THE ASCENDANT LPGA BENEFITING VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA

October 8, 2023

Katherine Muzi

Golf Clubs at The Tribute

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Katherine Muzi after the final round it the Ascendant LPGA. You Monday qualified for this event. Didn't know if you were going to get in. Then you just shot some of the best rounds you said of your time here on the LPGA Tour. Tell me how your taking it all in.

KATHERINE MUZI: Yeah, for me, it was just like I'm kind of like overwhelmed. Like holy cow, I made the cut and then I think I just placed in the top 10 here and I think that gives me an exemption for next year's tournament.

The whole thing has been surreal, especially this being my first ever LPGA event. Like ever. And then I just a happen to be a pro just playing in it. It's crazy.

Q. Yeah, speaking of being a pro, you just turned pro you said in June. Now going to make some money this week. It will be a bigger check. How does that money maybe help you career-wise, expense-wise?

KATHERINE MUZI: Oh, it's really going to be helpful. Like now I'll have some extra spending money on the side, and then I can use it to like build my dream and then hopefully I can play some more tournaments, get better, and then play in some more LPGA tournaments.

Q. Wondering what did you learn about yourself and your game this week competing on the professional LPGA Tour level?

KATHERINE MUZI: Yeah, I think I learned a lot. Just playing with some veteran LPGA players, like it was just super cool. I was like the only person I saw who was using a carry bag, and then everyone else was using a staff bag, so I felt out of place.

But when I was the course they were all super nice. I was hitting good shots, like hitting with them and then some of them I hit better than.

For me it was just like an eye opener, like I can play at this level. Like it was just kind of crazy.

Q. Yeah. Speaking of playing at this level, any plans for the LPGA Tour in the future? What's your next event? Playing more Monday qualifiers?

KATHERINE MUZI: Yeah, I signed up for the Monday qualifier for the Gainbridge at Pelican, sponsored by Annika, so hopefully I can qualify there and just play one more.

Q. Speaking of Annika, I know you're an ambassador for the Annika Developmental Program. How long have you been a part of that program and how has it helped you?

KATHERINE MUZI: Oh, it's been so helpful. So I guess I was like an inaugural ambassador with four other girls who just graduated college. It's just been a huge deal. Just by me going to South Carolina it really opened the door. It's Aiken, South Carolina is the golf course, and they're really trying to grow the game with Annika's help and the foundation.

It's just been crazy. The course is really pretty. We have housing for one year. It's kind of like I'm sponsored by Old Barnwell and the Annika Foundation.

Q. How did that come together? That started this year?

KATHERINE MUZI: Yeah.

Q. How did you get that invite?

KATHERINE MUZI: I guess it's kind of like a guinea pig -- we were the first year so they weren't really sure what's going on. I guess like applications open up in January for like the first year of it, so I guess from now there is going to be four new players chosen each year.

Q. Makes sense. And you said that program has helped a lot, right?

KATHERINE MUZI: Oh, yeah, for sure. I was just in South Carolina and then I played in Arkansas. Just missed the Monday qualifier. Placed Top 5 in WAPT and then here. It's been awesome.