DANA OPEN PRESENTED BY MARATHON

September 1, 2022

Carlota Ciganda

Highland Meadows Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Carlota Ciganda. Good round. What a surprise. 6-under today, 65, bogey-free. Started on the front, but had a couple birdies in the first three. Walk me through the first couple holes.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I really like this place and I started very solid. I hit a lot of greens, great shots on 1, 2, 3, and I made like 15-footer on 2 and a 10-footer on 3 for birdie.

Then I just told myself to keep giving chances, hit greens. I think it's key on this golf course.

And yeah, I feel very comfortable out there. I like the place. Reminds me of home in the summer, the weather, the trees, the design of the course. I really enjoy playing here and it's been a great day.

Q. Back nine started off a couple birdies on 10, 11. Just walk me through the last nine holes.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, 10 I made a really good putt. It was maybe 28, 30-foot, so that was a great birdie.

11 I hit it to two, three feet, so that was easy birdie.

I birdied 13 as well. I think it was like ten, twelve feet.

Then always nice to finish with a birdie. I hit a great 5-wood into the green on 18, so two-putt birdie.

Yeah, very happy with the round, and especially no bogeys.

Q. What's it like finishing with two par-5s, something we don't usually get out here on the LPGA?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, this course is a little different I feel because you don't have -- on the front nine there is only one par-5, three par-3s, and then you don't have a par-5 until 17 and 18.

So I think -- I mean, you can go 2-, 3-under and then he have those two last holes to make a couple birdies.

But I just enjoy the course. I enjoy it here a lot. Yeah, I like it.

Q. This is one of your better seasons I think in recent years, maybe since '19. What changed? We talk about mindset a lot. What's different?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I have a new caddie that we started at the end of last year, and it's been good. It's taking time for us to get to know each other, but he's really good on the greens and gives me a lot of confidence on my putting.

So I think that's been pretty big this year.

And then I still have the same coach. I keep working hard. I think I have a great team around me that I think it's always important.

And I just love playing and competing. I love when you get to Thursday. From Thursday to Sunday, I love those four days, and I just try my best, compete, and give everything that I have.

Q. Finally, a friend of yours is making her first start as a mom. Azahara Munoz is back out here. Has it been fun to have her back out?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I think it's great to have her back, especially because there are not many Spanish on tour. We are great friends, and I'm so happy for her with the baby. She wanted to be a mom, and now I'm sure she's going to try to play a few events and qualify for Solheim Cup next year.

I love Aza and I hope we can play another Solheim Cup together, especially in Spain. Hopefully we can, yeah, play together and, yeah, win points together.