THE ANNIKA DRIVEN BY GAINBRIDGE AT PELICAN

November 10, 2023

Lindy Duncan

Pelican Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Lindy Duncan. Another solid day out here at Pelican Golf Club; 5-under 65 today. Birdied the first three holes in a row. Walk me through that stretch and the rest of the round.

LINDY DUNCAN: Yeah, hit it close on 1, so pretty much a tap-in.

On 2 hit a really good 7-iron to about seven feet; rolled that one in.

Then kind of miss-hit a 5-iron on 3; somehow it got over the bunker. I was telling my caddie like mid-shot, please don't plug in the bunker, and it somehow carried and was on the green. Then just rolled in the 20-footer.

So really nice start.

Q. What's been mindset recently? Been playing some solid golf this year. I know few missed cuts, but playing solid. You're in a good spot. What's been the mindset this year that's really worked?

LINDY DUNCAN: Yeah, I had a great time in Asia. Had a lot of fun and was really appreciative to be there, because it's been a few years since I've gotten into those tournaments.

So kind of just grateful to be playing and feeling good about my game, and just kind of focusing on cleaning up some stuff.

Overall, I've been really believing in my game.

Q. How has it been to kind of not -- I know obviously still kind of on that top 100 bubble -- to not have a lot of stress recently, to just be well inside top 100, been kind of playing solid, solid so far here this week? How does it feel to not have a lot of stress finally?

LINDY DUNCAN: It feels really great. I've felt that stress the last couple years and it's really hard.

Yeah, it's been a huge weight off. Even in Japan, you know, I could have been thinking about it and I really didn't. I just enjoyed my game and playing such a cool tournament, so I'm really happy to be here.

Q. How many times have you played this event or is this your first time?

LINDY DUNCAN: I think this is my third time.

Q. Oh, nice. Okay.

LINDY DUNCAN: Yeah.

Q. What is it about Pelican that suits you? Clearly it does.

LINDY DUNCAN: I don't know. It's kind of different for a Florida course, and I think last week in Japan it was pretty long zoysia grass, and this is really tight bermuda. So kind of a different transition than I'm used to, so I don't know.

I think big greens, just try to hit a lot of greens and then have good speed with your putting, and you can score pretty good.

Q. What's been working in your game where you've been able to have some of those misses and really kind of pull shots off that you may not have pulled off in the past?

LINDY DUNCAN: Yeah, I think my swing is a little bit more consistent. I have a bit better of an idea of why it works when it works and when it doesn't work, kind of like where it goes off.

And then with the putting, I've just been focusing on really getting my setup just really in the same spot every day. It changes every day, everything is always changing, so kind of just some really basic stuff but really every day kind of going through the checklist.

Q. Just walk me through the trajectory of this season to get to this point where you're just a few shots out of the lead in the penultimate event of the season.

LINDY DUNCAN: Yeah, I was thinking about this before this tournament started. I played in a bunch of Epson tournaments earlier this year. I was talking to my mom about that. I was just like, I can't believe it's been such a cool turnaround.

It's been a lot of work, and finally some belief, so put those two together and that's a good thing.

Q. How will you carry that belief into the next 36 holes out here at The ANNIKA?

LINDY DUNCAN: Definitely. I'll have a great time with my caddie Josh and we will just keep plotting around.