U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

July 9, 2023

Aine Donegan

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Quick Quotes

Q. You had an amazing approach shot over there coming in. Unfortunately the putt didn't sink. What did it feel like walking off 18 and having your family there, just soaking it all in?

ÁINE DONEGAN: Yeah, very emotional. Today was a long day. I'm fighting a bit of an illness at the moment. Woke up feeling horrible and I didn't have much energy, to be honest.

Finally got up-and-down on 17 and then to hit one out of the seaweed onto the fairway and then hit a shot into that -- I mean, if you'd told me looking at my drive coming off 18 with a par I'd be taking it.

But no, feeling very, very thankful right now to have my friends here and just everyone who's out here supporting me.

Q. Overall on the week, what are your thoughts and feelings about the whole week?

ÁINE DONEGAN: I couldn't have asked for a better week. My goal was to make the cut.

And then obviously today is disappointing, but I'm coming off a long stretch of events, and unfortunately today I didn't feel great yesterday, and I knew I was kind of getting a bit sick, and then today I have no energy and a bit of a cold and stuff.

So happy with how the week went, and I can't thank the USGA and all the fans enough for everything, really. And my coach Gary from Glenlo Abbey and everyone at home as well supporting me.

Q. What did you feel like you learned about yourself this week?

ÁINE DONEGAN: Probably that I played with a lot of different pros, and probably that it's more -- my ball-striking would be probably on par with them and stuff, and my putting is probably more just decision making and less kind of silly mistakes.

I made a double bogey today from just a stupid shot out of the bunker. That would be what I've learned. I've learned a lot. I've learned that these tournaments are tiring, definitely. I kind of admire the pros more after that, after this week, for how much they travel and just how exhausting it actually is. That would be the biggest thing.

Q. Are you tempted at all or thinking at all about turning professional, or are you focused on finishing college?

ÁINE DONEGAN: No, I'm going to finish college. No doubt about it. I love LSU, and it wouldn't even cross my mind.

Q. Do you have any plans to play in any other pro event as an amateur this summer?

ÁINE DONEGAN: Yeah, I have a final qualifier for The Open, and then I have the Irish Open at Dromoland Castle hopefully. If they give me an invite. I got invited last year so hopefully that again this year. And it's only 10 minutes from my house, which will be very nice.

Q. Your return to college will happen based on playing in the Irish, on the invitation?

ÁINE DONEGAN: The Irish is on probably the second week of college, so I think my coach, my college coach, is going to let me stay at home for that, and I'll just go to school a bit later.