PALOS VERDES CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY BANK OF AMERICA

May 1, 2022

Madelene Sagstrom

Palos Verdes Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Madelene Sagstrom. Still some golf left to play, but likely another top 10 to add to your arsenal for the season. Nine pars, six birdies, three bogeys. How are you feeling about that final round?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I'm feeling good. I had a little bit of a hiccup there in the middle and I was like, pull yourself together. It's not over yet.

But, no, I been playing really well lately so I been making a lot of birdies, so that really helps. Feeling really good about my game.

Q. What has been the key to making a lot of birdies for you? Is it more ball striking or putting?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Well, if I look at shots gained, then putting has been where I really been gaining, but I think for my sake it's keeping the ball in play.

I been really solid with the driver the past two weeks. That's kind of been -- I hit it far, but can also go a little bit sideways.

So keeping it in play and just striking my irons better and better over time. But I'm gaining on putting, but trying to catch up with other stuff. Right now it's still paying off.

Q. You're playing really well. This golf course, too, it played short this week, but at the same time, with the wind and the conditions it really wasn't all that short. I think you got a little bit of a taste of the no-wind and then the wind picked up last few holes. Tell me about those conditions.

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Yeah, well, we were out yesterday I think when it switched. We were like, okay, it's going to switch around like mid-point somewhere, and it just hit.

Today we were kind of waiting. I was like, it should switch, should switch. Didn't switch, didn't switch. We were like, what is going on? Just when we were on 16 it switched and I was like, yes, downwind, perfect. (Laughter.)

Q. Just drove the golf course today. It's pretty interesting. Like you said, you can get some different wind types on different holes. How do you adjust to that?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think what makes it tricky too -- well, the greens are first of all really firm so it's hard to get it close, but you're never going to have a flat lie out here. It's always something going on and then you can't -- might not be able to actually play a shot into the breeze.

Like it's really hard to curb the ball off slopey hills, so I think that's really kind of what makes it difficult. Because you know, okay, contact is key, but then you don't really want to ride the wind on some holes and stuff like that.

So it's fun because it's like you have to be creative. You have to kind of think like where do I want to miss it? I can't go for this pin. Where will I make up and down? Where do I have the best chance to make a 4? I mean, if you start making too many -- I would even say bogeys are fine because you're going to make birdies, but when you start making big numbers, that's when it starts hurting.

Q. Any birdies that stood out to you today?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Any birdies? Well, I think the birdie -- I made birdie on 12. That was really nice. I bogeyed 11. That I was frustrated with.

So I think just getting back on the momentum, that was really nice. I been playing 14 well all week, so just kind of knowing that I had a few like call it easier holes ahead of me.

So I think that kind of changed my momentum on the back nine.

Q. The made-cut streak continues. Like you said, you're playing well. As we head into kind of what's the meat of our schedule, four majors coming up, how much confidence do you have going into the rest of the year?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Oh, a lot. I think not even -- I mea, I've kind of climbed up from making cuts now and I'm actually up higher. Like I know, I'm starting to feel that pulse when I'm out there. I'm starting to -- I always wanted, but you kind of want to start making birdies.

So I think that's kind of -- it's been a big game changer in my game just starting to kind of figure out how do I play well under pressure.

So I mean, I'm really looking forward to the season. My game is really good so it's about just keep doing good things. Rest is really important, just making sure I stay healthy and excited and just not tired.