U.S. SENIOR WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 14, 2021

Ellen Port

The Lakewood Club

Quick Quotes

Q. These two-round days are very long, but you persevered. Is that the main thing you've got to do in rounds like this?

ELLEN PORT: Yeah, especially on these greens. I think everybody out here had trouble putting. There might have been a few people. So we were all missing putts, I think, that could have swayed the match a little bit more, so you just had to stay positive and persevere, exactly.

Q. You also had obviously the last three holes you had really good looks, and after the first two didn't quite go for you, what was your mindset on 18?

ELLEN PORT: Well, I was into the grain again and I had -- these greens will drive you crazy because when I take out -- I say I'm not going to play as much break, then they break, and then when I play more break they don't break or I don't have the speed right with the read. I've had a lot of trouble.

So Andy just kept telling me, stay patient, stay positive, because I can kind of get down on myself a little bit.

So I got my read, I knew I needed to give it -- I was tentative. I haven't ran many by the hole, and I said, just get it to the hole, because she would have made her putt. She's a really clutch player. Shelly was delightful and a great ball striker, so I felt like get it to the hole. It's short, and not going to run it by too much, and I just made a great putt. I loved it because it took the break and went right in the center cup. That was so fun. So fun.

Q. You've had some strong tests this week. You were 1-down with three to go yesterday in the quarterfinals.

ELLEN PORT: Yes.

Q. Where do you get the -- it's mental fortitude, but do you also have to block out the deficit?

ELLEN PORT: Right, I always just kind of say, it doesn't matter, it's 18 holes, it's whatever it takes. It's 18 holes, and I think it's real easy to start thinking -- I did not start counting holes. I have to admit, when I three-putted 15 -- I had three three-putted yesterday. I remember those. I was 2-down with three to go, and I just thought that, and I just let it go, because these are tough holes.

It could have gone -- Therese could have won. I could have been out of here on the whole day, but I did stay positive. I didn't start counting holes. I didn't get down on myself. Sometimes you just have to realize, I believe that all things work out the way they're supposed to, and if I'm meant to win, then in God's providence I'll win or I won't win. I really thought about that a lot, just take the pressure off yourself, I'm happy for anybody who plays this golf course and ends up winning. If it takes 19, 20, 26 holes or whatever, you play until you're finished. It isn't over until it's over. So you can't start thinking, oh, I should have won that match or I can't believe I blew it. No, there was two more holes left.

Q. You also can't worry about who you're matched up against or what the draw is like. Is it hard to avoid looking ahead --

ELLEN PORT: Right. I just came in knowing I was going to have tough matches. I knew everybody here -- I think each year the field gets stronger. That's why I'm like amazed I even won one of these. Everybody on that list, I just said, oh, my gosh, I'm going to probably have to play tough matches all the way to the finals. In that way I'm not surprised. Who I get, if I have to play all champions or great players, I'm going to play them.

Q. Lara reminded us that you two played four-ball together.

ELLEN PORT: Right.

Q. You're good friends.

ELLEN PORT: Right.

Q. You know what she's done the last couple years in this championship. You haven't played each other head-to-head, though, right?

ELLEN PORT: Well, we -- not really. Not in a USGA match. We played in a national event -- I will beat her in stroke play and she beat me in -- we've been in the same field. She's got me in one match and I've got her in stroke play in a couple things this summer.

Q. Obviously you're both competitive but you're great friends.

ELLEN PORT: Yes.

Q. What do you expect tomorrow? Do you have any expectations?

ELLEN PORT: No. We just -- I know we both want to play well. We don't want to be giving -- we're going to have our ups and downs. We know that. It's going to be -- it'll be really, really fun to see who wins because I will be thrilled if it's me and I'll be thrilled if it's her. We just hope to play good golf, play some quality shots and make it fun for the people that have been out here watching. Oh, we've had great member involvement and interest and appreciating all the good shots, so we want to give them some good shots to cheer for.