MARATHON CLASSIC PRESENTED BY DANA

July 6, 2021

Rachel Heck

Press Conference

CHRISTINA LANCE: All right, everyone welcome inside the virtual interview room here at the Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana. I'm happy to be joined by Rachel Heck.

Rachel, welcome to Ohio. We were just talking, and you actually drove here. First time in Ohio. How long was that drive for you getting here?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, it was about ten and a half, eleven hours, and I was not too happy that we drove. But my dad was saying we've had too many bad experiences with losing clubs, and he was not about to do that this time at an LPGA event, so we packed up the car and drove.

CHRISTINA LANCE: That's insane. Was it mainly just you didn't want to lose any clubs on the plane?

RACHEL HECK: Yes. We have the worst luck with flights so we always lose my clubs, and we really didn't want to do in this time. I mea, I didn't want to lose my clubs, but also really didn't want to drive. I can't complain. I was asleep pretty much the whole time.

CHRISTINA LANCE: This is one of the first times we've seen you since MEDIHEAL. Have you had time to reflect on your time in San Francisco and the run of golf you were on beginning of the summer?

RACHEL HECK: Oh, yeah, it was good to be home to have that time to reflect. Before it was just go, go, go, the post-season into U.S. Open into MEDIHEAL, and I didn't really have time to stop and think about what always was going on.

So great to be home with my family, my boyfriend, my friends, and just play a little bit of golf and mostly hang out with them, go fishing, and think about what an incredible season it's been.

CHRISTINA LANCE: And I remember you said after MEDIHEAL you were going to take some time off and relax. Were you able to do that? Did you put the clubs in down at all?

RACHEL HECK: For about a week I didn't touch a club, which was really nice. I'd go out to my golf course every day just to fish and hang out with people, but I did not have my clubs, which was nice.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Hey, that's nice. You get to sit down, actually relax, enjoy some vacation time.

RACHEL HECK: Yeah.

CHRISTINA LANCE: So thinking about this tournament in general, what do you think you took away from the last couple of appearances on the LPGA that you're looking to use in this new experience here in Toledo?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, I think one big thing I learned in LPGA events is just to stay super patient. I got off to a rough start at the US Open and I kind of thought, Oh, I'm just going to miss the cut, whatever, no big deal.

Then I had a good string of holes and I'm right back in it. You think 36 holes, that's not a whole lot of time for something to happen, but just stay patient. Never know what can happen.

But mostly I just love those experiences. Yet again got to play with people like Michelle Wie, Lydia Ko. It was awesome.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Then you also said in the last event that we saw you at that you were still fan-girling over some of the players. Are you becoming any more comfortable now that you're practicing and playing alongside them?

RACHEL HECK: Maybe a little bit. They're so sweet so you kind of forget how big they are when they're just talking to you like you're any other tour player. You kind of forget.

I think when I take a step back and think about who I'm talking to I start to fan-girl a little bit more again.

CHRISTINA LANCE: This is your first time, as we just mentioned, in Ohio, first time in Toledo. You got this exemption based on what you were able to at the NCAA Championship. How special was it to prepare for this after what you had done at the beginning of summer there?

RACHEL HECK: Oh, my gosh, it's so special. This in my eyes is just a reward for Nationals and the college season. It's not some high-pressure tournament. It's just purely I get to play an LPGA event because of what happened at Nationals, so it just makes that experience even more special.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Questions.

Q. I'm curious about the fishing. Is that a hobby that you normally do? What do you fish for?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, I've been fishing for a few years. Everyone on my course -- I joined in eighth grade and everyone goes fishing.

But I think it was when I started dating my boyfriend. He obviously had a big impact on my life. Anyway, he lives on a lake so I would go fishing with him. I used to be terrified to touch the fish because they were disgusting.

Then I remember when he left for basic training I told myself, You know what, Rachel, it's time. We got to grow up. We got to touch the fish. From them on I've been obsessed with fishing.

Q. So it's a great way to relax I guess even on the course.

RACHEL HECK: Oh, yeah, it's so nice. Even when I do go out there in the past couple weeks I'll bring my clubs and I'll play a practice event but always have the rods in the cart so when we're done we'll go fish for an hour or so.

Q. Awesome. What's your schedule like the rest of the summer? What will you be playing in?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, so after this I'll have a few more weeks off and then U.S. Women's Am and hopefully Curtis Cup after that, which will be in Wales.

Q. Of course. And when you look at your game right now and what you -- you had a few weeks to decompress. Anything you focused on in terms of kind of shoring anything up?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, I think toward the end of the stretch I had I started to putt a little bit worse and I lost a little bit of confidence in that, so mostly just worked with my coach rebuilding that confidence, which is important.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Couple more from me. This is your first time at Highland Meadows. What do you think of the course thus far?

RACHEL HECK: Oh, my gosh, it's a beautiful course. It's got to be one of my favorites. It's so gorgeous. I'm also blown away by how awesome the people are here. They are so welcoming, just some of the sweetest people, the most welcomed I've ever felt at tournament.

I have a feeling this is going to be one of my favorite stops on the LPGA.

CHRISTINA LANCE: On top of that, of course this tournament has been a part of this community for so long. On a scale of one to the most memorable, how memorable are those tee markers out there for you?

RACHEL HECK: I mean, they have to be the most memorable. They're little like gas station things. They're so cute. I love it.

CHRISTINA LANCE: You talked a little bit about your schedule as well. I know the U.S. Women's Am is going to be one of the first things that pops up. How much is an event like this the beginning of the preparation for something like that?

RACHEL HECK: It's such good preparation for it. And a lot of amateur tournaments you're not necessarily playing with a 36-hole cut and it's a different feeling. You can put a lot of pressure on yourself.

So to be able to play LPGA tournaments with the best players in the world with that 36-hole cut is really good practicing that mentality.

CHRISTINA LANCE: And once you're done with this tournament you take that ten and a half hour drive back home, when do you get back into competition mode with some of the amateur events coming up later?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, so I'll have that ten and a half hour ride back. I have test on Monday, which is unfortunate. Then I'll try to start playing as much as I can again. That's one of my favorite ways to prepare for tournaments is to play with people at my course. They're really, really good players. We'll have some competitive matches. So that's my favorite way to get back in tournament shape.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Are you taking summer classes as well?

RACHEL HECK: I'm taking one, ECON, just so that way during the season I can take fewer classes of I kind of regret it at the moment. But it's okay.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Do you have any classwork this week?

RACHEL HECK: I do. I have a problem set due Thursday at like 9:00 p.m. I think I have an afternoon tee time, so have to get it done before then. I can't procrastinate that much.

Q. When you got back home after your whirlwind in California and Arizona, what was the reception like? I know you're already a big deal at home, but was it kind of fun? Crazy?

RACHEL HECK: Oh, my gosh, it was so heartwarming just being back at my course and seeing all the members and people that I grew up playing and have supported me since was little bitty was really cool. Even just going around Memphis wearing a Stanford Golf shirt and people were coming up saying congratulations.

It's so cool. I'm lucky to be from Memphis. It's a special city.

Q. Do you feel like people know who you are a little bit more you get outside of Memphis?

RACHEL HECK: Maybe a little bit. It kind of makes me laugh when they do because I don't really see myself like that. So I find it really funny, but it's kind of nice. It makes me happy.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Who is with you all this week? I know you talked about your dad driving. Is it just you and your dad?

RACHEL HECK: Right now it's me and my dad, and my mom is going to fly -- lucky for her -- tomorrow. So she'll be here for the tournament.

CHRISTINA LANCE: All right. A family affair. Thank you so much, Rachel. We appreciate having you out here.

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, thank you for having me. I'm excited.