DANA OPEN PRESENTED BY MARATHON

July 13, 2023

Bailey Tardy

Highland Meadows Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, we are joined by Bailey Tardy. Bailey, 66 on the day. Just take us through your first round here at the Dana Open?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, played pretty well today. Struck the ball really well fairway to green. So, yeah, we just kept with that game plan of just trying to attack the pins you can and just go for the middle when you can't.

Q. Seven birdies today. What was working so well in that game plan?

BAILEY TARDY: I really took advantage of the par-5s. I'm not quite sure what I was on the par-5s, but I know I birdied 17 and 18 and had a really good look at eagle on 17. Just really executed those holes well.

Q. As you got ready for this event, what were some of the things that Highland Meadows that you were looking to really take advantage of?

BAILEY TARDY: I actually played about 12 holes of the practice rounds, so I didn't even really see most of the golf course. Yeah, I mean, compared to last week at the Open, I think the rough is pretty manageable here which makes my tee shot landing areas wider.

That takes a lot of pressure off the tee. And then of course going into the green it makes it more manageable.

Q. Leads me to my next one. Your performance last week was one of the best. Just what has been kind of the reception from that? How has it given you confidence or anything like that?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, it's definitely boosted my confidence. Just seeing the support from everybody and how many fans that have grown to my liking has been incredible.

I think women's golf has a lot of good players like me, and I struggled a lot on Epson. Well, I guess I didn't struggle on Epson. I just struggled to get here in Epson.

I think there is a lot of other girls that are in my shoes. So just shows how deep the talent runs.

I'm happy to be here, and, yeah, last week definitely was -- I just ripped the Band-Aid off. I can go out there and play with ease now.

Q. You mentioned the support. Just what's it like to have that fandom and also being in contention with your first round here at Highland Meadows?

BAILEY TARDY: I don't know. I think it's -- I think like my roommates told me I gained 8,000 followers on Instagram. I'm not an Instagram gal. I'll post stuff but I really don't -- not into that stuff, social media and all.

I guess it's cool. It's really fun to see people following me and coming out here and saying, congrats on the Open and just stuff like that. It's really cool to see that.

Q. Yeah, obviously got your first round out of the way here. Obviously in contention, 5-under. How does that help you moving forward now, if at all?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, it does help me obviously, but there is a lot of golf left, and just stick to my game plans and see what happens.

Q. Big step going from the U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach, one of the greatest courses, and coming to Toledo. What's the biggest thing you took away from a there and also going from large scale to smaller scale.

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah, the conditions at Pebble were a lot harder than here, so I mean, I'm looking at the weather and says it's going to rain and there will be a little bit of wind, and my wedges came from 20, 30 mile an hour wind and it was missing.

It was colder. So it was just the conditions were a little bit more difficult so it makes this seem easy. Makes it just seem not as difficult. Yeah, just kind of what I've been going with.

Q. Your first visit here?

BAILEY TARDY: Yes. Not Ohio, but to here. Yeah.

Q. What did you think of the course?

BAILEY TARDY: Oh, I love it. It's in great shape. Greens are really pure. I guess with the rain that we've gotten earlier in the week the greens are pretty soft, so makes it pretty attackable out there.

Q. Do you feel like you're kind of riding a wave of momentum right now even though the last round at the Open wasn't great?

BAILEY TARDY: Yeah. You know, I just feel like my game has come together. I made a caddie change, which probably should have happened earlier in the year. Just never pulled the trigger.

And I think having him on the bag and we've got a couple rounds under our -- I guess tournaments under our belt -- it's just made a world of difference.

Just having him and my game coming -- everything coming together, I think I'm producing the results I've been expecting to have.

Fastscripts by ASAP Sports...