WOMEN'S AMATEUR ASIA-PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2023

Eila Galitsky

Press Conference

Q. It is our great pleasure to introduce Eila Galitsky, the 2023 Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific champion. Eila congratulations, how are you feeling?

EILA GALITSKY: So excited to play all the majors and just really thankful for this moment. Did not expect this to happen at the beginning of the week.

Q. Talk to us about your final round. How were you feeling out there? Yesterday you said you were rapping because you were nervous. Were you singing on the course again today?

EILA GALITSKY: Of course. How can I not? Did not rap on the course today, though. I was very, very nervous going into the first. I didn't really get a lot of sleep last night. I woke up at 4:30 this morning very nervous.

Q. Yesterday you said you didn't want to jinx it, so you obviously didn't think about the final round, you didn't think about playing golf because you didn't want to jinx it. What did you do? And you said you couldn't sleep last night.

EILA GALITSKY: Yeah, I was just nervous. Honestly I set a goal for myself today. I was going to play 5-under par. I was one short of it, played 4-under par today. The reason I was going to play 5-under par today was because my four-day record was 14-under par. I was just trying to break that record today, and tied my record.

Q. How do you keep yourself so calm and composed on the golf course? Have you always been like that, or is it something that you've learned lately?

EILA GALITSKY: To keep calm, I just sing. This morning, the past runner-up, Natthakritta, or as we all know her, Sim 300, she called me and just said, play your game, whatever happens happens, and that really made me feel better, so yeah.

Q. During the round, when did you think that it was all under control and it was now up to you to win it?

EILA GALITSKY: The first putt on 18. Before that I had no idea what was going to happen, especially that short little miss I had on 14. I thought that that might be the downfall today. But, I kept my composure and kept on going.

Q. Can you tell us if you considered driving on 17? And also, you were in discussion with Avani after you hit your shot. Can you tell us about your relationship, how far back you guys go and how friendly you are?

EILA GALITSKY: Well, last year throughout summer we played basically a lot of events together in Europe. I know her from there, and since kind of the Girls' Amateur, we've been pretty close. On 17 she said I was really stupid not to go for the green.

Q. What was your thinking there? Why didn't you go for it?

EILA GALITSKY: I'm a bit of a fader, so there was just a lot of out of bounds on the right, and I didn't want to play with that. I just hit a 2-iron up there and pulled it a little bit. That's why I went into the bunker.

Q. Yesterday on hole 10 where you pulled it to the left, you actually had a walking interview on the way to your ball. How do you manage to stay so calm even though you're probably in a little bit of trouble but you still made par on that hole?

EILA GALITSKY: Well, I already hit the shot, so I can't really do anything about that. But just during the walk up to the ball, I try not to think about my shot. I either sing to myself or just think about something else. Yeah, that interview was no problem for me.

Q. I want to talk about the closing five holes, the bogey on the 14th, how were you able to overcome the nerves from that, and after that you closed with three birdies in the last four holes. What went through your mind for the last four holes?

EILA GALITSKY: On 14, I knew I didn't line my putt correctly, but I just tried to adjust it when I putted it, and maybe not do that. I should have gone down and made the line correct before I putted it. But yeah, I missed that putt, and honestly I laughed it off, and I told my coach that watch me on 15, hit it to about the same distance and make my birdie, and that's exactly what I did.

Q. Some amazing prizes coming your way. You will be traveling to tournaments that even the top professionals dream of playing. Just talk to us about the rest of the year and what you are thinking about it.

EILA GALITSKY: Honestly, just trying to enjoy every single moment of it. What an opportunity I've got. I just need to try to savour every moment.

Q. You said you were most looking forward to the AIG Women's Open. What is it in particular about that championship?

EILA GALITSKY: Honestly, I just feel like it's the championship for women's golf. Honestly, any major would be great, but I just really like that one.

Q. Do you really like links golf? You were a quarterfinalist at the Girls' Amateur, as well. Is there something you can tell us about links golf, and how did you become a good links player?

EILA GALITSKY: Honestly, the first time I played links I really, really did not like it because it's really unpredictable. Unlike Asian courses over here, we just hit it, hit to the pin, and it just kind of stays there if you hit it straight enough. But in links, even if you hit it straight, it can take a really, really bad bounce, end up in the really bad stuff on the sides there, and yeah, it's just unpredictable, especially with the wind. The wind is just crazy over there. It took some getting used to, yeah, definitely.

Q. When was the first time you heard about something called a major? Now you'll be playing three of them. Was it when you were three years old, four years old? When was the first time you heard about any major?

EILA GALITSKY: Honestly I started playing golf when I was eight. I think I had heard about the first major when I was like 10. I didn't really understand what was a major. To me a major was like going to Bangkok and playing against the top Thai players. That was major for me. Yeah, so I found out about a major when I was about 10.

Q. Have you met Atthaya Thitikul?

EILA GALITSKY: I've seen her once, playing in Thailand playing at the Phoenix Gold Country Club. Yeah, I've only met her once. I've never talked to her, but she's one of my idols.

Q. Last year, only four months ago in Thailand, you had a little bit of the experience of the media duties when you were actually translator for one of your teammates. Fast forward four months, and you went from translator to champion. Could you envisage that progress, and do you enjoy the media duties?

EILA GALITSKY: I mean, I've never really had this, so it's kind of very exciting. But yeah, definitely from translator to champion, it's a pretty big move up.

Q. You mentioned at the start that you didn't have very high expectations this week. Why was that, and realistically what were you aiming at, just making the cut?

EILA GALITSKY: Honestly, my first practice round here I think I lost like five balls, so yeah, just making the cut was my goal at that point because it is pretty tight here, but then I adjusted my driver on the last practice round, after the last practice round, and really felt a lot better with my driver.

Q. Parents play a big, big role in the development of any player, and I know how special a relationship you have with your parents. They were crying near the greenside. Just tell us how much they have done for you and what they mean to you.

EILA GALITSKY: I mean, they've done everything for me. I wouldn't be here without them. Just yeah, I'm really, really thankful to have them, and they're the best parents I could ever ask for.

Q. You have just a driver and another wood?

EILA GALITSKY: Yeah, I have a driver and a 3-wood.

Q. In terms of the clubs in your bag, is that a hard technique for young girls to take the club setup that you have?

EILA GALITSKY: I had a rescue before the Asia-Pacific last year. I just never really got along with my rescue, and then I switched to a 2-iron, and it just felt right, so yeah.