AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

March 31, 2023

Maria Jose Marin

Quick Quotes

Q. Your first time at Augusta National. Take us through how the practice round went and your initial impressions of the course.

MARIA JOSE MARIN: Well, as you said, it's my first time, so I'm totally amazed with the course. It's been a dream since I was a little kid of being here and playing here. The course is a really strategic course. You have to be careful with the second shots and with the greens and some of the -- and with some of the hole locations, too.

Q. Anything specific that you did today to try and prep for tomorrow's round?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: I think I might do a little short game practice session. I think it's one of the keys to succeed on this golf course.

Q. I know you've got your family here with you. What does it mean to have their support throughout this week?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: It means a lot to me that they're here and they have the opportunity to step on this really beautiful course, too, and while it feels different to have their support, it's just amazing to have them here.

Q. What's their advice for you as you head into the final round here at Augusta National tomorrow?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: Well, kind of a piece of advice to myself, it's to just be relaxed, keep calm. I know that I'm playing good golf, so that can be enough for the round.

Q. What are you most looking forward to tomorrow?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: I just kind of feel like today was a practice round, but tomorrow I kind of feel like kind of the pressure of the tournament, and I think it's going to feel a lot different, and that's kind of the magic of the round.

Q. Do you have a favorite hole?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: Yes, hole No. 16.

Q. Did you hit any good shots there?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: Yeah, I hit a really good shot there, and I tried to hit to the last round flag at the Masters. That's like way back left.

Q. What club did you hit?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: I hit an 8-iron.

Q. How did it compare playing out here to seeing it on TV?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: It's a lot different playing it and seeing it through TV. Some of the holes seem harder than they are, and some of the holes that are -- that you see that they're easy, they're not easy. You have to be careful.

Q. Were there any areas you felt like you could have an advantage or capitalize on?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: Yeah, I think I hit the ball pretty straight with my driver, and that's one of the advantages that I think I have here on the course.

Q. What's one thing you noticed about the course today that you didn't previously know?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: That it's a lot hillier than I thought it would be. On TV you don't see the hill on No. 9, you don't see it. On No. 18. I thought it was way -- yeah, that it was not that hilly.

Q. What was one of your favorite shots you hit today?

MARIA JOSE MARIN: I think on hole No. 16, I tried to hit the shot over the lake, like the pros that they do. That was a fun shot.