U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 23, 2022

Yana Wilson

The Club at Olde Stone

Press Conference

Q. You've looked at those names on that trophy; pretty special names, and your name is going to be right alongside Amy Alcott, Nancy Lopez, Mickey Wright, Lexi Thompson, Minjee Lee. It's a collection of great players and your name is on there with them. What does that mean?

YANA WILSON: It means a lot. Today I kind of walked by and I kind of looked at the boards that they have walking up to hole 1, and I saw a lot of the girls that won the U.S. Girls' Junior won the U.S. Open, and they have really just become legends. Hopefully one day I can join them.

Q. And majors in that group.

YANA WILSON: A ton of majors, yeah.

Q. You're going to play Pebble Beach next year. Have you ever been there? What are your thoughts about that? And you're going to play it with the game's best players.

YANA WILSON: Yeah, it's insane. It's honestly unreal. Nothing has really sunken in yet, honestly. On the back nine I didn't really realize that I was in an actual match because I was just trying to play my best golf possible.

Q. Any thoughts about Pebble Beach? You've watched it on television --

YANA WILSON: Pebble looks amazing. Actually my dad has played Pebble Beach I think twice, and I've only seen No. 18 once because I think we went to go get dinner to visit there --

Q. 17-Mile Drive?

YANA WILSON: Yeah.

Q. Anything else about what you've seen on television? Is there any hole that you're thinking about?

YANA WILSON: That one par-3 --

Q. 7?

YANA WILSON: Probably 7. I'm so excited to play it.

Q. You're exempt now into the next two Women's Amateurs, you're exempt for the rest of your Girls' Juniors. You think about all the stuff that's going to come your way, Augusta National Women's Amateur.

YANA WILSON: I'm excited. I'm really excited.

Q. You guys were so tight all the way through and on the last couple of holes you started to pull away. What did you think was the difference?

YANA WILSON: I honestly think it was my caddie to be honest. I don't think I had anything to do with it. We were just finishing up 10, and we were on hole 11. He did the funniest thing. I can't say what, but he did the funniest thing.

Q. It just loosened you up?

YANA WILSON: Yeah, it just cracked me up.

Q. You missed a short putt on 8, and that could deflate any player, and you came back on 9 and she hit the flagstick with her third and you won the hole.

YANA WILSON: Yeah, I got pretty lucky there.

Q. Did you feel like something was starting to turn your way at that point?

YANA WILSON: Yeah, whenever she hit the flagstick and it kind of bounced away, I was like, okay, maybe this is meant to be, I guess. But I was obviously still rooting for Gia. I was hoping she would make that chip.

Honestly, I just tried to get that momentum to keep going from 9 to now.

Q. You made some tough little four- or five-footers to either tie or win holes. Those are tough putts to make in any circumstance, but now to make them when you're trying to win the biggest prize in girls' golf, what was going through your mind and how do you stay calm in those situations?

YANA WILSON: To be honest, I didn't really treat my back nine as it was like an actual match. I was just trying to hit fairways and hit greens and just roll them in like I do in practice, so I just kind of carried that mentality on with me.

Q. You've kind of got Gianna's number; you beat her twice in the Wyndham Cup, in foursomes and in four-ball, and now you beat her in a singles match in a big one.

YANA WILSON: No, my match play record is pretty solid right now, so I'm pretty happy about that.

Q. What makes you a good match play player?

YANA WILSON: Honestly, I try not to get affected by little things, and I feel like sometimes the opponents that I play against are really fiery, and if stuff doesn't go their way they get upset. I feel like I'm just a very steady player. But also I think match play also translates into playoffs, and I'm 10 for 1 in playoffs.

Q. You've won 10 playoffs?

YANA WILSON: Won 10, lost one, and the only one I've lost was in the 2019 U.S. kids' world championships.

Q. That's a pretty good record.

YANA WILSON: Yeah.

Q. A long week like this, it's hot out here today, and you're playing for the championship. What kept you patient, because you can lose focus easily when it's scorching out.

YANA WILSON: Totally. It was kind of brutal out here today. I was telling my caddie, wasn't trying to say it out too loud so Gia wouldn't hear me complain, but it was tough. I just tried to stay as cool as possible. TaylorMade gave me an umbrella, so I used it. That was so helpful this week. I put my face in like the ice chest over there for a little bit.

Q. Rose won this last year. Have you heard from some people?

YANA WILSON: Honestly, I haven't checked my phone yet.

Q. It's probably blowing up.

YANA WILSON: Probably. I'm scared to check, but we'll see how it goes.