MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 17, 2023

Ashleigh Buhai

Blythefield Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Ash, I said it as you came in. You go from a bogey on 17 and kind of just wipe that away with the eagle you just made on 18. What was the feeling coming up to those last two holes?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah, I hit a really good drive on 17, and then just that fairway slants really left to right. Hit a little bit heavy. Just made a bad swing.

And then had a terrible lie, standing half in and out of the bunker, so just tried to get on the green, take my bogey and get out of there.

Obviously we know 18 is gettable. Just, okay, I need two more good swings, and that's what did I.

Q. Two more good swings especially. But before that, a string of birdies as well.

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Uh-huh.

Q. We've been seeing you become more and more comfortable on this course over the last two days. Overall, what has been your mindset and your kind of comfortability being in contention two weeks in a row like this?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Mindset is exactly the same as the last few months. Just trying to do my job well when I get to the ball. Only focus on one thing that I'm trying to focus on, particularly when I'm swinging it can, chipping, just do that one thing well. When I'm putting, try to do that one thing well.

So I got a few things that I just need to implement, and when I get over the ball I clear my head and that's my only thought, to try to do that good.

Q. Is this maybe the most free golf you've been playing in a while you feel like?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah, for sure. Yeah.

Q. Why would that be other than maybe the win?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Obviously, you know, winning gives you confidence and it's a by-product and just kind of once you're in that situation, the more you put yourself in the situation the more comfortable you become.

Again, by not focusing on the outcome and just trying to, like I say, focus on that moment and doing my job well at the ball, that kind of frees you up a lot I think.

Q. What did you hit in at 18 and how close were you?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: I hit a 5-hybrid, probably six meters.

Q. How much out were you on the approach?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: The hole was -- I still play meters. The hole was 192, but I had 172 to the front downwind. That's all we were trying to do. I was a little blocked out by the tree so I had to whip it around the tree, which I did.

And that's not my favorite shot. I fade the ball. I stood up there really committed to the shot and I said to Tanya, if I can get this to the middle of the green, but it rolled up there a little closer, which was nice.

Q. Right to left, left to right shape, which one is...

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: For me, left to right is my standard. I fade the ball, so a draw. I can hit it when I want to; it's just not that I standard shot.

Q. When you look at your play over the last year and how well you played, winning big championships around the world, do you look at it as more of a breakthrough in your physical game or your mental game?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Both. I think the physical game has been there for a long time, but the mental game needed some work, and that's just given me that nudge to get over the line.

But physically as well, you know, my body, I feel I'm a bit stronger than I was maybe last year. Like I've said, having the full time physio that I worked without here, she's been great keeping me in weeks I thought I might not have played just to keep me rolling.

And the weeks I'm doing in -- the work I'm doing in the off weeks back in Florida I think is also helping.

Q. With your mindset, kind of when you're in a pack of five or six players and you're all tied, how does that affect your mindset and what's the mindset in that position?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: It doesn't change, to be honest. I think when you start to push, then that's where mistakes happen.

So, again, I know I'm repeating myself the last few weeks but every time I get up to the ball I just think of whatever shot I'm trying to hit and just commit to that completely.

Whatever the outcome is after that, obviously it's difficult to sometimes forget about it if you don't get the one you want, but get up to the next one and try to do the best you can on the next shot.

Today I made four really good up and downs to keep me in it. If I didn't make that I wouldn't probably be where I was.

Q. You haven't won this event in your career. What would a win in this tournament mean to you?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah, any win would be special, no matter what tournament it is. Obviously we're out here to give ourselves chances every week. I'm giving myself a chance again this week.

Again, this course is low scoring so you're going to need a good one tomorrow. I think the key is not to push too hard.

Q. What were those four saves you talked about?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: The first one was on 2. I kind of was in the rough and didn't come out and up and down from like 30 out.

One was on 9. Hit it left in the rough. Punched out short right of the green; short of the bunker; made up and down.

10 I hit a bad tee shot left in the bunker. Could only hit it 80 yards out. Still hit 3-wood in. Hit it short right bunker; up and down from like 40 yards out of the bunker.

And then on 15 I hit it -- just got unlucky. Took one big bounce, went long. The pin, we all know 15 -- no, 16, sorry -- you can't really go long on that hole, and I hit a great shot from the back pin -- to a back pin, and, just, yeah, four really good shots to keep me in it.

Q. How close did you hit the pitch?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: To like three feet.

Q. Does the putter feel as good as last week? Better than last week? Looked like you rolled in some good mid-range putts.

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah, I feel actually more comfortable because I feel like these greens are pure. I don't feel like I have to work as hard getting the ball to the hole. I hate having to hit the ball.

Obviously last week the greens were a little bit more bumpy and slower, but all we did last week was change my grip pressure and that just helped me get the ball speed up a little bit.

This week I've been able to drop it back to where I'm comfortable.

Q. When you look at being in contention tomorrow and the feelings that will bring, is it just a night and day comfort level of what it might have been five years ago?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: For sure, definitely. I think because like we say, I have the tools to deal with that pressure, but better than I used to have.

You know, when I'm in that situation, I kind of -- I feel a bit calmer and the nerves are obviously there, but I think because I know how to implement the shots it just calms me down a bit.

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