KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 22, 2023

Lee-Anne Pace

Baltusrol Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Lee-Anne Pace. It is 8:06 and we've got a new clubhouse leader. How are you feeling stepping off the golf course?

LEE-ANNE PACE: I feel surprised. Is it 8:00 already? I played very well today. Obviously I'm very happy. No bogeys, which is awesome. Yeah, putted really well. Very happy with the round.

Q. What was the game plan going into today?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Oh, we kept it pretty simple. Most of the greens we went for the middle, didn't really attack too many pins. Yeah, like I said, the putter worked, which was awesome. Hit my driver pretty straight, as well.

Q. After a couple practice rounds out here, did you think a 66 was out there?

LEE-ANNE PACE: No. Did you? Well, I suppose they did move up some of the tees, so 3 made it a bit easier, and then obviously to birdie the last hole is a bonus.

Q. Would you talk a little bit about that finishing stretch where you were just running off birdies there as the darkness closed in?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Yeah, at my age, the darkness isn't your friend. But like I said, I felt very comfortable on the greens. I made a really good putt on I think it was 15, massive slopey, very quick putt. That was a huge bonus.

Q. How far was that?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Not that far. Probably about four meters. But above the hole, so very, very quick putt. Up-and-down, 16 from the bunker, which is obviously very nice, and then finished birdie on the last.

Q. How did you birdie 18?

LEE-ANNE PACE: I hit it in two.

Q. What did you have in there?

LEE-ANNE PACE: 190 meters to the front.

Q. Have you seen signs of good play coming, playing in Europe?

LEE-ANNE PACE: You know, I haven't had the best season in Europe. Mainly because I didn't practice hard enough if I have to be completely honest. I started practicing for ShopRite, that event, a lot more. I just spent a lot more time-out there, and I'm feeling super confident in my game.

Q. This is only your ninth event in two seasons out here. What does this kind of a round mean to you, not being able to play out here very often?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Yeah, obviously it's fantastic. I feel really good about my round. I feel very good that I'm so patient out there and calm, which is fantastic. But obviously to come out here and play against the best in the world and post a score like that is going to be something I'll never forget.

Q. Playing not a lot of golf probably expectations weren't the highest. Do you think that allows you to go out there and shoot some low numbers?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Yeah, I think my game plan was pretty good. Quite a lot of the pins were on a few slopes that went into the rough, so we kept it on the high side and just stayed patient out there. When we played this course, I immediately said it suits my game because I'm pretty straight off the tee usually and my iron play is pretty accurate.

Q. What did you find on the greens? Obviously putted pretty well.

LEE-ANNE PACE: Yeah, they are quick. They are quick. So you want to definitely stay below them even if you have a longer putt. It's sometimes a lot easier than being high.

Q. Obviously countryman Ash Buhai won the ShopRite, won a major last year. Has she inspired you?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Yeah, massively. I went to look at a bunch of interviews, what she says, how she takes one shot at a time, stay in the process and not get ahead of yourself, so that did help me a lot.

Q. Do you talk a lot?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Oh, yeah, we're good friends. I stayed at their house last week because I wasn't supposed to be in this event. I qualified via ShopRite, so I came over for the fun of it, and then qualified for this one, and they allowed me to stay at their house, which is awesome. West Palm Beach is fantastic.

Q. With your experience and your perspective, a round like this reminds you of what in the past?

LEE-ANNE PACE: I guess I felt the same as when I won way back when, just completely in control and just focused, something like that. So it's kind of nice to have that coming back out here.

Q. Using your experience at the majors, too, it looks like this is probably the easiest day of this week here --

LEE-ANNE PACE: Oh, thank you.

Q. How do you prepare yourself mentally and with the attitude for the next few days, also?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Same. I'm going to have dinner with my friend and hopefully have a good night's sleep and just do the same what I did today, try and stay below the hole and make as many putts as I can.

Q. You've stayed in Palm Beach since the ShopRite?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Yeah, I went there for the week, practiced at Turtle Creek, which was really nice. We saw Christiaan Bezuidenhout there so quite a few golfers practicing. It actually felt like home. It's the most home I've ever felt in America. I said to them they've got a really good spot there, and yeah, it's definitely something I would have considered in the past living, but I never got there.

Q. One of the people you wrestled the lead from with the last birdies, 20 years ago. There's a lot of 20-somethings here. What keeps you motivated to compete out here?

LEE-ANNE PACE: I don't know how to answer that question. Honestly, I just came over because I like to come over every now and then for one or two events. I honestly did not expect to be leading the tournament after day one. It's a very, very difficult golf course. To be in my position, I'm just really happy that I had a good score.

Q. It is a pretty young leaderboard, a lot of players not been up there in majors. Do you think you have an advantage with your age and experience?

LEE-ANNE PACE: If the body holds up, yeah. I hit a lot of greens today. Like I said, I feel very confident. I felt very like at ease, just calm, which is a nice place to be, and hopefully I can be that on Sunday.

Q. How much fun have you having out here?

LEE-ANNE PACE: Yeah, I love my caddie. He's really funny and he's really cool. We started at ShopRite, and yeah, we're just having a good time.