U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

July 7, 2023

Bailey Tardy

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Flash Interview

Q. We're here with Bailey Tardy, 4-under 68. Can you talk us through that round today?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, just really got off to a good start, birdieing the first hole, and then catching an eagle and a birdie on the second half of my front nine.

It was not as windy on my front nine as the back nine. Definitely took advantage of that. Then just was able to hold on, I guess, through the wind.

Q. You eagled 6, birdied 7 for the second straight day. What about those holes fits your eye?

BAILEY TARDY: Honestly, nothing. I think 6 is a really difficult drive for me, knowing that there's bunkers that I can reach and then water. But once you get over that, you hit a good shot.

I know the line straight over that hill, so just having that confidence to be able to hit the green in two I guess has helped me do that the last two days. But the wind has been pretty friendly on No. 7 I guess the last two days. Nice little 100 yards, 90- to 100-yard shot, and yeah, it wasn't too bad today.

Q. You needed to survive a playoff to even get into this championship; now you're sitting tied for the lead. Could you ever have expected that?

BAILEY TARDY: I mean, I could. Other people maybe not, but I've always believed in myself to win any tournament that I enter. I'm good enough to be here, and I've been on the LPGA, so I feel like I definitely have the game to hang with the best in the world.

Q. It's been a tough road to get to this point, but you ground it out, got your card at Q-Series, and kind of a rough year but found something. How validating is it to have these two rounds back-to-back?

BAILEY TARDY: It feels great. I haven't performed great in the previous majors this year, so just to finally be able to throw some good rounds in and finally have everything come together, I feel like I've had really good ball-striking days and then terrible putting days, and then I'll have a great putting day but terrible ball-striking day.

So it's finally coming together and meshing well, and it just happens at the right time.

Q. You played Pebble Beach right before you played Q-Series last year and got some good vibes and obviously finished runner up at Q-Series to get your card. What is it about Pebble that you like or suits your eye?

BAILEY TARDY: I love this place. It's heaven on earth. I think every hole is incredible. The views are incredible. But just being here, everybody is so incredibly nice.

It's almost like you have some southern hospitality here with -- I stay at Spanish Bay. Everybody is so over-the-top nice, and I just love coming in. I rave about it. It's awesome.

Q. I think you posted on Instagram that you wanted to toss your putter away after KPMG. First of all, did you, and have you guys reignited the love this week?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, my putter went into timeout for about three our for four days. But, no, he/she whatever it is, is still in my bag. I did replace the head cover, so we fixed the head cover. Maybe that was the bad mojo.

But no, I think I hit 16 out of 18 greens first round at KPMG and shot 4-over, so it was on my putting there. So I really focused on that in the off week, and it's worked out, I guess.

Q. What's the new head cover? Anything special?

BAILEY TARDY: Actually it is the Callaway Korn Ferry special. I don't even know what tournament it's from, but they're in Springfield, Illinois and I love doughnuts, and there's a Simpsons doughnut on it, and it's Homer's head and then a Simpsons doughnut.

Q. What are you going to do now like in the next hour or two?

BAILEY TARDY: Probably sleep. It was a quick turnaround last night. I felt like I got off the golf course and fell asleep for an hour and it was time to be back. So definitely rest.

May drive down to Big Sur and see some views and eat some dinner down there. But yeah, just hang out. I've got a long time until I tee off tomorrow, so just chill.

Q. You've got a long stretch of time now. You're likely going to have a very late tee time tomorrow, either holding the lead or up near the lead at a major championship on the weekend. How do you prepare yourself for tomorrow afternoon?

BAILEY TARDY: Honestly I'm just enjoying the moment here. I'm leading the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and I think that's just something so special, and trying not to get too ahead of myself. There's so much golf left. Yeah, just hang out. I love afternoon tee times, so I get to sleep and not be rushed and hang out, drink some coffee.

I'll probably do that and maybe go to Carmel, get some coffee, breakfast, and come to the course.

Q. You were first out today. Did the vibe change at all at some point with the weather picking up, with the wind picking up and the crowds increasing?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, there weren't many crowds out early on, I don't think. I wasn't really paying attention, to be honest.

But the wind did pick up close to 6, 7, 8. I guess once you make the turn back to 11 it was just hard figuring out the wind direction. It was never really dead into or dead down. It was always coming off the side some way. Just trying to figure out the wind direction.

I feel like I did -- my caddie and I did really well figuring that out. But it's difficult. I think the back nine with the tree lines and how gusty it is, it can get difficult out there.

Q. I saw you said yesterday that you forgot to sign up for a qualifying spot. How did it all work out? Did you just get in under the wire? How did that shape up?

BAILEY TARDY: I don't think anybody likes playing in the U.S. Open qualifiers. I haven't played in one for a while because I don't like them. So I think it was just a little bit of procrastination. I knew there was going to be a site that I could sign up. I didn't know which one to pick. You have a ton.

But no, I just wanted one in my off week. And, I mean, my mom could tell me you need to sign up, you need to sign up, you need to sign up, and then I just never did. That's just kind of how it happened. Big ol' procrastination.

Q. You said it was kind of dark when you were in the playoff. Can you tell us what happened there?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, so I finished -- I think I might have been second off for my entire qualifier, and so I was waiting. I actually had a flight out that night. I had showered, I had changed, I had packed my golf clubs, and I was out. I'm first alternate. Get me home. I'm done. I'm tired.

I also bogeyed the last hole, and so I was kind of kicking myself for that.

But then I think Jennifer Chang three-putted that last hole, so I was like oh, my gosh, I've got to go hit golf balls. I've been sitting down for an hour and a half. So I threw golf clothes back on, found my golf shoes, hit about 15 balls, and just went and played four more holes, which felt like an eternity.

Q. You seem to be just taking this all in stride with a fantastic attitude. Is that how you're feeling on the inside, as well, or can you take us through the emotions of being in this position?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, I've obviously felt nerves, but I think I've always been taught the more nervous you are, like the better your practice -- like the better you've come.

I mean, the more nervous situations that you have, that's what you're playing for. That's the positions you want to be in.

I mean, this is a dream, being at the top of the leaderboard in a U.S. Open. Just being able to take in all of this -- I have got my family here, so just having them to keep my mind off of golf at night, it's just fun. I've really enjoyed all of this.

Q. We saw a few times through the round today you would just step out and lock at the water; you were pointing at things. Why did you want to do that?

BAILEY TARDY: There's a lot of seals and otters and fun water life out here. I don't know, there's -- the dogs. Oh, my gosh, and the dogs. I love dogs. I have one myself, but obviously she doesn't travel with me.

But the dogs on -- is it 9 and 10? They're amazing. There's probably 15 dogs down there and they're just having the time of their life running in sand and the water. My caddie and I love dogs. We were just talking about how good they are. Good boys, fetching sticks.

Q. You were hearing some barking from fans. What's your response to that, and is that a motivational type of thing?

BAILEY TARDY: I'm a big Georgia Bulldog. I've been a Georgia Bulldog my whole life, so it's fun. We're so far away from Georgia, and to hear -- I don't know if they're Georgia fans or if they're cheering me on, but it's cool. It's cool to help my home state, too.

Q. So far this week this is your best performance of the year. What has changed for you? What have you unlocked to allow yourself to contend relative to the rest of the year?

BAILEY TARDY: My ball-striking has just been so good. My putting has come a long way, as well. But just being able to drive it far out here, I've partnered with Mizuno this week -- not this week but this year, and just having the Mizuno driver, I launch it. I hit it so far.

I think that's just been a big thing with my game is just being able to hit it far and consistent.

I think between my ball-striking, my driving and my putting, a little bit better. It could be better. But as long as I'm like an average putter, I think I score pretty well.

Q. Was there anything in particular you worked on between KPMG and this week?

BAILEY TARDY: Putting. Yeah, the greens aren't as big here. The greens were quite large at Baltusrol. You can't really have a 90-foot putt like you could there. It's smaller greens, less three-putts.