U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 12, 2023

Latanna Stone

Chambers Bay

Quick Quotes

Q. Congratulations on making it through. What does it mean to reach the finals of an event this big, US Women's Amateur, one of the biggest events in golf?

LATANNA STONE: I've just dreamed about this. This is -- you know I always think about like how much it takes and, oh, my gosh I can't imagine playing all those matches, but here I am playing all these dang matches.

You know what? Like at the end, like it's such a great experience. I'm playing with a bunch of my friends. Played with three Curtis Cup teammates and it's been crazy. I feel like I had a very unlucky draw, but it's okay.

We all have had a great time together. Bel-Air is just great. Having the members allow us to come out here and experience their golf course, and it's in great shape, you know this is just a dream come true.

Q. You mentioned how many players you've had to face, three from your Curtis Cup team in 2022 and two other USGA Champions. Part of it is luck of the draw. When you look at the name of the player and their credentials, does that impact your preparation or how you approach a match, or does it kind of just not really matter who's in front of you?

LATANNA STONE: Not at all. Those are my friends, so I feel like we're always going to be cordial. It's tough because there is only one person that's going to be happy at the end of all of this, but, I mean, there is no preparation to it. It's just being you.

Q. What has really been working for you this week? You made it all the way here. You mentioned earlier it was maybe your putter. What's been one of the biggest reasons we're standing here having this conversation?

LATANNA STONE: Well, I was telling Julia Pine the gears up here in my head are really turning this week. Just really like believing in myself, because I feel like I've had kind of a hard time believing in myself and thinking that I can do it.

You know, I've been in big stages before and like I know I can do it, but I think this really gives me an extra confidence boost, so that's why I'm here I think.

Q. Seems like a leg you've been favoring a little bit.

LATANNA STONE: Yeah, yesterday I was dying. I was like muscle strain. Like I could barely walk on it after the round. I got treatment on it by the doctor up here, and he put some tape on it and I took some Advil. I took like -- brought this icy spray to make it numb, but just doesn't work.

Once you climb up the hills it strains even more, and it's only my right leg. It's just a muscle strain, but feels like I got kicked in the leg by a horse.

It's actually awful, yeah.

Q. Any concerns, 36-hole match tomorrow, with that kind of thing going on? What's the plan for tonight and tomorrow morning?

LATANNA STONE: Just going to suck it up. Going to get some treatment and ice it and do everything I can, but I'm not going to -- I think I can make it. You know, it's not like I have a broken leg or whatever.

It's going to be harder for me obviously, but I think it's going to be fine.

Q. All your previous experiences, whether it was playing in six Women's Ams, Curtis Cup, ANWA, how can that past experience help you going into such a big match tomorrow?

LATANNA STONE: Like I said, I'm just going to be me. It's all I can really do out there, play my game. Can't control what other people do. You can't control the golf ball either. If you get a kick here or there, just got to be mentally tough and going to be a marathon tomorrow.