FREED GROUP WOMEN'S SCOTTISH OPEN

August 3, 2023

Caroline Inglis

Dundonald Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Bogey-free day out there today, what was working so well the whole day in this first round here in Scotland?

CAROLINE INGLIS: I think Scottish golf is always interesting because you have to get like really creative with the wind and I tried to like pick conservative targets and make like decisive swings at them I guess. And then made a few putts, which is nice. Like I was talking with my caddie, I had a lot of lag putts today, and speed was like a little off but was able to make a lot of the come backers, so that was nice.

Q. Your first time here at Dundonald?

CAROLINE INGLIS: Yeah, I didn't play last year.

Q. When you're preparing for a course like this, I links course that you haven't seen before, what was the preparation like? Coming from Evian to here is two completely different courses?

CAROLINE INGLIS: Yeah, it's really different. I mean, I've played a lot of Scottish golf, links golf, I've always felt comfortable out here. Preparation is adjusting to the green speed because they are pretty slow, and then like hitting a lot of like short game shots. The bunkers are pretty different here. I feel like I put more from off the green here just because you can, and then just a lot of flighted low shots.

Q. What was it about the birdies that was working well on those holes?

CAROLINE INGLIS: I was just able to take advantage of a few of the shorter holes, like the reachable par 5, my front. You know which one I'm talking about. So that one was pretty reachable was nice. So hit a few close and made a few good putts.

Q. What is it about these greens that takes a little bit for players to get a handle on? With the wind it's a little slower but as soon as the wind direction changes, it's a whole other golf course?

CAROLINE INGLIS: It plays so different day-to-day but with putting there's so many little slopes and swales that the breaks, you can be putting up one mound and down another and it will break right first and then left so you really have to like be really deliberate I think on your reads and your speed as well.

Q. A bogey-free round out here is mightily impressive.

CAROLINE INGLIS: Thank you.

Q. How does a round like this putt your game in perspective?

CAROLINE INGLIS: So I just came back from medical, so it's been, like, interesting coming back to try to get into the swing of it. It's nice to see the work payoff and see the game moving the right direction. It's good. I just want to keep building on it and doing what I'm doing.

Q. When were you on the medical?

CAROLINE INGLIS: I just came back at Dow. I was out for a couple months. It was my mid-back rib area. It started bothering me at the end of the West Coast Swing, like jersey, and like during Vegas it was always and I knew I needed to take some time off.

It was pretty awful. I had to take a medical for lower back surgery in 2019, so I like know what it's like, but it's awful going through it. You feel left out and like left behind, seeing all of your friends play and all that. It's not fun to be in pain. I could not swing a golf club so I knew I had to take the time off. It's just being patient until your completely healed and you can come back. Thankfully I only had to miss like six events or so and it was a couple months. It was after my two-week pity party at home feeling sorry for myself that I was hurt and then it was nice to spend time with my husband and see everyone, and then I was finally able to start like slowly practicing again. It was good.

Q. What was it like to come back at Dow?

CAROLINE INGLIS: That was my thinking process, if I can come back at Dow, that would be a nice way to ease my way back into golf. I played with Amanda Doherty, and she was patient with me, are you going to play, are you not going to play. I told her a week beforehand. She was such a fun partner and it was nice to have -- not all the pressure is on, and it was such a fun event so I'm glad that was my first one back. Imagine if I had to go to Evian, and it would not have good for the confidence.

Q. The top three contenders near not otherwise exempt into The Open get into The Open.

CAROLINE INGLIS: Yes, that is interesting.

Q. Is this is first time you've been told that or is that in the back of your head this week?

CAROLINE INGLIS: No, I'm aware of it. I'm aware I'm not in British. I definitely know that there's three spots but honestly with the way this year has taught me, you never know what's going to happen. I'm just trying to play. I know it's cliché, but one shot at a time and one round at a time. If that's the way it works out, great. If I have to go to Monday, great. It is what it is.

Q. When you see everything start being put together, how do you into the next day?

CAROLINE INGLIS: I think I just do the same exact things. There's a few things I want to go work on, practice, get some rest and literally, same process, same thing. No reason to change anything.