U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 5, 2021

Cara Heisterkamp

Westchester Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So take me through a little bit of the day. After going to 19 holes yesterday you ended both matches before they got it 17 today. Talk a little bit about starting I guess with the morning and then into the afternoon.

CARA HEISTERKAMP: Well, in the morning I don't even remember what was going through my mind. I was basically just trying to do the same thing as yesterday. Playing my game, hitting greens, hitting fairways, and putting to the pins.

The number one thing for me was trusting my swing, because there were points I didn't, and when I didn't it would be right, left, go over. So it was mainly that.

Big part of my morning was short game. After yesterday -- I won, but I still didn't do very well on my short game. I made a lot of mental errors. So right after I beat Erica I went to the chipping green and I practiced, and my dad and I came up with a new technique we really like.

Today I used it and got up and down four out of six times, and that's what really saved me. This morning was short game. It was mental. It was trusting the swing and just trying your best to get it done and never look to the future.

Number one thing was never looking to the future. You just can't think about that because you never know what's going to happen. These are the best players in the world. You never know what's going to happen.

Q. And then the afternoon you got off to a hot start and never really took your foot off the gas. Talk me through that stretch.

CARA HEISTERKAMP: So for the first four holes she was really pushing me. Every single hole she was matching me, whether that was in the fairway, whether it was how close we were hitting it or our putts. She was matching me on every hole and it was kind of stressful, but I was keeping it, and I knew at one point if I just keep playing it the other person is going to make a mistake eventually.

On 5 she made a mistake and she hit it over and I won the hole. On 6 I was like, Just hit it to the center of this green. If you do, she'll be forced to try and go for it. That is exactly what happened. She went for it, hit it in the left bunker, and then I was 2-up, and I just kept playing, just kept playing my game.

I forgot that I was playing against someone and I was making good decisions. I feel like I'm finally playing this game instead of having people say I hit it far, having people say I'm a ball-striker. I'm playing the game. I'm very happy about that.

Q. You're a quarterfinalist in the U.S. Women's Amateur. How does that feel?

CARA HEISTERKAMP: I'm so excited. I never imagined ever that this would happen. I really -- I can't -- it's -- I have no words. I couldn't imagine it. I'm so excited.

Q. How many phone calls and texts did you have on your phone today?

CARA HEISTERKAMP: Well yesterday I had about like 115, and I've gained like 50 Instagram followers on both my accounts in the past couple days. It's all so exciting. I heard they were doing my trick shots from my golf account on TV, so I can't believe that.

Yeah, a lot of texts, a lot of people who were there to show me support. And I really appreciate that, because I would never be here today without the people who support me and the people who love me and my school and my friends and my family, especially, so I'm very grateful for all that.