U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 20, 2023

Yana Wilson

USAF Academy Eisenhower Golf Club

Press Conference

Q. Obviously a grueler of a match. Could you walk me through it from your perspective?

YANA WILSON: Yeah, I didn't really feel any nerves or anything going into this match. I was kind of just prepared to keep trying to make pars and birdies throughout the course of the match.

I made a couple silly mistakes like in the middle, towards the beginning of the match that kind of led me to the loss. Definitely a lot to learn from.

Q. Do you think the mistakes were from trying to push, be a little aggressive, or do you think it was just unlucky?

YANA WILSON: Honestly, I feel like a lot of it was unlucky. I just didn't hit the greatest quality of shots. I feel like I could have done a lot better with kind of how I prepared and stepped into the shot, and now I know just to take a little bit more time.

Q. What are your overall kind of biggest takeaways?

YANA WILSON: I would just say just to keep trying to make pars and don't get too aggressive, especially if the player is kind of close to the pin. I don't really know. I just need to try and make pars the whole entire time is probably a good play. I did get a little bit too greedy on a couple of holes that really cost me.

Q. When you guys went to extra holes, obviously you were back and forth the whole day so pressure was building. Did you feel it when you stepped on the first tee again?

YANA WILSON: I definitely felt like a rush of adrenaline. I was definitely not kind of in the zone I wanted to be in.

But I don't know, I guess it's something to learn from. I guess I should have taken a little bit more time and just breathed a little more and calmed myself down in the moment.

I can't say I'm too upset. Obviously I am because I'm not playing the rest of the week. I feel like I played pretty decent, just left a couple out there. My mindset coming into the tournament wasn't anything directed towards being the defending champion.

I was just trying to playing my game to the best of my ability, and I didn't really do that today, but you live and you learn.