U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

June 4, 2022

Mina Harigae

Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Mina Harigae, 1-under 70. Just talk a little bit about your round today.

MINA HARIGAE: You know, I was a little nervous in the beginning, but I was able to hit some good shots. My middle was pretty good. Then got a little -- hit a little squirrelly shots, but then I made a good birdie on 16.

I think overall I'm just happy with the way I was able to hang in there.

Q. Heading into Sunday at the U.S. Open, you're in contention. What have you learned about yourself this week?

MINA HARIGAE: That I'm able to really embrace the moment. I can control my emotions a lot better, especially when there's high tension, when things don't go my way.

But yeah, I'm just really happy with the way I'm handling it.

Q. Talk about No. 8 first of all, what did you hit, and you put it about an inch from the cup.

MINA HARIGAE: Oh, yeah. I hit a pitching wedge. It was like -- it was a pretty stock wedge. I think it was like 115, but I was actually in a divot, so I had to kind of compress it, and obviously I was super happy with the outcome.

Q. At that point, that had to give you some momentum, but actually that's when Minjee started to pull away a little bit.

MINA HARIGAE: Yeah, I was happy with 8, 9, able to answer her birdie putt there. But she hit some great shots the next few holes, and I just couldn't keep up with that.

Q. Were you counting again out there today, or what was kind of your tactic as she started to pull away?

MINA HARIGAE: I did forget to count, but I counted the last couple holes actually.

I just did a lot of breathing, kind of a lot of looking around. Just come back to the present, that's what I was doing today.

Q. Talk about the 11th and 12th hole in particular. There was a four-shot swing. Mentally when you're head-to-head against somebody, that may happen somewhere out on the golf course during a round where you really don't know what's happening, but head-to-head, what did that do for you mentally? Did it get you down? How were you feeling?

MINA HARIGAE: Obviously it wasn't good. The outcome I didn't like. But I didn't get too down on myself. I just didn't execute myself.

Q. You talked about being able to handle the emotions and the tension well. Was that something you consciously said at some point I need to work on this and get better at it?

MINA HARIGAE: Yes, for sure.

Q. What did you do?

MINA HARIGAE: Just a lot of self-awareness, a lot of butt kicking from my caddie. A lot of good hard talks. But I just realized if I wanted to get to the next level, I really had to get a hold of myself emotionally.

Q. Does it feel different out there? Like you're having your most successful major by far. Does it feel good?

MINA HARIGAE: It does, it definitely feels different. Everything moves a lot slower in my head now.

Q. You've been open about the financial stress of a few years ago, and obviously this $10 million purse offers some big checks at the top. What would that mean to you, and have you thought much about it?

MINA HARIGAE: Yes, I've thought about it. I mean, it's a wonderful thing for women's golf to have such a big purse like this. But I mean, it's career changing to be able to play in events with such big purses. It's like we're playing like the men.

Q. The top two places earn checks of seven figures; how would that change your life immediately?

MINA HARIGAE: It would make life a lot easier (laughing).

I think, yeah, it'll make life a lot easier, especially playing on Tour-wise. You don't have to worry about do I have enough money in the bank to book a flight, months in the future. Stuff like that will make it easier, obviously, but I think just -- it won't change me as a person, but it is very nice and less stressful for sure.

Q. How many Jordans could you buy with that kind of money?

MINA HARIGAE: Don't tempt me, I might get the best ones.