BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 27, 2022

Jodi Ewart Shadoff

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Jodi Ewart Shadoff who's advancing to the round of 16 after a 3&2 win. Tell me, how does it feel to be offer the course a little bit earlier than normal?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, I mean, I played really solid the last three days practice. Yeah, really happy with where my game is at. I think being a good ball-striker is really an advantage around here. The greens are really firm. Just taking advantage of the shots that I'm hitting.

So, yeah, I'm looking forward to the weekend.

Q. Is that what you found has been the best part of your game out here, your ball striking has really helped you win all these three matches in a row?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, I mean, my ball-striking is always definitely my advantage, but definitely out here, I mean, you have to hit fairways and hitting greens is a big advantage, so yeah, I'm rolling couple putts in here and there so it's nice.

Q. Going into this round you had two points; leading your pod. Does that make you more comfortable today or did you go out there and try and play more aggressive? What was the mentality knowing you were on top?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: It was just taking each match as it comes, never taking a match for granted. So I knew every player that I'm playing is world-class, so just concentrating on each match as it comes, each hole as it comes.

So that will be the game plan going into the weekend, too.

Q. I was just going to ask that, what's the strategy now going into the round of 16 knowing every round a must-win?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, just the same. I can't do much better than what I'm doing right now. Just try my best and see what happens. Just try and stay in the moment.

Q. Is there something about this golf course that you think suits you? I know you said the greens are a little firm.

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, I mean, you know, I do tend to hit a lot of greens, which like I said, is really big advantage out here.

But the greens are rolling so nicely, and I really feel like my putting has got a lot better over the past couple weeks. So, yeah.

Q. What have you been doing to improve your putting?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Just working on a ton of speed, lots of tempo and lots of speed training. That's really been the key. Just smoothing out my stroke and working on start lines. I'm really seeing the benefits of all the work that I'm putting in.

Q. Looks like 2 and 3, two quick birdies there put you 2-up. Did that just relax you into the round and put you in control of things?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, I mean, definitely felt more in control in the front nine, and then Jasmine made a couple birdies on 10 and 11 and then I bogeyed 12, so we squared the match.

I just had to kind of reset and just try and play more aggressively, because I knew that I had to try and make something happen coming in, so that's what I did.

Q. So you came out of your pod with the defending champion here. Does that feel like there is some good karma there?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Hopefully. Yeah, I mean, everybody in my pod is a world-class player. You know, like I said, I was just taking each match as it comes and not taking anything your granted.

I'm just lucky I've got a lot of match play experience and just been taking that with me this week.

Q. And then I'm going to ask about 16. We heard buzz on the radio from the rules people.

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah.

Q. What happened out there?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Well I putted up to about a foot. I thought I heard Jasmine say, it's okay, and apparently she did not say that's okay.

So it was a little bit of a misunderstanding. Called the rules official and he said if it's a misunderstanding we get to place the ball back where it was, so I did and made the putt.

Q. Little ten-minute delay there.

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, a little bit. I felt bad on the group behind.

Q. So going into the weekend, this is a question I've heard Greg ask, but are you prepared to play a lot more golf in front of you? What are you going to do to prepare for a lot of rounds?

JODI EWART SHADOFF: I think two rounds a day is a lot. You know, working out hard, so I think I have that at least under my belt. I'm pretty fit I think.

So like I said, just taking each match as it comes.

Q. Is this course helping conditioning? I know it's really long.

JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, the heat is making just everything really difficult. Hydration is a huge thing out here. Luckily it's dry so it's a little bit better than Florida where I live now.