CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN'S OPEN

August 23, 2022

Maude-Aimee Leblanc

The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, hello everyone. Welcome to our media center, virtual and nonvirtual. I'm here with Maude-Aimee LeBlanc, Canadian native for the CP Women's Open.

How does it feel to be playing here in you home country and an event you've played before? What's it like to be back? Hasn't been played in a while.

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Yeah, right. No, it's great to play here. I always say this is my favorite tournament. Yeah, it's a tournament I look the most forward to. That it's so close to home makes it even more special.

THE MODERATOR: I know we have Brooke's Brigade out here, but I'm sure we'll see tons of people following you, too. Friends and family coming to the course?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Yeah, you'll see some French-Canadians this week.

THE MODERATOR: Awesome. I love that. You just told me you played out here yesterday. How did you find the course? Are you excited to try out Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Yeah, the course is in great condition. A little bit soft because of all the rain, but other than that, I think that plays in my advantage actually because it's going to play a little longer.

But, yeah, the conditions are great. Looking forward to Thursday.

THE MODERATOR: Coming off the European swing, I know you played at AIG Women's Open, for a lot of players it's Europe and we're still in Canada, so still international. But not for you. You're at home now. How does it feel coming off this big European Swing and getting to play in your home country?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: So I had two weeks off after the British Open, which was nice. Got to spend time at home with family. I feel like I'm rested physically and mentally and prepared for this week.

THE MODERATOR: What did you do to prepare your golf game on your off weeks and in Europe?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Well, my off weeks, I took about three or four days off, like didn't touch a club or anything, and then slowly started hitting balls again, go to the gym.

Had a few sponsor's events, so had a little bit of traveling here and there. No, I feel really good right now. Game feels good as well.

THE MODERATOR: A lot of Canadian media here, so I will open to the room. Questions for Maude-Aimee?

Q. How much more comfortable are you the second time around on the LPGA Tour?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Second time around?

Q. You were tired and you were coming back. Compared to the first go-around before you retired compared to where you are now...

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: The first nine years.

Q. After coming back from retirement.

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Yeah, I mean, I feel like taking that year off was a huge, was very important for me. It gave me time to think and put things in perspective, and really also think about what wasn't working in my previous nine years.

I felt like my game was better than my scores and my results, so it was very frustrating. Putting seemed to always be the common denominator every year, so I put a lot of effort on that. Changed coach; worked on my putting a lot.

Last year I think I was top 10 in the statistics for putting, so that was a huge improvement from not even top 100. So that was the biggest difference between then and now.

Q. Is that the reason why you're playing so well this year? This is your best year.

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Yeah, I think so. Also ball striking I think is better, more consistent. But putting definitely is what makes the biggest difference.

Q. Can you take me back to 2019, '20? That's when you kind of stepped away from the game for a little bit. What was your mindset at that time?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Uh-huh, it was not in a good place. I was very frustrated with the game. I didn't enjoy being out there anymore, so definitely made the decision to not come back until I enjoyed it again and felt happy out there.

So it was the toughest decision I've ever made but also the best.

Q. What was the turning point? Last year on the Epson Tour you finished 6; I think got you back on the LPGA Tour. What was it that tipped you to say, I'm ready to get back in the game?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: So golf stopped for a while because of COVID, and then it started playing again on TV and then I started watching it and I started missing it a lot. I really thought, you know, deep down I know I had more to accomplish out here, but, again, I wasn't going to do it until I figured out what I needed to improve or change.

For me was putting, and also attitude, mindset.

Q. And one last question: The Scottish Open, your best finish, tied for 8th. I know your final round didn't go as planned, but still in the final group I think for the first time since maybe you were an amateur. What did that feel like. Birdied the 72nd hole.

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Yeah, that a great experience. Even if the last round, like you said wasn't -- didn't make that many putts that day. It was a great experience mentally. I felt a lot calmer than I thought I would, so that was a huge boost of confidence for the next time I'm in that situation. I think I'll be able to handle to mentally.

Q. I wanted to ask two more. When you were growing up, did you you have any golfers that you looked up to, idols maybe, male or female, French or English?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Yeah, absolutely. When I was about 12, 13, I started watching golf on TV, and that's when Michelle Wie started playing a little bit of professional tournaments. We're the same age, so that's when I really wanted to be a professional golfer as a career, was because of Michelle.

I remember actually playing with her here in 2008. I was still an amateur at the time and I was paired with her the first two rounds. It was the first time I played in front of like hundreds of people. I was so now. I was like shaking on first tee and I didn't play good at all, but it was such a good experience because now I feel a lot more comfortable playing in front of crowds.

Q. What was she like? Did she meet your expectations as an idol? Did she talk to you?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: I mean, yeah, she's very nice. I know when you're playing in tournaments you're so focused on what you're doing. I wasn't expecting to be best friends with her that day.

It was still a good experience. I love watching her strike the ball and she had a great golf swing. So, yeah, I always looked up to her.

Q. Similar height, too.

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: That too, right.

Q. Final question. So you played your collegiate golf at Purdue University, won the NCAA championship in 2010. Winning a NCAA championship in any sport is great. What do you remember about that season and the championship?

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Uh-huh, yeah, I remember winning a few college tournaments that year, and our team was just so good. I think all of the players on our team at the time played professional at some point after that.

So, yeah, I feel like, I don't know, we all came together at the perfect time and it was a really cool experience.

THE MODERATOR: All right, thank you very much.

MAUDE-AIMEE LEBLANC: Thank you.