LPGA DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP

March 23, 2023

Gaby Lopez

Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Gaby Lopez after her first round here at the LPGA Drive On Championship. Take us through your round today. Bogey-free. What was working so well for you today?

GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, just solid round overall. You know, we worked last couple weeks on getting some iron feelings, and I think I'm just creating better contact in my irons and my driver.

So, yeah, I think it was just like smooth, consistent round.

Q. You played really well out of the sand today. What was working with your bunker shots? Got some up and downs.

GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, I've been working a lot on my short game and it's been helping me lately, so I'm just not as stressed as I was before to miss a green.

Just getting better contacts I think also kind of getting -- kind of reading better the lie of the bunker. So, yeah, I don't know.

Q. Later in the day, as it starts to cool off, do you change your approach in terms of club selection or how you're putting or anything?

GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, definitely. You know, when it gets cooler the ball just doesn't go as far. The greens get a little firmer so you just got to make a little adjustment to how much the ball is a going to bounce.

So, yeah, supposedly tomorrow morning is going to be a little cooler than it this afternoon, so we'll just have to gear up.

Q. Did you get to play this course much before this week?

GABY LOPEZ: I played one time with Carlota. I think I played with her like five years ago. She invited me over but I really couldn't remember any holes, so it's good to be back.

Q. Five years since today?

GABY LOPEZ: Yeah. Probably like five years, yeah.

Q. Does it feel weird playing a course you're just not fully familiar with? How do you handle like --

GABY LOPEZ: It's a new stop for everyone on tour other than the Arizona girls, so it's kind of the same for everybody. Doesn't matter if it's like an old course or brand new course. I guess just got to be comfortable with hitting every single shot.

Q. Do you play in Arizona a lot every?

GABY LOPEZ: We played when we were in college when I was in Arkansas. And, yeah, I remember the cool mornings and then kind of warming up.

Q. I want to talk a little bit more about your round. This is a new start for everybody, so how does it feel to come back, get into the swing of things in the States, and have such a great first round?

GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, it's great to put another golf tournament in, another season. Excited for what's to come.

I'm going to take it lighter this year. Not going to play as many tournaments as I've done before, so going to take it a little easier on my body.

Yeah, trying to enjoy a little bit more every single day out there playing or practicing or being with friends. Yeah, not take it too personal, because sometimes we take golf too personal, and that's when it becomes like a down spiral.

Q. Didn't have anything to take personal today. You had no bogeys. Zero mistakes out there. Seven birdies. What would you say is the best part of your game? Putting? Iron shots?

GABY LOPEZ: No, I think just consistency over my iron shots, and I guess just being calm out there also helped. Yeah, I think we did a good strategy with my caddie. He's done a great job with club selection and like reading it off the rough. Sometimes you can get a flier. So, yeah, I think just overall good job.

Q. What did you learn about the course today that you want to take into the rest of the week?

GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, I think it's going to get just firmer as the week goes on, especially with like cool mornings.

So being able to just be very strategic with iron play. Sometimes you want to hold it from the fairway but you have a landing area, so just got to be very disciplined hitting it five yards left and making a 15-footer, other than go pin seeking. I guess, yeah.