COGNIZANT FOUNDERS CUP

May 13, 2022

Paula Reto

Upper Montclair Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Paula Reto. Nice little 5-under 67 to put yourself in the mix heading into the weekend. Had quite a few birdies on the card today; only 25 putts. Just kind of walk me through your round.

PAULA RETO: Yeah, you know, it was a good putting day for are. Even show some of holes I was off the green I end up making them, which was nice.

And it's kind of good to be in the mix. Especially it's a hard golf course I feel like, especially off the tee you have to be sort of accurate.

But if you get yourself in a good spot and then get yourself onto the green and kind of see the putts roll in, that was pretty much most of today, and it was fun.

Q. Started on 10. Had birdies on 12, 13, and 14.

PAULA RETO: Yeah.

Q. Just walk me through that stretch.

PAULA RETO: Yeah, so kind of a rough start. Actually I was -- I saved a par putt on 10 and 11 and then hit the green in two, which I think is the next par-5. Yeah, so that kind of got the momentum going.

And then hit a good iron shot on the next hole and made the putt. So it was like, okay, cool, this is good. Then hit sort of like a pull wedge on the par-5 and made a really long putt.

I was like, okay, this is going to be a good putting day. Then I just sort of scrambled around today, which it was fine.

Q. What have you been working on with your putting that's really helped you out here?

PAULA RETO: You know, I always have the same sort of drills. It's kind of nice to see the lines sort of in the beginning of the warmup, and that gets me going a little bit. And the speed of greens. So if I can match those up sort of like early in my practice routine I feel like I'll have a good day.

I just have the same stuff. Just make sure I hit my lines, you know, that kind of, yeah, routine I do.

Q. Pretty average distance off the tee.

PAULA RETO: Yeah.

Q. Out here it's only playing 6,300, but some those tee shots are narrow. I would imagine being a little bit shorter you're more accurate. Do you feel like you can go at your driver a little bit harder here?

PAULA RETO: Yeah. Some of the holes -- I did hit some 3-woods as well. You know, sometimes you just want to position yourself so you can have a shot to the green.

But, yeah, few holes I did guard my driver. I swung -- even if you can carry some of the trees I feel like you're fine. Even if you have a shot in the rough it's not too bad.

Q. Just won medalist at your U.S. Women's Open qualifier; qualified for the second major of the year. What kind of confidence does that give you heading into this week?

PAULA RETO: Yeah, that was good. It was such a good day. Playing 36 holes, obviously it's a lot of golf, but I had -- once again, that was a good putting day, so I feel like when my putting is on I feel like I do well, even though I can miss a few greens and fairways here and there.

So if I can get the putting rolling I feel like I'm good. But, yeah, good confidence heading into this week. I told myself it's just another qualifier. I'm just kidding.

Yeah, so, it's good to be back.

Q. And there is nothing that's really been different in your putting the past -- I mean, having a few good putting stretched is a row is kind of good.

PAULA RETO: Yeah, no, I did do a small change. I would say I sort of sometimes look at the ball a little bit before I putt, and it's key to stay within myself here.

I think I did that before the U.S. Open qualifier, the day before with my dad. Other than that, it was not too bad.

Q. It's been a minute probably since you've been in contention on the weekend. How excited are you to go into this spot and be in this moment?

PAULA RETO: Yeah, exactly. I'm just going to take it as another day. Just enjoy it and this is why we're out here. I want to be in contention.

But if I just stay within myself and enjoy the shot, the pre-shot routine, stuff like that, everything will work out. If it doesn't, it's good experience and just move on.

Q. Final question: Couple little blips on the scorecard here and there. What positive are you going to carry with you from the first two days into tomorrow?

PAULA RETO: Just good commitment. I really had good commitment. Even when I did miss the fairways, I mean the greens, I ended up having some good chip shots, which sort of helped me have confidence. Even if I do nice the green it's okay. Just try to make up and down and move on.

It's such a fun course and there are so many different shots. You're almost hitting every shot out here, so just sort of embrace that. Yeah, it's good.

Q. Are you missing it in the correct spots? I feel like out here it's easy to get yourself short sided with some of the undulations.

PAULA RETO: Yeah, exactly. I feel like today especially, even missing in the right spots and the driver sometimes it's better to go left side of fairway even if you're in the rough; you still have a shot towards the green.

Did a lot of that today. And then just depending, yeah, especially if you're -- you don't want to short side yourself on the greens because sometimes the greens have a little bit more of like a kind of kick and a run.

So, yeah, I did find myself a little bit more in the better spots, which sort of helped now that I think about it. Yeah.

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