DOW GREAT LAKES BAY INVITATIONAL

July 15, 2022

Matilda Castren

Kelly Tan

Midland Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Matilda Castren and Kelly Tan coming off another successful round. Team Fin-Asia. What were some of the highlights of the round out there today?

MATILDA CASTREN: You want to go?

KELLY TAN: I think we generally played well together. We didn't put ourselves in tough position where you have to make those pressure putts, and really just had a lot of birdie chance coming in.

Yeah, it was a fun day.

We made four birdies, so, yeah, we left a couple out there, but it was a great day.

Q. How far in advance did you guys have to order the matching outfits for each day?

MATILDA CASTREN: Well, we are lucky to have the same clothing sponsor, J. Lindeberg, so we actually had all of them already. We have a lot of the same clothes and same colors.

Yeah, we just showed up on -- well, I guess we packed kind of together and figured out at least four matching outfits.

KELLY TAN: We ended up having more of the same outfits.

MATILDA CASTREN: Yeah.

Q. Which walk-up song was yours today and why did you pick it?

KELLY TAN: Spice Girls.

Q. Why is that?

MATILDA CASTREN: I think we heard it when we were doing a practice round and we were jamming. Kelly was, like, oh, we don't have our walk-up song, and we just figured that would be the perfect one.

Q. A few years ago it was sorry, not sorry, you played in it or not. Do you have a model if you hit a good or a bad shot? Is there a little catchphrase you've got? You have no idea?

MATILDA CASTREN: We don't really have any catchphrase or anything. We just kind of try to pump each other up. And, I mean, obviously, when I hit a bad shot I'm not very happy, so she comes up to me and she's kind of just like a supportive friend.

We do that to each other. I don't think we need a phrase or anything. That's all we need.

Q. Which do you guys prefer, the best ball or the alternate shot? You seem to be doing really well in both.

KELLY TAN: I would say so far we're doing really well in both, but my favorite is the best ball because we can just go out there and be really aggressive and make birdies.

MATILDA CASTREN: Yeah. I mean, I like that aspect of best ball too, but I think the alternate shot is a good format for us because we're both so steady and we hit good shots. I could really rely on Kelly on those putts today. She made a lot.

KELLY TAN: I relied on her a lot too, so it was perfect.

MATILDA CASTREN: Our games just complemented each other.

Q. Perfect. Tell me, with best ball tomorrow, and you guys are sitting in solo second as of right now I think, yes. Tell me, does your strategy change at all or what are you most excited for? Do you feel under pressure or anything like that?

KELLY TAN: I think we're going to stick to what we did on Thursday. It worked really well for us. I'm going to be playing -- sorry, we're playing both the holes, but I'm going to be hitting first.

Yeah, so we're just going to keep doing the same thing and hopefully make a lot of birdies.

Q. Why are you hitting first?

KELLY TAN: I just feel like she's a great ball striker, and I feel like if I can just hit it on the green it gives her a chance to be aggressive, and that benefited us on Thursday.

Q. Go ahead.

MATILDA CASTREN: It's going to be a super fun day tomorrow to be in the final group, and we can only control ourselves. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, so I think we're just going to do the same as we did on Thursday, like she said, and try to have fun and enjoy the day and just do our best and see what happens.

Q. You have played on Solheim, correct?

MATILDA CASTREN: Yes.

Q. So playing tomorrow with Lizette and Jennifer Kupcho, who are American, good stars on Solheim for Team USA last year. Are you excited to play with them? They're a fiery team. Does that pump you up at all?

MATILDA CASTREN: Yeah. I think it's going to be -- I'm sure it's going to be a great battle. I don't know. There might be some other teams in the mix too. You just never know with best ball.

I'm just excited to go out with Kelly. She's my teammate, and I'm just looking forward to playing with her. That's all I'm focused on.