SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

June 10, 2022

Meaghan Francella

Seaview, A Dolce Hotel

Quick Quotes

Q. Meaghan, you said yesterday in your press conference that if you were coming back out here, you were coming out to compete, and you did just that today. You you just said it was a long 18 holes. What were the emotions? How are you feeling after day one?

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: Yeah, I'm tired. I didn't sleep very well last night. I was anxious to get going.

I had prepped really hard to come here this week and prepped for this week and for KPMG, and I was pretty nervous going into the first tee. Didn't feel so bad on the range, and soon as I walked across the street I started to get a little bit anxious to tee off.

I settled into my round nicely after the second tee shot; made a lot of great swings out there. You know, once 14, 15 came around I said to Simpson, just get me in. I was trying not to get ahead of myself.

But overall I had a lot fun out there. I made a lot of putts. I hit a lot of really good shots. I was in between numbers a lot today so was a little bit of a challenge getting into the greens. But I'm really happy with 3-under.

Q. When is the last time you think you felt those kind of nerves as you walked up to the first tee?

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: It's been a long time. I mean, any time I tee it up with people I don't know I'm uncomfortable. So playing with members I don't know who have maybe expectations of me I get nervous a little bit.

But this was different pressure today. It was wanting to play well because I know I could, but just really happy with how I handled myself really.

Q. And we definitely saw the hordes of people out here. Saw a few T-shirts with your baby picture on them.

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: Yep.

Q. What did it mean to come off and see all of them, see your mom on the rope line as well as you made it through today?

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: Yeah, my support that I had today was unbelievable. I mean, my phone has been blowing up for the last few days just everybody wishing me luck. I'm really grateful to have people in my corner that support me and love me no matter if the scoreboard said 82 or 68.

They were here cheering me on. It was a lot of fun looking and seeing everybody, and I saw people that I haven't seen in a while. You know, members that I teach from cricket. Jim Smith was here and John Spina was here from Cricket, director of instruction and director of golf.

Just was really nice to have the support. Obviously my mom, I mean, I was looking for her all day. I couldn't find her. She was riding around and hiding. I think she enjoyed herself. It was good.

Q. Nice strings of birdies you put together, for instance on 13 and 14.

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: Yeah.

Q. They were fun to watch.

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: Yeah, 9, 10, and 11 were nice stretches for me. I hit a good layup on 9 I thought and it was a little further back than I wanted. Hit a good wedge shot in there and got fortunate to make the putt.

10 hit a great shot in and rolled it right over the edge, which was nice.

And 11, 11 is a steal. I mean, I don't think I've hit the green there in all the times I've played here. Even in the practice round I didn't hit the green. That shot is a little nervy for me. Got up there and swung a 6-iron nicely and gave myself about 15 feet.

Q. Speaking of 6-iron, is that what you used on 14 to roll up to that green?

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: I did, yeah. Yeah, it was a low runner. That was the worst shot I hit of the day. Not going to lie, I was feeling bit of nerves. We had waited on the tee for five minutes and then the cameras came out. I'm like, God, I haven't played in a while and now we got cameras going.

But it is what it is. I hit a really bad shot. Normally I would get super mad about that. I was like, whatever. It is what it is. I think that's what kind of kept me in it.

I made a nice five-footer for bogey, I think. At that point I was like, Meaghan, what are you doing? Don't be doing this. But just felt really in control. I really can't describe it.

I said to Simpson, my caddie, this is the most in control of my game I've ever felt, which is great.

Again, I'm not quitting my day job. This is for fun, right?

Q. One of your cricket members says that you give homework.

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: I do.

Q. Can you do some homework real quick? How are you with focus?

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: How good am I with focus?

Q. Today.

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: Today was great. Yeah, I was great. I would say I really committed to my routine. It's funny, I really harp on routine with my students a lot, and I tried to channel all that today. I got to do what I'm preaching, right?

I mean, I really stayed like committed to every shot I hit today. Even the bad one on 14 I was still committed to it.

Focus today I would say was a nine out of ten.

Q. Emotions.

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: I was running high. I would say ten out of ten. But I tried to really -- I did try not to get too fired up out there because I didn't want to go this way, I didn't want to get too up and down today.

Just really tried not to get too fired up. Couple fist pumps here and there, but...

Q. Stamina, physical and mental?

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: Yeah, I felt really good physically. I've a lot 34 pounds in the last two and a half months, and I was coming out -- I knew I was playing this year and I was like, I can't come out here looking the way I'm looking and feeling the way I'm feeling.

I would say my stamina was a ten out of ten.

Mentally I would say I was a nine. Got a little bit nervous, but really tried to just handle my emotions.

Q. This game can teach a person so much, or has the potential to. What did you learn about Meaghan today?

MEAGHAN FRANCELLA: I learned that I can still play. I learned that I can still compete and I still have the fire to compete. It's not gone. I learned about that today for sure.