WOMEN'S AMATEUR ASIA-PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP

March 7, 2023

Nada Mir

Quick Quotes

Q. Can you tell us your name and where you're from?

NADA MIR: I'm Nada Mir. I'm from Qatar.

Q. You just played your practice round here at the Singapore Island Country Club. Can you tell us your thoughts about the course?

NADA MIR: It can be extremely challenging, especially with how some of the greens are designed, the slopes. I can see the organising committee really putting up a challenge, especially on the third and the fourth day. I'm excited. It's going to be -- what's the word? A journey.

The course itself, the green conditions, that's what we're always looking for, the green conditions, are just superb. I've honestly never played on such greeny greens. So yeah, it's amazing. The course, the environment, how they've preserved the natural life and the nature as well as the trees and all that, you don't really get to see that a lot.

It's just very artificial and just feels so natural. It feels like a golf course. So yeah, I like it.

Q. How have you prepared for this?

NADA MIR: So obviously this is a major amateur tournament. I got the email that I was invited in November, so in November I won the Pan-Arab Championship and then right after that I won the Jordan Open. As soon as I got the email, I was like, okay, this is serious stuff because I'm playing with the top, top amateur golfers in Asia. I need to put up a performance, and especially that Qatar has never made an entry before in the WAAP. I was like, I really need to get out there.

So I've been training. I go to uni, as well, so uni in the morning, training in the evenings until like 8:00 p.m., so my day starts at 5:00 a.m., I need to get to uni where I'm also a student employee. I work, I study, I gym, I come to training in the evening. My day ends at 9:00 p.m. Go back home, sleep, repeat all over again. It's been hectic, but honestly, it's all worth it because that's why I'm here. This is what I'm here to do.

Q. As you said, it's the first time anyone from Qatar has played in this event. How does that make you feel?

NADA MIR: Proud. Very, very proud. Like it's not that proud and like satisfied because it's not easy getting here, especially from the Middle East. It's not easy. It's been a very, very challenging journey, especially me being female.

When I was younger, girls did not play sports. We were told girls do not play sports, and I was like, no, that's not fair. I want to play sports, and especially golf. Golf is not a major thing in the Middle East even in Qatar. It wasn't a major thing. But I kept fighting.

For me to be able to do this and be here 10 years later, just very proud of myself. I have goosebumps talking about it. I'm just very proud of myself and very satisfied with all the hard work being paid off. So yeah.

Q. Obviously there's a lot at stake this week with the exemptions into the major championships. How does that make you feel? Are you inspired? What's your goal?

NADA MIR: A hundred percent inspired. Like I really don't care about winning or qualifying for those championships. What I do care about is giving 100 percent, because if I'm not giving 100 percent, why be here. If me giving 100 percent means I win those championships or get those invitations, yeah, cool. If it means I don't, that's cool, too. I'm just here to play golf, give my 100 percent, make new friends, and explore.