U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 8, 2021

Jensen Castle

Westchester Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Champion of the USGA Women's Amateur. Put it into words what this means.

JENSEN CASTLE: Still hasn't registered. I mean, it feels like just another tournament, but then I step back and I'm like, this is a USGA event with so much history, and I just can't imagine -- and all the exemptions I didn't even realize.

It was just another tournament and I was just lucky I could play.

Q. When did you know? You looked comfortable and then got nervous and then looked comfortable. When did you know?

JENSEN CASTLE: I never knew until 17 or the final -- the last hole. It was a shaky start, shaky first 18. I was swinging in fear of where it could end up, if it was bad or not.

And then I came in, registered, and I was like, All right, you got nothing to lose. You're two back. Go after it. Whatever happens is supposed to happen for a reason.

I came out swinging. Three or four birdies right out of the gate and I was just hitting it well. Had a ton of confidence, and told one of the little boys on 15 when I didn't make the birdie, I was like, They'll fall eventually.

Everything equals out at the end of the day.

Q. You don't show a whole lot of emotion on the course but on the second 18 cameras got you doing the flex. Where did that come from?

JENSEN CASTLE: Oh, God. I hoped they didn't get that.

Q. Oh, yeah, it's out there.

JENSEN CASTLE: I was pumped and the audience was hyping me up and I was like, Oh, yeah, like we're working out, let's go. I didn't do anything with it, but it was great. It was the only time.

Q. So they always say beware the injured golfer obviously coming into this week. Are you still planning on taking time off after this one?

JENSEN CASTLE: Yes, definitely. I don't know when the days of the Curtis Cup are. I have to get vaccinated and I have work Tuesday morning, so I'll be working the next few weeks until I need to go to school and leave for Curtis Cup.

Q. Where do you work?

JENSEN CASTLE: I work at Columbia Country Club in Blythewood, and the mornings that I don't work there I work at Indian river. I work two jobs. They're both golf courses.

Q. Six matches in match play. You came back from down two or didn't trail at all. So how did your past experience having to come back kind of prep you going into today, - because you came out firing in the second 18?

JENSEN CASTLE: Well, I almost made it seem like we were even right out of the gate of the second round just because -- I mean, you had so many holes left. There were so many opportunities to go down or up, so no reason to go into a match like you're already down.

And so when I tee'd up I knew I was down but kept telling myself, Just make birdies, fairways, greens, whatever happens, happens; the putts will fall.

Q. (Regarding the match with Rachel yesterday.)

JENSEN CASTLE: Definitely. Rachel's match yesterday was indescribable. It was so much fun and such a great match.

Q. How did it stack up to today's, or compare?

JENSEN CASTLE: Oh, it was definitely very -- both of them were very fun. I think yesterday, I mean, it was way more -- just yesterday the pins were harder and we were both very aggressive when we needed to be.

Q. What does it mean to have Brian be able to come and show up today?

JENSEN CASTLE: Oh, my gosh, I had no idea he was here. I heard the other girl, that her coach flew up last night to watch. I was like, Ah, that's so nice.

And then I finished 18 and my caddie was like, Hey, I think Brian is here. I'm like, Brian who? He comes walking around the corner. It meant so much to me just having coach here. Even the last day. Both been out of town the past week so I understand.

Q. Speak to the Curtis Cup berth that you now have. How excited are you to head to Wales?

JENSEN CASTLE: I don't even know where that is, but I'm so excited. I've never been out of the country so that's really exciting. I'm just excited to represent United States. That's always been a dream of mine.

Q. Checked your phone at all?

JENSEN CASTLE: I have not. I just got it. I know I got one call and I talked to my head coach. Brian passed me the phone on the way here. That's the only people I've talked to.

Q. How excited was she over in Sweden?

JENSEN CASTLE: She actually flew back last night at midnight. She was crying. She's very emotional, so I knew she would be crying. She was ecstatic.

Q. Was she able to watch at all from Sweden?

JENSEN CASTLE: I don't know actually. I know I got 2:00 a.m. text messages so I don't think she was watching.

Q. You have a pretty intense game face. What's going on behind that?

JENSEN CASTLE: Everyone gives me crap for my resting face. It's just very -- it's just there, and I'm very aggressive and blunt so it doesn't go together very well. But I promise I'm friendly. I mean, I'm very competitive on the golf course. That's only over top of the ball.

In between like Rachel's match yesterday I like to have fun, cut up, laugh. When I'm over the ball, we're here for one reason. This is business. Get it done.

Q. Going to be able to sleep tonight?

JENSEN CASTLE: You know what? I had one hour and 45 minutes of sleep last night. My apple watch tracked it. I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep tonight either, but I think we're going to leave at 4:00 a.m. to head home and I have work Tuesday morning at like 5:00, so I should probably get some rest in between those days.

Q. Fire up the air mattress?

JENSEN CASTLE: I might get the bed tonight.