SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

October 3, 2021

Paula Reto

Seaview, A Dolce Hotel

Quick Quotes

Q. Let's start with obviously a great final round, bogey-free 6-under 65.

PAULA RETO: Yeah.

Q. Kind of a big bounce back from yesterday obviously. Take us through what maybe clicked today versus yesterday and how you got back on track.

PAULA RETO: Yeah, so a lot of my bogeys yesterday and the day before was putting, so I really tried to spend some time on putting yesterday, because I was three-putting I think five times yesterday and three or four times the day before.

I thought if I could clean up there I can probably not make too many bogeys, and I did for sure clean up the putting, which helped today.

Q. Do you think that's a big emphasis for not only this week, on this course, but looking at Mountain Ridge next week and the rest of the year?

PAULA RETO: Well, this course is pretty hard with the putting because it's poa greens, so speed is really important. I'm not sure about next week's course yet.

I feel like, yeah, maybe cleaning up my putting is good because that's how you score and you get the momentum going for sure.

Q. What were you doing and what did you clean up in your stroke?

PAULA RETO: I just did a lot of distance control, like putts, 30-, 40-footers, because it's hard to have shorter putts here because of how the greens bounce.

I made sure to practice a lot of four- or five-footers, because those are the ones I was missing. I was running them by and not making the comebacks.

Usually I'm good with the four- or five-footers, so did a lot of that and made sure I'm seeing my line as will.

Q. Talking to a lot of players, they're sitting there saying, Well, Inbee has got it figured out; just hit it somewhere on the green and make a 35-footer.

PAULA RETO: I know. Yeah, can I do the same? Yes, I know she's so dialed in with her putting and it's something we all needed to as well, keep the confidence going week to week, especially with the different type of greens.

Like this, you know, you need good speed, but last week is -- you have the good line you'll make the putts. So just depends depending on the grass.

I'm just happy I didn't have any three-putts today.

Q. And you did move way up the Money List.

PAULA RETO: Oh, yes? Okay, I wasn't sure.

Q. Yeah.

PAULA RETO: Okay.

Q. So you've made a pretty healthy jump.

PAULA RETO: Okay, the CME points.

Q. Yes. CME point, I'm sorry. Not the Money List. So you're leaving yourself in --

PAULA RETO: I have one more tournament.

Q. I think you jumped into the 70s.

PAULA RETO: Okay, so I have one more tournament because I got to be top 60, right?

Q. For CME.

PAULA RETO: For CME.

Q. And then I don't know what Pelican looks like, but I would imagine you would be...

PAULA RETO: I don't know. Oh, because isn't that -- no, isn't that like from last year's list?

Q. Oh, it might be. I'm not sure.

PAULA RETO: Yeah, I don't think I'm in. I think I'm like 10 or -- yeah.

Q. So next week is a big week.

PAULA RETO: Next week is a big week.

Q. How much --

PAULA RETO: I know, I know.

Q. How much relief do you have when you can put a final round like that together?

PAULA RETO: Exactly.

Q. You look at the leaderboard later on and say, wow, I put myself in not only a good spot for next year, but maybe for the rest of the year.

PAULA RETO: I think so for sure. It's definitely that mindset and settling in. But I have to just try to do the same next week and sort of one of shot at a time, one tournament at a time.

For me sometimes I look ahead and I just need to be present, so I'm just going to try to do that. Sometimes it's hard because you want something but it just keeps running away, so you need to like, No, let's hone it in here. So I think it's good for me to do that.

Q. You were playing Symetra and out here at the beginning of the year.

PAULA RETO: I know.

Q. What was that like for you when --

PAULA RETO: I was bouncing around.

Q. Yeah, when you're bouncing around and you like to look ahead, you said, what was the first part of the year like? Start with that.

PAULA RETO: Honestly I was just very grateful for when I did get into the LPGA, and sort of helped out a little bit. I said, Okay, be grateful being here. Maybe a different mindset and being able to appreciate it more kind of got me playing better I think.

And also I think going into Symetra saying, okay, maybe take it a bit more aggressive. So to me two different mindsets when I was playing I would say.

Then when I did get out here, sort of couple more tournaments or ten or so more, I just try to have mini goals and mini things I can do daily. Not that I can think so far ahead.

Q. What was the turning point this year where you looked at things and you said, Hey, I can make a living out here; I can make it out here?

PAULA RETO: So I finished well in Volunteers in Texas. I think I finished 12th. Okay, that was pretty good for me. And then I did well in Ireland; finished top 17 I think.

So couple good finishes does sort of push you that you can do it; sort of puts you in a good spot you might say.

You know, my ball striking has improved and a bunch of other things, so I'm excited to see what's ahead.

Q. Was it kind of stressful until Volunteers of America Classic?

PAULA RETO: Yeah, because I wasn't in most of the tournaments and the reshuffle didn't happen -- or maybe it happened after that. I'm not sure.

Q. I think it was second one was after the --

PAULA RETO: Exactly. So I needed to make some points now that they're points. I wanted to make sure so that I'm not like at the bottom of the reshuffle and kind of sort of at the top. A lot of these events are also limited field, like this week and next week, and even Pelican.

So, yeah, just sort of tried to take one week at a time. Then I didn't get my points for CME because I had to withdraw because I had COVID and I was like top 30 going into Sunday. That was like, Oh, my gosh.

And then I had a good week the next week, so maybe the momentum is on my side, so we'll just keep going.

Q. How do you get over the mindset of looking at points to get into events and eventually saying to yourself, I'm good enough to be...

PAULA RETO: I know. You know, you have to believe and you have to sort of have the right people around you, keep saying it to you and sort of manifest it that way.

You know, I have a good team this year and, I don't know. Being grateful for wherever you are as well I feel like is key for me, too.