U.S. ADAPTIVE OPEN

July 12, 2023

Ryanne Jackson

Pinehurst Resort & C.C. (Course No. 6)

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Ryanne Jackson, champion here to the U.S. Adaptive Open for the women's division. How does that sound?

RYANNE JACKSON: Sounds great.

Q. Playing out there all week, what was working for you and how were you able to make your way to the finish line?

RYANNE JACKSON: I think my driving of the ball was definitely a plus for me this week, and then my putting just finished it out.

Q. So you're going to be in the USGA Hall of Champions. Your name will be engraved next to Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Michelle Wie West. What does that mean to you to be in the company of all these names?

RYANNE JACKSON: Seems a little weird thinking about it, but it's going to be awesome, like seeing my name up there with some of the greatest of the golf game.

Q. You definitely earned it. Talk about your caddie who you flew in from Iowa this week?

RYANNE JACKSON: She definitely helped me, not necessarily all the time with golf, but we got a feel, is this putt going to be fast? I don't know. But a lot of holes we would drive up and just be like, I'm not really a big fan of this hole, and so she would try to get me into the mindset of we can play it. Like just one shot at time.

Q. That's great. What do you think this championship does for the adaptive community as a whole?

RYANNE JACKSON: I think the USGA getting involved in creating the Adaptive Open has really helped other states open up and create adaptive events.

Q. Looking at scores, you got better every day. Did you get used to the course? Today I imagine some pressure, but seems like you did really well.

RYANNE JACKSON: Yeah, I'm not sure. I feel like each day I did something a little bit better maybe. I feel like the first day I really hit my irons well. Today I had a couple better chips where I had some tap-ins.

So it's kind of hard to compare the three rounds overall I would say.

Q. How old were you when you start playing?

RYANNE JACKSON: Probably three.

Q. Three years old?

RYANNE JACKSON: Yeah. Both my sisters -- I have two older sisters, one is ten and one is eight years older than, and so they were already golfing, so it was just I had to.

Q. Were they the ones you mostly golfed with when you were young?

RYANNE JACKSON: Sometimes. My dad was a big influence in me playing golf.

Q. As you got to this level, what have been some of the challenges in your way? What are some of the biggest things you've had to overcome to win a tournament like this?

RYANNE JACKSON: I would say my fatigue is probably the biggest challenge for me, just getting tired. You can have a really great start day one, but then by day three you could be hitting the ball with like less distance.

That's my biggest issue I would say.

Q. What's the caddie story from Iowa? You guys old friends?

RYANNE JACKSON: Former teammates.

Q. High school?

RYANNE JACKSON: College.

Q. What was the college?

RYANNE JACKSON: Eastern Illinois.

Q. So you talk about yesterday you didn't pick up a club until ten days ago. Was this finishing runner-up and getting to be by this trophy, was that a goal for you?

RYANNE JACKSON: Yeah, absolutely.

Q. What was the mindset when you did get the ten days; leading up? Was that focused?

RYANNE JACKSON: Yeah, I knew coming in that there were some new people entering the tournament that I hadn't heard of. Didn't know what to expect with their game was, but I Kim Moore was going to be my biggest competitor, biggest returning competitor since she was the reigning champ.

So being here at the end is a very nice feeling.

Q. What's the communication like with your eastern Illinois former teammates?

RYANNE JACKSON: I talked to a few of them, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Congratulations. You're a great champion.

RYANNE JACKSON: Thank you.

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