FREED GROUP WOMEN'S SCOTTISH OPEN

August 3, 2023

Madelene Sagstrom

Dundonald Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Very, very well played out there today. Tell me about your round?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: It started really solid with three birdies right away. Made some really good iron shots today. It kept the driver in play and not fantastic, but I think my iron shots kept me in it. I made some easy putts and overall a pretty easy day.

Q. You play a lot of your golf over in America but growing up, I guess you're no stranger to conditions like this when you're playing golf?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think it's taken me a few years to figure it out. As an amateur, I hated it. Coming to Scotland, I hated it. I can't hit it slow but I started working with Shane, my caddie, he's Irish, two years ago, and we've really been pushing it since and been able to be much more creative on the golf course and he's helping me see the different shots now, so it's really improved over the years. It's been a adjourn any.

Q. Speaking of adjourns, there's a big tournament in September, you want to be part of the Solheim Cup team --

MADELENE SAGSTROM: If I play well, I give myself a chance to be on the team. It's in the back of my mind but not my sole focus. I'm trying to get back into good shape. You don't want to go to Solheim Cup and play bad. I think it's just about finding form and hope for some good results.

Q. Can't hurt having a round like this when the captain is in town watching?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Yeah, it's nice. And I do like showing off, so it's even better.

It's hard to convince yourself that the ball, that it's the right shot. I think in the amateur world, you see a little wind in your face and you hit it harder, so I think that has been -- we worked so hard on swinging itself because I don't like swinging it slow. I like swinging as fast as I can. So maintaining face control while swinging soft has been, urrgghh.

So handling wind into and also today it's making sure you start it enough offline when the wind is sideways. There's a few holes, we are starting it there and finishing it there. You have to commit to those shots.

Q. You're all in the midst of a frenzied run of tournaments at the minute. Is it too much at time?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I had two weeks off after the U.S. Open. It's all about planning it correctly. In our sport, it's really hard to peak at the right time, not like you do in running or something. It's really different, so I think it's just about maintaining energy, but at the same time practicing enough that you keep improving. But I think for me I don't really play more than three weeks in a row, and then I always like to take two weeks off when I can, so that's kind of -- I just have been basing my schedule around that principle.

Q. Usually take two weeks in Sweden, what did you focus on this year?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think over the years, I have tried to do everything at the same time, I've tried to take off, see family, practice. I figured out that doesn't work for me. The first week I took completely off from golf and played a few rounds with my brother and dad but hanging out with family and rest the batteries.

The second week I spent down in the south of Sweden working hard with my coach. That's the way I like to plan things now, so I like to take two weeks off so I can actually rest.

Q. What was the focus with the coach?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: It was contact with iron shots and I came out today and was striping that. We focus on trying to find different feelings, particularly just maintaining a bit of shaft lean into the ball and face control and what we worked on it's working really, really well. I tend to stand over the ball, am I going to hit it or not, and today I definitely hit it.

Q. And planning a wedding at the same time. Did you do any of that in that one week off?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I was thinking I was going to but Jack ended up doing everything. He had some extra time and was like, what about this photographer and I'm like, that sounds great. I still have a year, more than a year.