WOMEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 16, 2023

Catherine Rao

Quick Quotes

Q. Through to the quarterfinals here at the Women's Amateur Championship. You must be really happy with how you're going?

CATHERINE RAO: Yeah, I'm really happy and I'm so happy to be here.

Q. Is this your first trip to the U.K. and first time playing links golf?

CATHERINE RAO: Yes, it is. I played at Chambers Bay and they said it's links golf. It's not really links golf compared to this.

Q. What are the key differences between real links golf and Chambers Bay?

CATHERINE RAO: This course is a lot flatter than I expected because Chambers Bay is extremely hilly and this course is much much tighter. A little bit of trouble off the tee but I made it work.

Q. How far did you go at Chambers Bay?

CATHERINE RAO: Quarterfinals.

Q. So you're looking to go at least one better?

CATHERINE RAO: Definitely.

Q. Do you feel like your game suits links golf?

CATHERINE RAO: I think my game does suit it. I really do like links golf. Off the tee it's a little bit of a struggle but I've always been a good scrambler and even when I missed greens, I try to have fun, stay patient and hit some cool shots here and there.

Q. When was it you decided to come compete in the Women's Amateur Championship?

CATHERINE RAO: I think it was right after I finished my last final. Finals week was so brutal, I was like, I wanted to go to Europe. I was like, this is the perfect opportunity. I get to be in England, went to London before this and playing in a different country is a very cool experience and something I couldn't get to do very often. Very lucky, fortunate.

Q. Your match this afternoon, it looks like a convincing victory in the end.

CATHERINE RAO: Yeah, Nora, her and I met a couple years ago at the Junior Solheim Cup and we were having fun starting from hole one. Front nine, off the tee, struggling but scrambling was good, chipping and putting was good. Tried to have fun and enjoy it. Talked to her, caught up and had some fun stories.

Q. We were chatting earlier in the week and it seems that you have a really great mentality towards your golf and a really positive attitude. Can you talk to us a little bit about that? Is that something that you focus on?

CATHERINE RAO: That's not something that I've always had to say the least but ever since I've been at college at Princeton my coaches have helped me a lot and a lot of it has been growth and maturing and growing up and realizing that I'm not going to make it if I don't have a positive attitude and just love what I'm doing out here so that is a really big focus out here remembering how much I enjoy the sport rather than how I'm playing. There's always going to be another round as long as I'm loving it.

Q. There is still a lot of golf to be played but obviously a lot of opportunities for the champion at this event including competing in majors and the AIG Women's Open. Do you think about that or is it something that you try to putt to the side?

CATHERINE RAO: I think that's something every golfer thinks about, especially playing at this level. It's obviously a dream. It would be absolutely amazing but that's not something I really focus on from shot-to-shot. That's more of a motivator on a day-to-day basis in practice and really grinding and working hard but out there focus on the shot ahead of you.

Q. Couple of questions, some quick facts, what's your natural shot shape?

CATHERINE RAO: Draw.

Q. What's your favourite club?

CATHERINE RAO: Putter. Odyssey.

Q. What is your favourite yardage for wedges?

CATHERINE RAO: 103.

Q. What's the biggest strength of your game?

CATHERINE RAO: My ability to make par from places I shouldn't make par from, that's my chipping and my putting. Both, depending on the day.

Q. Where is your miss, left or right?

CATHERINE RAO: Left.