U.S. ADAPTIVE OPEN

July 18, 2022

Annie Hayes

Pinehurst Resort & C.C. (Course No. 6)

Quick Quotes

Q. What would you say about your first Adaptive Open experience?

ANNIE HAYES: It was hard. I've got to really practice out of the sand for the next time. At my home course I can't get in the sand, so I can't practice out of them. But I'm going to have to find a spot to practice, because that was -- I would have had a decent score if it wasn't for the sand. But I loved it. I mean, it was fun. It's fun watching the other -- I played with a bunch of guys, and they were really good, and it's fun watching them. It was good.

I had a little bit of the jitters in the beginning, but I calmed down.

Q. That's understandable. What did you like out of your round today? What do you think you did well?

ANNIE HAYES: Putt. I did a pretty good job with putting. My chips were good. You know, everything was pretty decent. I mean, I had some mis-hits, but I think overall, my game was okay, if I didn't get in the sand. And I hit a couple of bad approach shots, just misjudging.

Yeah, I played my game pretty much except the sand issue.

Q. Kind of looking at the bigger picture here, obviously you're sharing the course with a ton of inspiring athletes this week. What does that mean to you and what do you hope that does for the future of adaptive golf, the adaptive community and obviously the Adaptive Open?

ANNIE HAYES: Well, I think this is so important that the USGA did this tournament for the future of adaptive golf, because I think it lends -- I think it's going to be an impetus for more courses to realize that there's disabled players out there that can really golf, and we're not just out there hacking the course up.

Maybe they'll make some adjustments and maybe get some carts and make the courses a little more handicapped friendly, disabled friendly. Hopefully it's an impetus for that.

But I think it's a great start. I was excited. I thought it's a good starting point, too, for it to become a Paralympic sport. I'm really happy that they did this tournament.