KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2023

Lauren Coughlin

Baltusrol Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Lauren. A 67 yesterday. A 68 today. Do you feel like you're starting to figure out Baltusrol a little bit?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Definitely. The first day I really didn't play all that bad. I just kind of hit it into some not great spots. Getting in the rough around the green is really tough to get up and down. It kind of depends on the lie, if you judge it right, and all that.

I just didn't really stay all that patient, which you have to do in a major. I did that really, really well yesterday and then same thing today.

Yeah, I mean, I'm hitting the ball extremely well, and I'm starting to make some good putts. I wish I could have birdied at least one of the last two coming in, but still really solid.

THE MODERATOR: You've only made one bogey in the last two rounds. You talk about really staying patient. What's kind of clicked or turned around for you that you pinpoint what is kind of the turning point?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: I think the most important thing was taking my medicine, hitting it -- if I did miss it off the tee, taking my medicine and make sure I got it into a spot that I could get up and down or hopefully give myself at least a 5-, 6-footer for par. I made all of those yesterday. I missed one today.

That was the big thing. I kind of just made those 5-, 6-footers that you have to make to keep the round going. I think that was probably the big difference.

THE MODERATOR: Baltusrol is challenging. We are seeing it really be quite the test for players this week. For you what do you like most about it, about kind of taking on the challenge that is Baltusrol?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: I think it punishes bad shots is kind of the big thing, and I think those types of golf courses are where I really excel. I really control my golf ball really well. I would say with my irons especially.

So you really have to pick and choose where, one, you want to attack and, one, when you don't, and I think that is why I've been playing well this week.

It's kind of why I did really well at Shadow Creek for the match-play. Same thing. Greens are super firm, and you have to kind of be creative and try to use some slopes here or there.

Also, sometimes the 30-, 40-footer is a really good shot, and that's kind of what I did really well the last few days.

THE MODERATOR: We've seen a lot of success when people are able to figure out the greens here as well. How do you think, when you talk about putting and the importance of that, that you have been able to do here?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Again, a lot of it's staying patient. I have a tendency to get really quick with my stroke and get really jabby and stuff. That's what I was doing the first day.

So I kind of spent a good hour on the greens afterwards and just really trying to just not try to rush it is kind of the big thing. So I kind of finally got that.

Again, it all comes down for me staying patient, and it's patient in my golf swing, patience in my putting, patient if I don't hit it in a great spot, being okay with not necessarily hitting it close is the big thing.

THE MODERATOR: I know you're naturally quite calm, quite relaxed except for the Metallica, which is probably blaring in your headphones as you step up to the tee.

LAUREN COUGHLIN: For sure.

THE MODERATOR: When did you start feeling that calm and relaxed? After the first day that must have put pressure on you to change the mindset? Is it just better for you to kind of get back into that calm, relaxed mode, or how do you stop yourself from getting ahead of yourself?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I think for whatever reason I woke up Friday morning and just felt kind of a little bit different. Kind of had that normal calm.

It's definitely something I've been fighting most of the time this year, just trying to be too perfect, trying to be too -- get too upset and get too frustrated when I don't hit a good shot or hit it how I want to. That's what I was doing on Thursday.

I had a long talk with my husband that night, talking with Dr. Julie, our sports psychologist. Same thing. Just really trying to -- and I went back to a book that I read earlier this year that my coach had me read, "It Takes What It Takes." It's kind of all about staying neutral.

So I kind of wrote down my three things that kind of help me stay neutral that I didn't do -- I didn't write it in my yardage book before Thursday, and I did before Friday right before I teed off.

THE MODERATOR: What did you write?

Q. My three things are be you, which is easy-going, calm. Breathe is a big one, kind of help me slow down. And slow is fast is any big thing. Those are my three keys.

Then another thing I was doing, I don't know why. I just kept telling myself, like, you're really good at golf. I think I forget that sometimes, and that was something I just kept telling myself all day yesterday and again today even if any nerves or anything came coming up.

THE MODERATOR: Tomorrow, before I take it off to you, just what's the mindset?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah. Just, again, stay super patient as much as I can. Fairways and greens. Take my medicine if I need to. Those are going to be the big things.

THE MODERATOR: All right, questions.

Q. You are really good at golf, and you are three back going into Sunday at a major. I know you've had to grind for several years to get to this moment. What does it mean to you to be where you are standing right now?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: It's really exciting. It's crazy when you think about it. Even where I am at this point this year compared to last year, just how much I've improved is kind of crazy.

I'm just excited. I've worked really hard. Sometimes it doesn't mean it shows, but it's kind of nice that it's showing this week.

Q. I know 18 must not have gone the way you wanted it to to make par there, but what you do you think of the par-5, par-5 finish, and how do you think it might come into play on a Sunday to end a round at a major?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I think it's a really cool finish. I mean, 17 is playing way different than it did when I played it on Thursday. More like it was in the practice round where it's long, but not crazy.

You still have wedge in, but it's a true three-shot hole, but you still have to hit fairway, you still have to hit a good second shot to make sure you can have a wedge in.

And then 18 obviously if you hit a good drive, you can get to it in two. That's super fun and exciting.

Yeah, I like both the holes a lot. It's kind of a nice breather after you get through 16 -- 13, 14, 15, 16, it's nice to have two par-5s coming in. Yeah, I think they're great holes.

The whole golf course, it's pretty and in unbelievable condition. Really, really good golf course.

Q. That was going to be my last question. What do you think of Baltusrol as a venue and how it suits your game considering the back-to-back rounds in the 60s?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: I think it's an unbelievable golf course. It's really cool we get to come play super historic golf courses. Congressional last year was awesome as well.

It just suits my game. I hit a lot of fairways. I hit a lot of greens. Par is a really good score out here. It's really easy to make bogey. So if you can just two-putt and go on to the next, it's a good day.

Q. Just for someone who is chasing that elusive first victory and having a chance to get it on a Sunday, what's the difference between doing that in a major as opposed to maybe just a regular LPGA event?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: More just the prestige and history behind winning a major, I would say. I mean, a win regardless would be awesome, but if I could do it in a major, it means that much more.

Again, I'm just going to be trying to go and stay super patient as much as I can and try not to get too excited and too jacked up for the round tomorrow. It's really exciting to be in the position that I am in, so trying not to get too overly excited. It's going to be my big thing.

Q. You look like you already are.

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I know. Yeah, I've had to keep it out as much as I can on the golf course and now it's, like, now coming to. Same thing last night. I was jacked up pretty good for a little while after the round.

Q. A big trend in golf it seems is people not looking at boards on Sunday. Where do you stand with that? Do you like to know where you are?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: I think I'll watch just to start the day just so I can get a feel for how the golf course is playing just so I don't have any unrealistic expectation of, you know, it's playing really hard out today, so making a bogey here or there is not going to kill me.

But I'm going to try my best not to look at them. They definitely do get my anxiety up a little bit seeing it, so I'm going to try my best not to look at them. Just see how I keep playing my game.