AMAZINGCRE PORTLAND CLASSIC

September 18, 2022

Daniela Darquea

Columbia Edgewater Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Daniela Darquea. Just notched a runner-up finish at the AmazingCre Portland Classic. You got a big smile on your face. You seem happy with how things turned out.

How proud are you of how you played this week?

DANIELA DARQUEA: Very, very proud. Honestly, I was not expecting to play this well this quick.

Like I told you, I struggled a lot last year, and obviously coming from that and being able to compete and play good golf today, it was really fun. It was good.

Q. You played really good golf today. You had one, two, three, four birdies on the front nine; closed with three birdies to jump up the leaderboard again. What was going through your mind, particularly those last three holes?

DANIELA DARQUEA: I was just trying to stay in the moment, you know. I was obviously trying to do my best. I was trying to read the greens as best as I could and execute the shots as best I could.

I'm really proud of what I did. Really happy with the result. I'm really, really glad this week happened.

Q. Absolutely. I'm sure you are. How important is this to you? It jumps you up the points, but I would think it's got to help the mental game just as much, if not more.

DANIELA DARQUEA: You have no idea. It was rough. It was rough at the beginning of the year, losing the card, going back to Epson. Literally I had probably one or two chances in Dow that I started playing pretty good out here.

Had a few good events and then all of a sudden I was like, okay, should I pick the Epson? Should I pick the LPGA? Obviously I picked this one, and I'm really, really happy I did.

I know I have the game to be here. I just need to keep the mental game going as it is.

Q. I think it also says a lot about what the Epson Tour can do to give you the opportunity. With Andrea winning, she won on Epson this year. Lilia is an Epson winner. How important is it to have that base to give you the opportunity to learn?

DANIELA DARQUEA: You know, the Epson Tour is just growing. I feel like the level out there is really, really, really good. It's just like unbelievable. Like some weeks you have to shoot like 20-, 22-under to have a chance, you know.

I feel like that really helped me gain my confidence back. Obviously I was being responsible, trying to get better with the mental game. That was my main priority this year pretty much.

It was awesome. It was good. It's good to be back. I want to be here. I don't want to be over there. So I'm excited.

Q. We understand totally. Finally, when you're able to sleep on this, what do you think your biggest takeaway will be from how you played this week?

DANIELA DARQUEA: Jeez, you have no idea how much I learned this year, this past two years. Last year was such a struggle, and now being able to stay in the moment, stay calm, like execute the shots, take it one shot at a time, if I get in trouble, get out of trouble quick, it's big. It's very important. Obviously I'm excited for what is to come.

Q. And then I just want to ask, growing up in Ecuador, there is not a lot of Ecuadorian professional players. Who did you look up to and who have been your mentors or who have you talked to?

DANIELA DARQUEA: Obviously growing up I was watching Lorena win tournaments, you know. She was like someone I very looked up to.

Also, Mariajo Uribe. She's a good friend. When I came on tour she kind of took me under her wing and mentored me through everything, so I'm very grateful with her.

She was an awesome friend. I can't wait to keep playing out here with her.