AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

March 30, 2023

Amari Avery

Quick Quotes

Q. Amari, nice little close there. What did you say to yourself after the bogey on 7 to kind of kick start you and finish like that?

AMARI AVERY: Yeah, I wasn't expecting to bogey 7. I thought I hit a good tee shot and I was like for sure I'm getting birdie here.

I missed the green abnormally short, made a bogey, and just told myself, it's one thing or another. I said, it's I'm making two birdies and have a good shot or I don't. I've been playing well all day. Ball striking was amazing, and just couldn't get a single putt to drop.

I wasn't expecting much and hit a good one on 8. Was able to convert, and 9 as well.

Q. How far out were you on 7? Like 70, 75 yards?

AMARI AVERY: Yeah, it was 74 to the pin and 67 to the front. I was trying to hit the front number. I thought I hit it good, but I think I was about seven short.

Q. What were the nerves like then coming down knowing that you're -- did you know you were playing on the cut line?

AMARI AVERY: I knew I was on the cut line pretty much all day. Like I said, I was playing really well so I kind of expected I would go up a little bit, but just didn't go that way. When I bogeyed 7 nerves struck in, but I was also getting down on myself. I was like, I'm playing so well and the scores don't show. I was able to push through and just give it my all and it worked out.

Q. And you make the birdie, right?

AMARI AVERY: Yeah, made the birdie on 8 and made the birdie on 9.

Q. What were the lengths of the birdies?

AMARI AVERY: I think 8 was probably about nine feet and then I two-putted on 9.

Q. You obviously come into the tournament not expecting to be in the situation to kind of grind to the end, right?

AMARI AVERY: Yeah.

Q. -- looking back few minutes later, what was that like?

AMARI AVERY: Yeah, it was tough. I mean, I've been saying before the week started that it was going to be tough and challenging, but I didn't quite expect this much. I feel like I was stressed for 36 holes straight. I just had to trust in my game and hope that it worked out.

Q. Obviously you play tournaments to win, but is this tournament different in the fact that there is still a lot to play for, even to make the cut and get to play Saturday?

AMARI AVERY: Yeah, I think that's where I had to change my mentality a little bit. I came into the week with of course high expectations, but you never know how it's going to go.

Being a top player I expected to be in the Top 5 going into Saturday. Can't really expect those kind of things here. Champions Retreat is a tough golf course and challenging mentally and physically.

I mean, getting to Augusta or even just getting here and getting to go play in this event, you have to take pride in that. Of course just making the cut, that's always great.

Q. How has this spring been different for you game-wise, mental-wise, than last spring?

AMARI AVERY: Yeah, it's been completely different. I don't expect to match what I did my first spring. That was just magical. That's that the only word I got for it.

Feel like I've been playing pretty similar. Just haven't been putting up the scores lately. But I think it's just a mental challenge at this point, kind of going through it and I'm figuring it out. Physically I feel like I'm still (indiscernible.)

Q. You played against Rose Zhang a lot and then been teammates with her representing the U.S. What can you tell us about behind-the-scenes Rose?

AMARI AVERY: Rose is probably one of the funniest people I know. She is super chill. She's a great competitor on and off the golf course. You wouldn't expect that when you see her off the golf course. You think she's a regular girl, not the No. 1 golfer in the world or anything.

You have to respect her on and off the golf course.

Q. What impresses you the most about Rose on the golf course?

AMARI AVERY: I think just how much in control she is. I mean, she's not perfect. She may be No. 1 in the world but she's not perfect. She hits bad shots like everyone else.

It's just her will to keep pushing and trying to make the best she can. I think we can all take something from her.

Q. Some of your Curtis Cup teammates were hovering around the cut line. What's it like to have that camaraderie this week?

AMARI AVERY: It's great. I remember coming into my first year didn't really know a lot of the people. Then now with the experience and just playing in teams like on the Curtis Cup, we just have a bond that not a lot of people have.

We're kind of sticking by each other, pushing each other. Like at the hotel or on the rides back we're talking to each other trying to get ourselves amped up, especially the ones of us that were on the cut line or even behind it a bit.

So we're just trying to push each other to get into Saturday, and most of us got through.

Q. This monochrome look, are you doing that for the rest of week?

AMARI AVERY: I didn't plan on it yesterday. I had an all white outfit on, but that wasn't the plan. I was wearing a pink checkered shirt. Today I figured might as well go for the monochrome. Jacket was working and I kept it on even though it got hot and it looks good, so I kept it going.