DOW GREAT LAKES BAY INVITATIONAL

July 16, 2021

Stacy Lewis

Midland Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. How was today?

STACY LEWIS: It was good. It was really solid. Felt like Maria carried us a little bit. I didn't make a ton of putts. Made some good pars when we kind of got pretty far from the hole at times. Made some really good two-points, so it was really solid.

Q. She said she almost cried when you put your arm around her on 18. Can you take us through that moment.

STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I just -- what she's been working on is really hard to do in just a couple days. She was pretty far off I would say maybe to start the week, but just mentally what she's been doing the last day is really hard to do, and so I just -- I kind of knew where she was at.

Hit a great shot into 18, and I don't know, it just felt like a good time to say it.

Q. We talk a lot about Maria. Did you ever have this kind of experience coming up?

STACY LEWIS: You know, maybe a little bit. I just think you get -- I've definitely been in ruts throughout my career where you're just playing bad golf and you can't get any confidence going and you don't really know what to do or where to start.

Everything we've talked about has more been kind of mentally getting in the right frame of mind and picking the right shot and things like that, nothing about mechanics, which I think is great. We'll leave that to a swing coach.

But for her, I think it's just been really helpful that it's not my golf swing, it's not my putting stroke. I can just -- if I can just be a little bit better mentally, I think she'll play better golf.

Q. Is this the type of event where someone like Maria who maybe is trying to find her footing can use some of that guidance and it could propel her forward?

STACY LEWIS: A hundred percent. I think I'm seeing the confidence growing as the week goes on. She stepped up on 12 today and hit a driver dead straight 275 yards in the air. I mean, it was the most impressive thing I've ever seen. And what she said -- she hit one on 10, as well, just dead straight down the middle, and she's like, Those were two different shots in my head, and I was like, Exactly.

That's what we're working on. It looks the same to the people watching, but to her over the ball, it feels like two different shots. And I was like, That's what I want. That's what I've been trying to get her to do all week.

Q. For you heading into tomorrow, is there a little more excitement with a team event and having a chance to maybe a normal event?

STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I'm super excited. I feel like if I can just putt a little bit better -- I don't feel like I've putted my best this week, and with her length they've made a few holes drivable, so I just -- I'm just excited for tomorrow to see how we do.

We're definitely, I think, still in the running with the best ball, and it will be good for her to feel the nerves and see how things hold up tomorrow.