THE AMUNDI EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 27, 2023

Paula Reto

Evian Resort Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Paula Reto at the Amundi Evian Championship. Great round today. Leader in the clubhouse so far shooting 7-under. Can you just talk us through your round out there?

PAULA RETO: Yeah, I has so much fun. This golf course is so fun and the views and everything, it's just awesome to be here.

But hit some good quality shots beginning of the round. Just gave myself opportunities. One birdie dropped and you sort of try to do the same thing over and over and just put yourself in good spots on this golf course.

Got a lucky bounce on 16 and I was like, oh, maybe I need that in my round. Yeah, and then sort of like the back nine, I just didn't think too much about it. Just sort of like what I got going on in front of me and made a couple good tap-ins on the par-5s. It was nice.

Q. Yeah, you started on your second hole with a bogey, correct?

PAULA RETO: Yeah.

Q. How do you change that mentality early in the round?

PAULA RETO: You know, it was such a -- I hit a good shot off the tee, just in the bunker. Hit a good shot again, just the ball came back and I sort of three-putted.

I said it's okay, you know, next hole is pretty tough. Just get myself in the fairway, give myself opportunity. When the birdie dropped and the next couple par saves as well and the par-5, so sometimes you just stay in it, you just don't give up.

You know, you never know out here with this golf course. Anything is possible. You just got to give yourself the best opportunity to make par and birdie.

Q. You came if Midland, Michigan to here.

PAULA RETO: Yeah.

Q. How did your performance last week give you momentum into this week?

PAULA RETO: Yeah, no, definitely helped. My partner, Amelia, we had such a good run. Yeah, just feeding off this positive energy, just being around a positive friend is always good. Makes you look forward to certain things.

You know, just being here and it's good to be in a major, and just all that good stuff.

Q. I just wondered if you had any sort of mentors or communication with the South African top golfers?

PAULA RETO: Yeah, a little bit. So Sally Little is probably the one that I had the most, and David Frost. I would say those two are probably the top.

So I check with them once in a while whenever I get a chance, but they've always been nice to me and good to me and sort of helped me whenever I needed it.

Q. Where is Frosty now?

PAULA RETO: West Palm Beach. Yeah, so we'll get together once in a while. I'm still waiting to play against him. He's been having a knee situation.

Q. The last question from me as well: Heading into tomorrow, it is a major, top of the leaderboard. What are your thoughts going into the second round?

PAULA RETO: Yeah, you know, if I can just go out and give myself the best chance possible, good club selection, know where to be on the green, just know when the putts are downhill, uphill, so all that stuff to keep my brain occupied with good information.

Yeah, just go with it. I'm excited. Nice to make birdies out here, and if the weather stays like this I think it'll be nice.

Q. Did you find the tee shots intimidating?

PAULA RETO: Yeah, definitely. Some tee shots, maybe you got to play a little bit down the left side is better and sort of just knowing those few things I think is super key.

We're just going to keep trying to do that.

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