AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

March 31, 2023

Emilia Migliaccio

Quick Quotes

Q. I'm doing a story about this practice round, this experience out here. You've gotten to do it now more than once. What is it like, especially the first time you came out here, to get to play this course finally and experience this day?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: Yeah, it's incredible. I was actually telling the people I was playing with today, my teammates, that I don't really get star struck when I meet people, but the feeling of playing this golf course, I get star struck. It's hard to focus when I'm over a shot, and I can think back to when I was watching on TV and just seeing people hit shots.

Yeah, it's really cool, and definitely something -- you have to manage when you're playing a competition, that you have to really focus and try to hit a good shot because precision is key on this golf course. It's incredible. It's a private round for all of us, and they just put on an incredible show here at ANWA, and we're really lucky to be here and really happy.

Q. How do you balance trying to enjoy the experience today and actually preparing for a final round when you're in it tomorrow?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: Yeah, I feel like when I'm enjoying myself, I'm doing everything better anyway. Like I'm hitting better shots and I am more focused, as well.

But yeah, there's a balance of -- I'm not going to be sitting there grinding on every single shot. I'm going to take it all in, enjoy the views. Charlie and I walked back on 13 to see the changes, like the back tee box, so that was really cool. Yeah.

Q. What did you think about that back tee box on 13?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: It actually looks more open. Like you walk down the tee box, and you're like, oh, my gosh, this is probably going to be narrow, but I feel like it almost opens up the fairway, but that's for me; I don't hit it as far as them.

Q. Is it higher than it used to be?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: Yeah, it's a little higher. But yeah, it's beautiful. Like all the flowers there, like it's so secluded. It's pretty incredible.

Q. How did the course play today compared to the previous times you've played it?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: Pretty similar I would say. There's nothing that's -- I feel like Augusta doesn't really change, it just stays pretty standard and pristine. But yeah, it was great. I would say that I'm just more comfortable with what I need to do off the tee and how -- I would say I'm most comfortable with the speed and the breaks and where I need to aim. I'm pretty comfortable aiming 90 degrees right for a 20-footer now.

Q. How has your experience changed out here over the years?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: I would say through my maturity just as a player. My first year was really cool getting to watch my teammate play. I obviously wanted to be out there. But I feel the two times I've missed the cut and the two times I've made it, I've enjoyed all of those experiences because yes, there was two years where I didn't play well, but you're at one of the most beautiful places in the world, and with some of the coolest history, and you really just have to soak it in. Golf is so much more than a score, so I think I really learned that those two years where I didn't make the cut.

I'm so excited to play tomorrow. Words can't describe it. I'm just going to really try to -- I hope it's the longest round of my life so I can just treasure it as much as possible.

Q. What was the most fun thing you did out there today or the best experience with Rachel and Carolina?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: I think they had a little bit of a match going on, but I love being with them. They're two of my best friends, so we were just having and chatting it up on the course. They mic'd Charlie and I up on 10, 11 and 12 and there was some pretty funny banter that went back and forth, so that was fun.

Q. Are you viewing this as your last time you're going to play or are you continue to play in the future?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: If I make it next year, I want to play for sure. I don't care if I haven't played a tournament since nationals. I definitely want to play. Obviously I'm going to have different expectations. It will be more just enjoying the week and getting to play a really hard golf course with the best competition. Yeah, I definitely want to play as much as I can.

Q. How many tournaments do you think you're going to play after June 1?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: I don't think any probably until the Mid-Am because the U.S. Am is just one that I'm going to work since it's not a stroke-play event. I can't really work and play. I'll definitely try to qualify for the Women's Open because that's one I can swing together. They gave me approval on that if I can try and qualify, and they'll figure out my Peacock schedule for broadcasting. But I definitely want to play the women's four-ball and the Mid-Am every year, and we'll see how life pans out after that. A lot of social golf, though. I'll be playing a lot of golf, maybe just not as many tournaments.

Q. I don't remember what it is, but what qualifies you to come back next year finish-wise tomorrow?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: World Ranking, top 30 Americans would be -- or you win the Women's Amateur or you win this tournament.

Q. It's not a top 5 or a top 10 get you back?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: No.

Q. I wanted to ask you about Rose Zhang. You know her on so many different levels, competitor, teammate and broadcast. Could you just describe her in one word?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: Humble.

Q. Knowing all these different aspects of her game, could you describe her game and what she's going to bring out here tomorrow?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: I would say her game is elegant. I feel a lot of people compare her to Lydia Ko. Lydia Ko's game is just elegant, and that's Rose. She has such a smooth rhythm. She's so calm. She makes it look very easy, and obviously there's years and years of preparation and focus, and her head is not as probably -- it's obviously not as easy as it looks, and despite all the success, she probably feels more pressure because she has very high expectations for herself, which makes it more impressive on how she handles herself every time. She's set on stage and she's just able to win.

Q. Between the Emilia who competed in 2021 and Emilia today, what's the biggest difference in your game?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: Biggest difference in my game, I feel there's not much difference in my game except for the fact that I've had more reps since '21 because I didn't play college golf, but I'd say my putting is probably better. I'm probably more consistent. But I think that's more just due to the amount of reps.

But luckily I feel it's stayed pretty consistent.

Q. You've done this a couple times now. What's the give and take of having a personal caddie versus an Augusta caddie? How do you make that decision?

EMILIA MIGLIACCIO: Yeah, I think it's definitely a personal preference. If you're someone that really likes a lot of information and data, then an Augusta caddie would be for you. I like to have all that in the practice round and then when I'm competing, I'm of the philosophy that I have to play good golf if I want to score well, and luckily I've played Augusta National enough times to be able to sort of have an idea of how I need to chip and how the greens react, and for me getting to have the memory of my mom on the bag and now Charlie, that means more to me than having an Augusta caddie and maybe being one stroke lower. And I shot 2-under with my mom, so honestly, someone could come at me.