MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 16, 2022

Ryann O'Toole

Blythefield Country Club

Press Conference

Q. Here with Ryann O'Toole, 5-under 67 to kick off the week here in Michigan. Eagle on 8. Walk me through that eagle.

RYANN O'TOOLE: I hit a great drive. That hole was playing a little shorter today downwind. Great drive and then 5-iron in to about 12 feet.

So it was just kind of set it up perfectly. Putt wasn't hard either, so kind of a nice one.

Q. Hit 15 of 18 greens; 9 of 13 fairways. Ball striking was key for you today, but how did that help you get around Blythfield?

RYANN O'TOOLE: Staying out of the rough is important. I did hit it in the rough on 3 and still managed to make a birdie.

I guess miss it in the right spots if you're going to miss it.

For the most part, yeah, if you can get it in the fairway, especially on these par-5s, you have an advantage. I missed the fairway on 18 and that's definitely an easy two-shot hole as far as like reachable.

I still managed to save the -- yeah, keep birdie. So like I said, it's just if you're out of position, get yourself back into position and salvage from there.

Q. Where are the teeth in this golf course? Looking at it from out here it doesn't seem like it's got a lot of tricky spots, but is there something that's really hard out there?

RYANN O'TOOLE: Like I said, they have the rough long, so I think that would be the teeth of this golf course. It's all weather dependent. This place can play firm depending on the years we've been here, but we've had a lot of rain so right now it's very soft and receptive.

I feel like the wind is picking up as we finished and should be continuing to pick up as the day goes on. I feel that that also can bring some elements. It can make some holes really short and make a couple on the longer side.

So but having these greens very soft right now is allowing us to score. We'll see going into the weekend how much firmer they get. I don't think we show too much rain coming up.

Q. How does it feel to be near the top of the leaderboard after day one?

RYANN O'TOOLE: It feels good. I always feel like I haven't shown really well at this golf course. I love the layout, feel like it suits my game, but I come here and always am like, wow, can't seem to put it together.

To shoot 5-under today feels really good. I just think -- I just feel like I've always been that way. Course that's hard for me, I'm going to figure out how to score on it, how to play it over time.

I'm glad that I played well today.

Q. Obviously you played well today. Does the mindset change a little bit? Is there anything you want to change up tomorrow?

RYANN O'TOOLE: No. To be honest, I felt like the first couple days early in the week I was striking it really well. Today I felt like I struck it good, but not how I've been. Today almost felt like not my top game, so to be able to still score was really good.

I've been putting well, so just going to continue rolling off that, and, you know, just stay patient, because I think that's the biggest thing. I played with Madelene today and she made just a ton of birdies at the beginning and caught fire and shot 7-under.

Just goes to show, again, stay patient. They're out there.

Q. You've been playing a lot of really good golf this season. I feel like every time I look at the end of the week you're a sneaky top 10, sneaky top 15. What's changed for you this season?

RYANN O'TOOLE: I don't know. I'm 35. Maybe I'm just a fine wine that's aging well. I don't know. I just feel like golf doesn't really have a lifespan like other sports, so I've just continued to grow, continued to get mentally stronger, stay physical strong, injury-free.

Been grinding on my game to be better. Maybe because I started golf late. Maybe that's part of it. I don't know. But for the most part, I'm just running with this confidence and running with the consistency mainly.

THE MODERATOR: We have a question from one of our junior reporters.

RYANN O'TOOLE: Awesome.

Q. Do you have any other hobbies besides golf?

RYANN O'TOOLE: Oh, I have so many. Let's see, I love to wake surf. I'm actually staying on a lake this week. They don't have a wake boarding, wake surfing, so I feel like I'm going to stand on the end of to dock holding a sign, like pro golfer wants to surf, please.

No, that. Is working out a hobby?

I love going to the movies. Anything that involves water, sports, any of that. So stay active.

Q. What made you like golf?

RYANN O'TOOLE: What made me like it? Well, I was 13 when I first started. I played a lot of other sports and I just -- there was something about the individualness to it. Everything is under your control. You're responsible for it.

So as hard as you work, it's on you; as hard as you don't work, it's on you. I just loved being outside. Every course is different. It's not like playing a basketball court that it's the same everywhere.

I really enjoy just the beauty of the golf course and the challenges it puts in front of you. The biggest thing I feel like this is a game that you never can stop growing in, like there is never like this limit.

Q. Do you golf with anybody sometimes?

RYANN O'TOOLE: Do I golf with anybody? I hope so, otherwise I would have no friends. Yeah, at home golf all the time with friends. Anywhere from just the guys that work in the outside service with me that are buddies or just actually members or friends or other pro athletes that love to golf.

So sometimes it's nice to play by myself, especially when I'm working on stuff, but a lot of times it's really fun just playing with friends.

Q. Thank you for sharing with me.

RYANN O'TOOLE: Of course.