myself.

So I find myself more aggressive to be able to hit more fairways.

Q. And what has this week been like for you? You're here now in the top 10 as the day is looking to finish up in about an hour. What does it mean to you in your game right now to be playing well like this?

GABY LOPEZ: Oh, it's awesome. It's all the hard work that you've been putting through your career. I been doing some awesome stuff with my coach, with different people around me that have helped me to hit it longer, straighter.

(Indiscernible). I mean, my physios, my trainers, I mean, everyone, my coach, Horacio. Everyone around me deserves a big round of applause. That's why I've been just progressing little by little is because of them.

Q. When you feel like you're progressing is this here at ANA or has this been a long time coming for you?

GABY LOPEZ: It's been a long time. To be honest, it's the first time in my career that I haven't been injured, so I feel the strongest right now. I'm hitting the ball much further than I used to. The first three, four years on tour I suffered three injuries that got me back into like my physical state so I was not able to lift as heavy as I wanted to be, as explosive as I wanted.

So right now thank God I'm feeling healthy, feeling strong, feeling fast.

Q. When the conditions are prime it seems like anyone can go low on this golf course. What would it mean to you to be able to go low tomorrow and finish out strong?

GABY LOPEZ: First of all, I'm hoping for a windy day because that's when I think it comes really challenging and come really to trusting and committing to the shots. I feel that could be an opportunity for me. Who knows what's going to happen, if it's going to be calm or super windy.

I'm just hoping that it kind of plays tough to be able to pick up some places out there.