THE AMUNDI EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 21, 2022

Cheyenne Knight

Evian Resort Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Cheyenne Knight. What a day. 65 to kick off the week here. 6-under. This is a golf course you have only played a couple times. What did you figure out I guess during practice and even last year that really helped you today?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, last year I didn't even get my clubs until Wednesday night, so I only had one practice round like ever here.

But I think you're just going to get some funny bounces, and I feel like playing smart, because you can use a lot of slopes on the green to get close to the pins.

But keeping it in the fairway is really important. The rough is thick, and so, you know, I hit 17 greens today, and that's kind of really what was the key.

I just like played smart for most of the day.

Q. 17 greens, 8 birdies, 2 bogeys. Any birdies really stand out? Any long putts?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: I would say just like how I started off. I was 4-under after 5. Yeah, I made a really good birdie on 10. Probably out of that bunch, the one that stuck out was probably on -- gosh, maybe 14. Yeah, I made like a 25-footer and so that was kind of like unexpected.

But the other ones were pretty close. Yeah, a lot of birdies, which was nice. I just gave myself a lot of opportunities, and that's just -- told myself to keep giving myself chances.

Q. What's been working with the ball striking? If you're hitting it that close, there's got to be a kind of easier look at birdie than 25-footers, but what's been working?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: I've just like been working on my swing, and my motto this year is like focus on my craft.

So I've really been doing that, and like it's so cliche, but process over result is something I've really like tried to do a lot more of this year.

You know, just I'm working on the right things and just keep trying to perfect my craft, play Cheyenne Knight golf. I've gotten back to that and I've just like enjoyed myself a lot more on the golf course.

Yeah, just trying to really just hone in on the process and being present.

Q. Usually the first one win is awesome because you finally get it off your back, but the second win is harder. Expectations rise after you get the first win. Is that something you feel like you struggled with that you're finally just getting back to I just got to worry about process over results?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, last year was a really hard year for me. I just didn't really love it and I was kind of burnt out I felt like.

But, yeah, I played a lot last year, too. I only I think skipped one event, and that was not good for me. So I've kind of taken is step back this year. Had to regroup at the end of last season and just kind of what is my craft and what is that? I know I can compete out here, and at the end of the day I love to play out here, love to compete, and I want to be in contention.

So, yeah, I think that second win is something that I know I can do it. Just got to keep like doing the things every day with the process and put myself in contention. I want to be competing in majors. I want to be one of the top players in the world that are up there every week.

So just trying to do that by doing the little things every day.

Q. And that strategy is working so well so far here at Evian. Obviously not knowing the golf course super well, you knew you were going to get some weird lies, funny bounces, but was there anything about this golf course that surprised you again or even last year that you worked on or like knew coming in, okay, X, Y, Z is what I got to get right here?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, you don't have any flat lies. A lot of like ball above or below your feet, so you can always like aim a certain way.

But I feel like hitting shots and like controlling the club face off those fairway shots are important.

You don't really have a flat putt ever, so a lot of break. Like dialing my AimPoint. So working on just like the whole slope. You're on the side of a mountain and you play on it the whole day, so just like those little things.

But I think it's a course that like fits my eye. I have my caddie who has been out here 20 plus years so he knows the course really well. That's helped.

Q. For a Texas girl, flat is the motto.

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yes, flat and wind.

Q. Has this been an adjustment at all?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, it's been an adjustment. I would say in the practice round when I had a ball like severely above or below my feet, I kind of had to try to change the shot I was hitting. Like ball was above my feet I tried to hit more of a fade, and vice versa if it was below my feet.

So, yeah, just you -- we don't really play golf courses as hilly as this ever. On the range it's a flat shot. In the practice round I hit a few extra shots just experimenting a little bit, just hitting shots.

So, yeah.

Q. Three days left. Obviously first round is awesome, but three days to go.

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yes.

Q. What's the mindset heading into the next three rounds besides that process over results?

CHEYENNE KNIGHT: Yeah, just going to stay present. I mean, I'm like last off tomorrow, so I kind of have a big gap. Just keep doing what I'm doing and get some rest.

And, yeah, you know, first day is great, but just staying patient. You don't win to the first day, but definitely put myself like in a good spot.

So just going to keep giving myself chances and hitting the green.