COGNIZANT FOUNDERS CUP

May 13, 2022

Madelene Sagstrom

Upper Montclair Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. 9-under par yesterday. You come out today, how do you not get ahead of yourself and expect another great match?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I guess I did. Started off pretty tough I think. I was talking to Shane and I think I was trying a bit too hard. Trying to find the same momentum I had yesterday and it just wasn't there, so I think I kind of just had to calm myself down.

I knew I had the good shots still within me and I was putting really well, so back nine I kind of got it going again.

Q. There is still some momentum with you in the big picture. You haven't missed a cut since last May. Is that a product of confidence growing and realizing that you belong on this stage and belong in contention?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Absolutely. I think it's like coming out on tour you kind of go through stages. First you go out here, you try to get into tournaments.

Then you try to make cuts.

Then you're trying to finish higher and higher.

So I think it's one of those steps, knowing that I have the consistency to play well over time.

And, I mean, it's been a huge confidence boost for me. Now I'm kind of stepped up notches making cuts. Like I'm making cuts and playing well, too.

Q. This course, a course a lot of players that are playing this week have never seen before, have never played before. In the practice round they weren't predicting very low scores. You really opened some eyes yesterday, 9-under par, and Minjee is doing the same thing today. Did you see those kind of numbers possible out there?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Not when we came here, no. I was like, this is a proper major course. I was like shooting under par is going to be good. Probably plus four, three, you know.

No, but I think it's -- the wind switched on us compared to the practice round so that was a big factor, and playing a little bit shorter than I was expecting. This suits my eye, my game so well, firm greens. I can hit the driver far, so just keeping it in play and trying to get -- have access to those pins, it's good.

Q. All right, here with Madelene Sagstrom today. Tell me, what was the best part of your game today that you would say?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think the best part was that I turned it around. I didn't start off the strongest. I hit it in the hazard on 11, which was my second hole. I kind of didn't really find momentum from there.

But I made birdie on 18 and kind of got the momentum from yesterday back again, so I was hitting some good iron shots, finding the fairways, few more fairways, and then just putting really well.

I been putting really well for last two days.

Q. Yeah, you mentioned that. I will say you had a little bit of a slow start. What were some factors that were contributing to that, do you think?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think having a like really good round yesterday I was probably putting a little bit too much pressure on myself trying to have probably an equally as good round.

But I think I was just trying a bit too hard. I was not really getting that momentum and just not being as athletic as I would like to be. Probably a little bit more mechanical and not really being -- being in the way of myself a little bit more.

Q. And as you said, you did turn it around. What did you say to yourself? What was the mentality shift there to make that turn around?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Well, I talked a lot to my caddie and I was like, I don't feel like I'm swinging it that bad, doing things that bad, but we were just trying to find less swing thoughts and more being free and being athletic, picking the shots, picking the targets, seeing the turns, and just getting away from -- like away from trying too hard really.

It's so hard to describe. It's so individual, but for me it was just trying to stay in the present, do the best I can over every shot.

Q. And you mentioned having a little bit of a hard time finding the fairway. What's wrong with the fairways here? What was the struggle?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: First of all, they're really narrow. That's a good start. And you do get punished for being in the rough because the greens are firm.

So they're narrow and I had a little bit too much left-to-right turn on my ball today. I'm going to go fix it.

Q. You referred to it, but the hardest round to play is the one after you played really well. What kind of mindset do you bring to the first tee after you shot a 63?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think you kind of have to look at those low rounds that everything is clicking, everything is going your way, and most of the time golf doesn't do that.

So I think it's just trying to go back in that momentum. I think for me, I have a really strong putter and I been putting really well over time and I been putting really well this week, so for me it was like, okay, get it on the green. I don't care where it is or what it looks like, but I need to get it on the green faster.

So just trying to do everything to find that momentum, good feeling, the confidence you had the day before.

Q. Under any circumstances 70 is a good number. Kind of has to feel like almost 80 after you shoot a 63, right, or does it feel good?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Well, it feels good coming back under par. I was 2-over through eight holes, so that was kind of -- I was like, okay, goal now, let's get back to even par for today. I'm still in this.

I shot a really good round yesterday, but you don't want to fall too far back in the pack. So just trying to get back and then if I can get a couple under, that would be perfect.

Q. A 72-hole event you're always going to have a stretch where things are not quite clicking. Do you think this was it for, and you do you feel good going in?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I hope so. (Laughter.) I hope that was it. No, Shane, my caddie was telling me on 17, he was like, Madelene, you don't win on Fridays. I was like, I know, but I still want to play well.

No, but it's true. You have to stay patient out there. I'm hoping my best golf is still yet to come, so I mean, I feel like I'm in a great spot. My game is really solid, so I'm really happy about it.

Q. I was going to say, it seems Minjee Lee is having the round that you had yesterday. Do you look at the leaderboard and say, I didn't play my best today but I'm only three shots off the lead?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Absolutely. I mean, all we're trying to do is give ourself chances to be up there fighting for it.

And like I said, it's still only Friday. A lot of things can happen. A lot of the things can happen to the golf course, the way they set it up and all that?

So just giving myself a chance is all I can about myself, and my best today was 2-under, so I was really pleased.

Q. And you made the cut.

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Exactly, yes. I made another cut. (Laughter.) A little higher up on the cut. That's good.

Q. What different challenges did the course give you today based on the change in weather from yesterday to today?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I was expecting it to be a bit cooler but it wasn't really. Just the wind switched a little bit so a few holes that were playing downwind yesterday was a little bit into.

The greens, I would say in the morning you get a little bit of dew so they were a little bit slower, little bit more receptive, and then throughout the round it was kind of similar to yesterday.

But they weren't crispy like yesterday. Just some of the par-4s I was a little bit further back and some on the other side I was a little bit closer. It just changes what holes get easier and what holes get tougher.

Q. One from me. You told me at Wilshire you're only as good as your last round. So that's your last round. How good are you now?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Well, currently I'm good at minus 2. (Laughter.) Minus-2 for today.

Q. What are you reading now?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: What I'm reading right now, I'm actually going to start a new book. Well, no, I'm finishing the Chimp Paradox, so that's I'm finishing up.

And I'm going to start -- I can't remember what it's called, but it's by Dr. Joe Dispenza, so that's my next one coming up.

Q. What Paradox?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Chimp. It's about the little monkey talking in your head.

Q. Chimp Paradox?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Like when I said on 18, my 18th hole and I was like, is this ball too far back in my stance and I backed off and I'm like, you can't think that. It's like, come on Madelene, and I had to go back into it.

Q. What are you working on today to get ready for tomorrow?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Well, my coach was actually here, so I'm -- I was thinking about it yesterday. Maybe I was trying to show off a little bit. I'm playing really well right now.

No, so I'm just going to probably go hit a few balls, have some lunch, find a coffee shop and just chill.

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