AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

August 19, 2021

Kylie Henry

Mixed Zone

Q. An adventurous day out there.

KYLIE HENRY: Yes, adventurous, yes. Kind of a poor start, poor finish, but some good stuff in between.

Q. To start, obviously, bogey, bogey.

KYLIE HENRY: Just misjudged by first putt on the 1st and kind of hit it by a wee bit too far, then didn't make the next one, and then on the 2nd, I was plugged in the greenside bunker and made -- kind of just hacked it out to about 30 feet and two-putted.

Q. You must have played a lot of nice stuff in that middle section?

KYLIE HENRY: Yeah, really happy. I feel like my game's really solid. Obviously, I probably made just a couple of wee mistakes here and there with the type of shot I should have been playing from certain lies or whatever, but on the whole, my game's really happy with how I played today.

Q. How would you describe conditions?

KYLIE HENRY: Oh, I think that's as easy as we'll get it. Obviously, the rough was a bit damp, so as soon as you were in the rough, it was hard, even if the lie looked good. Like on the last there, I hit it down the left rough, but the lie's great, and that sucked me into trying to hit a 6-iron, which was so stupid.

So, yeah, as soon as it's damp like that, it does just snag the club, but on the whole, the conditions are, I think, probably the easiest we'll get it.

Q. You played a lot here over the years. That finish doesn't get any easier despite that, does it?

KYLIE HENRY: Yeah, it's probably the best thing about the course, to be honest, 16, 17, 18, and you know you've got that coming. So I think you feel like you want to make your score before getting to those holes.

Q. Do you think the score is made on the front nine today? I know you had a poor start, but generally the girls seem to have done better on the front nine.

KYLIE HENRY: Yeah, probably. Probably right up until 15 because you've got a good chance on 12 and 14, the two par-5s. So you've got a good opportunity there to make some birdies. So I'd say those first 14 holes are easier. I wouldn't say easy, but certainly easier than the finish.

Q. You've played in a few Women's Opens now.

KYLIE HENRY: Actually, my first one was here ten years ago. I qualified at Panmure, and this was my first one, so this has got a wee special place in my heart. So 2011 was my first one, and I've played -- this is my ninth in total, ninth Open. Every time you still get the real buzz and excitement and a real special feeling on the 1st tee. It's almost quite emotional actually. It's great.

Q. It's changed a lot over those ten years. It's now the richest women's golf event in the world. It's great to see women's golf receiving the recognition it deserves?

KYLIE HENRY: Absolutely. I think the R&A have done amazing for us. The announcement yesterday with the prize fund going up for this year and next year is just -- it's not even so much about the money. It's actually, like you say, giving us the credit we deserve. We've always been made to feel like we're lesser than the men, but when you get big boosts like that, it makes you feel great, and it makes you feel like this is where you want to be playing. This is the top event in the world, and it just makes you really proud to be British and to be here playing in the event.