MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 16, 2022

Madelene Sagstrom

Blythefield Country Club

Press Conference

Q. Okay, here with Madelene Sagstrom. Another good day, 7-under 65, bogey-free; you eagled 18. Just talk me through your finish. Three birdies in 14, 15, 16, and then eagled 18.

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I wasn't hitting it super close early, so I said to myself and Shane and I talked about just stay patient and just keep hitting good shots.

We worked really hard on just giving myself opportunities. Then I got myself some few good opportunities, putter got a little hot, so had a really good shot into 18.

Nice to finish with a three.

Q. I mean, 27 putts today; 10 of 13 fairways; 14 of 18 greens. What was key for you? I feel like Blythfield is a pretty straightforward golf course. What was really key for you today?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think out here you have to score well. We all know that you're going to need low numbers.

I mean, keeping the driver in play, the rough is still very juicy in certain spots, and you're going to struggle a bit to get close to the pins.

So I think if you're strong off the tee, and then hitting the iron shots as good as you can, and then, I mean, you have to putt well. To shoot low you have to putt well.

Q. Getting on a tear like you did in the last five or six holes, what's the mentality there? Like you said, you weren't hitting it close early. Were you just like, you know what, let's just try to make something happen?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Yeah, we just said just keep it going. I was playing good. I wasn't playing bad. Just like it wasn't fireworks, but we were just staying patient, and I think that's how you get momentum.

It's more when you start chasing it or when you get frustrated it's easy to kind of fall away from you instead of it going your way.

We were having some lovely conversations on the course and we were just kind of having a good day and just going with the flow.

Q. So kind of an off-topic question. I'm doing a feature on Leona Maguire. I know this tournament last year was sort of not necessarily her coming out party, but she had a very good tournament. Then Solheim Cup, you were a teammate with her there. Extremely good coming out party. Then February she got her first win. What's it been like over the past year seeing her develop into this next potential superstar on the tour?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Well, I've known Leona since junior golf. Like we grew up playing in Europe, so I've known her for ages. There is no shocker to the rest of us that she's where she is at. That's where she belongs and that's where she's always belonged.

So, I mean, it's nice to see her blossom. That's what we're all looking to do out here, so we all knew that she was going to do -- she was going to win, and then we all knew she was going to do great.

That's where she belongs.

Q. How important is it just to start a tournament off so strong like you did today?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think when you know a week when it's going to be low scores that it's nice to go out and shoot a good round. Like you know you're in it and you know you don't have to maybe adjust your game plan so much tomorrow and just go out and have a good time.

My game has been good over the last few months really. Didn't play great at the U.S. Open, but other than that it's been really solid. I'm just trying to make as many birdies as I can. That's really what have to do out here.

Q. I know you said that you're not going to be changing a whole lot, but is there anything that you do want to change to maybe set yourself apart even more?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I looked at the forecast a little bit. It looks like it's going to get windy this afternoon and a little bit wind tomorrow afternoon, so I think it's just the same thing: keep the ball in play, not get too greedy, and just kind of get the putter rolling.

I think that's going to be key. If you putt well this week you can score well.

Q. I know you were saying you were in the zone the last six holes. What does it like to be in that zone?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Well, you just don't feel like you can do anything wrong really. I made one little mistake on one hole, but we were like, well, I can make up and down from the fairway. Like just chip it out, just make up and down.

I think it's one of those things when things feel easy. Like you're not trying too hard, you're not fighting with the swing, you're not fighting with your mind.

You're kind of walking out there and just playing like any other day.