MIZUHO AMERICAS OPEN

June 3, 2023

Aditi Ashok

Liberty National Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Okay, here with Aditi Ashok after her third round at the Mizuho Americas Open. Another solid round you put up there. Lots of birdies, especially on the front. What was working for you in that first stretch of holes?

ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think I was putting it really good, so I think whatever chances I got I kind of holed them.

And I had a -- I holed out from the bunker on 4, which always helps.

Yeah, 5-under through 10, and I think it got really cold and windy after that. I think it was just trying to make pars after that.

Q. Just one bogey on the card, and three just in three days. How important is it to limit mistakes out here?

ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think this golf course especially makes you think a lot. If you get the right angles and if you play it smart I think it's easier to not drop shots. At least that's what I felt when I played the first round, so that's what I tried to stick to.

The first day was bogey-free so that was my goal, to stick to that and not make too many mistakes.

Today I feel like I kind of put myself in weird positions on a couple holes and I really had to scramble.

Yeah, I think three bogeys so far is not too bad and hopefully I can keep that going.

Q. Saw that hole-out on No, 4. You were in no-man's lands from that bunker. Just walk me through that golf shot.

ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think in the last year or so I've actually worked a lot on my bunker shots, because I feel like on these golf courses, when the greens get firm, if you're on the wrong side it's really hard to stop it.

Before I used to be the kind of player where it was a written bogey. I would be 20, feet, 10 feet past.

But now I try to work on it a lot, find a way to put spin on it, so I'm actually able to get those shots close.

This was just a bonus I guess. I read it well and rolled into the hole. Yeah, I think I worked a lot on those short type bunkers shots, especially where the sand is kind of firm, too.

Yeah, I guess that's kind of paid off.

Q. You got the win earlier this season on the LET in Kenya. What's been the key to your confidence this season? You've been playing some really good golf and looking like a top-class player.

ADITI ASHOK: I think for me I always believed I could do it, because I knew I had the short game and the putting, but I just didn't hit it far enough. My first year I used to hit it a bit further than I did last year, but still in the last five, six seasons I felt like to be a better player I needed some length, so I worked on that in the off-season.

I feel like that 20, 30 yards extra has just been helping me look at the flag on some holes as opposed to playing middle of the green. The closer I get it helps that my putting is good, too, so creates more birdies.

Q. How aggressive do you think you can be on this course knowing that the temperature dropped a little bit today and that changed the conditions, and your ability to adapt knowing you'll only be a couple shots back?

ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think it's more about just playing my own game. Sometimes when the weather is good or you have the right clubs you have to capitalize on it. I did a good job of that on the front nine, you know, five birdies in ten holes.

So just trying to stick to that mindset where if the weather is good and the greens -- I'm hitting it good, just try and hit as many greens and get them close and hole as many putts.

Yeah, if the weather is like this obviously these it's a grind, and I was just trying to make so the pars on the last few holes.

Q. And pacing today was sometimes a bit slow. How do you try to stay within yourself and not get distracted out there knowing there might be a little bit more time in between shots?

ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think I've always struggled with that ever since I turned professional. I think it's one of those things I've had to learn to deal with. Just already golf is such a hard game where your mind sometimes gets carried away and you keep thinking about the next hole or the next shot or the next few holes.

So it's hard when there is a lot of holed up and you have to watch the groups in front of you play.

Yeah, I've tried to switch off on those times and not think about the golf at all and just keep moving, keep swinging just to stay loose, especially because it was cold today.

Q. And you have been up in the top of leaderboards going into final round. What do you think the key will be for you to get this one done?

ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think I just have to shoot a good round. Like I've said before, I feel like every week ten or fifteen girls play the best golf, but one of them ends up winning.

I think I really have to shoot a good round. Hopefully go make more birdies than I made today. Try not to drop my shots. Yeah, I'm just going to stick to my game plan and, yeah, that's it.

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