U.S. WOMEN'S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 14, 2023

Kimberly Dinh

Stonewall (North Course)

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, Kimberly, you're a USGA champion. How does that feel?

KIMBERLY DINH: Awesome. Yeah, you know, never had -- playing through college never really played in any USGA events, mostly because by the time the summer came around was burned out and I didn't want to travel.

So having an opportunity to compete in a USGA Championship after grad school, after college, has been awesome, and to win it, just incredible.

Q. I'll start with the match today. I mean, down three I think after 7. What are you feeling then?

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah, I had missed couple putts, short putts. To lose a couple holes pretty quick so that was a little bit frustrating, but just kind of dug deep and never really panicked at all.

I am like, I'm going to keep hitting shots. Kelsey was playing great golf, but both of us were going to make mistakes at some point, so just kind of weathering that and just play.

Again, keep putting one good swing on the golf ball after another and see where it takes me.

Q. Talk about hole 11. It seemed like that up and down that you had was critical.

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah, that was huge for sure, just to stay in it. Going 4-down with seven to play is a lot different than 3-down with seven to play.

Saw that putt go in. That was a really good putt just to make, and, okay, finally made something that was a little shorter that I had missed a few on the front, so just gave my a little bit of momentum to keep going.

Q. How long was that putt, that par putt on 11?

KIMBERLY DINH: Seven feet.

Q. And how far out were you on your third shot?

KIMBERLY DINH: I think it was 35 yards.

Q. Okay.

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah.

Q. Nice. And then 12, I mean, Kelsey gets in a little bit of trouble on the green on 12. You pick up one on 12. Talk about 13, the putt you hit there.

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah, 13 -- well.

Q. Maybe it was 14.

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah, 14. Hadn't made anything all day. I was like, saw a good line on it, figured I could give this one a chance. It was uphill so you didn't have to be super tentative with it, so was able to give that one and run and just dropped it straight in the hole, which is nice to see.

Q. You got a little bit of a read off her too, I think.

KIMBERLY DINH: A little bit, yeah. We didn't realize it was going to turn right as much as it did, so did get a little bit of a read of giving a little bit more play.

Q. The approach you hit in there, what club did you hit?

KIMBERLY DINH: 9-iron. A choke 9-iron.

Q. Nice. How far out were you?

KIMBERLY DINH: 105 yards, or 107.

Q. In a match like that, just some of that back and forth and you're down and you tie back up and Kelsey gets another 1-up lead and then it's tied, how do you control you're emotions in a day like that?

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah, in the past it used to be a lot harder for me. This year just playing with a lot of gratitude and enjoying every moment. If I go down, I go down, but I'm just going to keep finding the golf ball, hit it again, and see where it takes me, and try to make a putt at the end of the day.

Q. A lot of golf this week. How were you feeling out there today and how were you able to stick with it through this long?

KIMBERLY DINH: Definitely a little tired today. Didn't hit -- struggled a little bit here and there with the ball striking for sure. Just kind of weathered it. It's a lot of golf. I haven't played this much golf in a long time.

This is more than our State Am, so it's a lot of golf. So just kind of being patient, being really intentional about stretching and rolling out every night and getting a lot of sleep, as much sleep as I can this week.

So and then just, yeah, it's a long week for everybody, so just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Q. Has it sunk in yet that you'll be officially playing in the 2024 U.S. Women's Open?

KIMBERLY DINH: No, it hasn't.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

KIMBERLY DINH: They're already ready. No, I'm super excited, but that probably won't sink in until I get back.

Q. Yeah. 18, obviously still 1-up, which is great.

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah.

Q. What did you hit into 18?

KIMBERLY DINH: A choke 50-degree.

Q. You knew it was back there, so you knew you wanted to get it back there?

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah.

Q. And you were 15 feet?

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah, probably like ten feet. I wanted to get it back there, but with Kelsey going long didn't want to get too aggressive on that.

Kind of fortunate it rolled out as much as it did. I didn't really see it, but I didn't think it was going to be back of the green.

Q. It did roll out a lot.

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah.

Q. You had two putts for the win, but you wanted to put that one putt in for the win. What did you see on the putt?

KIMBERLY DINH: So I got a little bit to the right and, yeah, had two putts for the win. So just wanted to put a good stroke on it and lag it and put good speed on it, not be too tentative as well.

So it's nice to finish with a birdie.

Q. What does it mean to have your family out here supporting and your aunt come back into town to come out and watch?

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah, it's awesome. It's just a lot of fun to have them out here following, supporting me throughout my golf journey, so it's a lot of fun.

Q. How did your ankle do throughout the week?

KIMBERLY DINH: Pretty good surprisingly. The physio worked on it a couple times, so that was nice to have to keep it loose since I knew it was stiffening up, and I kept stretching it constantly as much as I could.

Q. Is that the white sock ankle?

KIMBERLY DINH: It is, yeah. So, yeah, kept stretching it, and then it's a lot of golf, so I had other aches and pains show up, like my back, my wrist.

So got to get healthy for the U.S. Open now.

Q. When you broke your ankle earlier in the year did you ever think you could be here right now?

KIMBERLY DINH: I didn't think it would happen this quick. I was determined to go out and win like a State Am again or the U.S. Mid-Am, but I didn't think it would happen this year.

Q. How much did your past experiences contribute to the successful week this week?

KIMBERLY DINH: A lot. Have learned every time I get to match play, just every time I've played just got more comfortable with it, and learning even if you get down to not panic and that you can make good shots, you can make a good putt.

At our State Am this past year had a couple matches that went to extra holes and had to make putts to get to extra holes, so just I've been in high-pressure situations that have been -- so I've gotten used to it. Just like don't panic and stay the course. You know, give it your best shot.

Q. Yeah. You just missed at the State Am, so was that a little bit of motivation this week to try to get to the finals?

KIMBERLY DINH: A little bit, yeah. Losing in the semis stung, losing on the 19th hole to get to the final match. Yeah, there was a little bit of motivation to get one more win for this year.

Q. And obviously you take your vacation time during this, so what's the plan for now? Do you get to rest at all or do you have any more time left?

KIMBERLY DINH: Don't really have a lot of time left. I have a presentation I have to give tomorrow so I have to at least dial in for that, and then we'll figure out what the rest of the day looks like.

Q. Last one: In addition to that, how will you celebrate the win today or the next couple days?

KIMBERLY DINH: Yeah, I don't know. There is a lot of family and friends back home who have been cheering, so we'll definitely get together with all of them and probably with the members at my club as well. So to be determined, though.