BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP

October 21, 2023

Lauren Coughlin

LPGA International Busan

Quick Quotes

Q. An impressive moving day here at the BMW Ladies Championship. Just overall, what was the strategy going into this Saturday?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I've been struggling a little bit with some putting, and so kind of just my husband and I've talked with some other like sports psychs and stuff, and just a lot of it has been just keep putting, just keep shooting like you would if you were a three-point shooter.

And so I holed one out, though, today on the fairway, on 1, and that kind of got me going pretty good.

Yeah, just kind of kept trying. And the wind is so tricky that it was kind of nice getting through the first nine holes where it wasn't really doing too much, and then you got to that back nine, and it was just doing all kinds of different things, not what it was supposed to be doing. Yeah, it was just brutal there.

So just trying to stay super patient and not get too frustrated if it did something different or wait for the gusts or whatever, that type of stuff.

So a lot of it was just staying patient and keep shooting.

Q. When you're able to start a round like that, especially on the first hole, what does that do for your confidence? Does it kind of give an extra pep in your step for the rest of the day?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I think it got me a little tight. I was like, oh, okay, that's how it's going to go. I three-putted the next hole. After that I kind of calmed down and was able to smooth out and made about a 70-footer on par-3 4, and that kind of calmed me down again, and then it was smooth sailing from there.

Q. When you say that you're working on putting or you notice that the putting has not necessarily been exactly what you've been wanting it to be, is that something that you kind of discovered in the last few events, or is it just coming over to Asia that you've noticed?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: I mean, it's kind of always been a thing. I hit the ball extremely well, and I give myself a lot of chances, and then I get kind of tight and I maybe don't make one or two to start.

And so just trying to stay mentally not get too bogged down that if I miss one, that doesn't mean I'm going to miss the next, or try too hard on the next one is a big thing that I do. I want to make it so bad that I kind of tighten up. And it's hard to put a good stroke when you do that.

Q. This course, the story of the last three days have just been the different weather conditions, battling the winds, battling early morning popup showers. But you've still been able to keep yourself up there at the top of the leaderboard. What does that mean to you to know that the work that you've been putting in to kind of have all the pieces clicking show out on a course on a day like this?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I mean, I think the course suits me pretty well. The greens are massive, but you still have to kind of put them in the right spots, because if you get in the wrong one, I mean, you can have some really, really long, really weird putts. They're firm, which generally always I like a lot too.

So I think that. But also, you know, I played really well last week too, just kind of mentally got -- again, just got a little tight at times, because I want to do well so bad, and you almost have to not care, which is kind of the opposite of what you think you need to do.

And so that's what I talked with Rotella on Wednesday morning or Tuesday morning, and that was like -- he's like, no, the closer you get to the green, the less you have to care. It's very opposite of what you think.

So I've been trying to do my best. I haven't been perfect. But trying.

Q. What's it been like the last three days here just in Korea and just the week in general, being over here for the Asia swing and taking advantage of these last couple of tournaments?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I mean, the goal is to get in CME. And so I'm not skipping any of them. I'm playing all four. And Pelican. But I've only -- last year for Korea was the first time I've ever been in Asia at all. So it's really cool to see all the different cultures, the different food.

And just my husband's here this week, and he's coming to Malaysia next week as well, so that's been really cool getting to experience it with him.

I played with Fioju [phonetic] today, so we got the full Korean crowds, which were fun. We got the real experience. So, yeah, I think I've just been enjoying it and enjoying new experiences and the culture and just having fun.

Q. What do you lean on on a final day like tomorrow? What experience do you think of most that, you know, to be able to kind of bring home what you want to bring home?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, I think KPMG this year was a good one. I was second to last group on the final round. And I don't think I've ever been that nervous. So that's I think a good one.

I know I think, again, it's the getting tight and wanting it and trying to hard is what gets me. I just have to be myself as much as I can, which is carefree and fun and relaxed. And which is the opposite because you think you need to try harder, you need to be something that you're not, and just going and being me is good enough.