FORD CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY KCC

March 28, 2024

Dani Holmqvist

Seville Golf and Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Dani Holmqvist after the first round at the Ford championship. 5-under today. Can you just talk about your round and some of the birdies you had?

DANI HOLMQVIST: Yeah, no, it was fun. Had a good group out there. It was pretty early this morning being first off, but the course played really fair. Greens were really true.

Got a couple birdies on the front nine and just kept it together the back nine.

Q. Was there anything in particular about your game you felt like helped you take advantage of the course the way it was set up?

DANI HOLMQVIST: I think it was pretty good off the tee in general. Gave me some good looks with approaches into these greens. Made a few longer ones, missed a few shorter ones, so I guess it kind of evened out. Overall happy with the day.

Q. Heard you dropped a 45-foot monster putt on a hole. Walk me through that shot.

DANI HOLMQVIST: Yeah, on our 11th. Yes, I almost reached the green and hit a horrendous pitch shot. Kind of rolled off. That pin is sloping away. You know, kind of whacked it up the hill and in it went.

Q. Were you off the green or still on the green?

DANI HOLMQVIST: Just off the green.

Q. That's always fun. Texas wedge.

DANI HOLMQVIST: Yeah, looks good in the stats.

Q. Speaking of wedges, tell me what the helicopter is, what that means to you?

DANI HOLMQVIST: Yeah, thank you. I used to do all Stepbrother quotes. We kind of ran out of them after a while, and trying to keep them PG. I'm currently working on my pilot's license in helicopters, so I felt like it was cute having a helicopter on there. Reminds me of the rigorous training and pre-check and the toughness that goes into flying under certain conditions.

Good reminder and keeps me happy.

Q. What does that process take and how much longer?

DANI HOLMQVIST: I think it's a little bit more than I thought. I think not to cut down fixed wing, but helicopter, a lot of things go into it. I feel like you pretty much have to be a mechanic which I really did not have any prior experience.

I could probably do it within a month if I actually like was really there doing it full time, but for me, kind of comes third on the list after golf and working out.

But also kind of want to be a good pilot, not just a pilot. It's really cool, especially some of the places we go to. I flew Newark City and the Hudson Corridor up there around the Statue of Liberty. Did Hawai'i last year. Definitely a cool way to see the places we play.

Q. Anywhere you're trying to fly with the schedule this year?

DANI HOLMQVIST: That is a good one. I think I wouldn't pass the risk assessment today because it was so fricking early getting up at 4:00. I think this week would be pretty cool to see this landscape a little bit.

Probably looking to do New York City again. I thought that was really neat experience.

Q. Why did you originally get into it? Is there a back story?

DANI HOLMQVIST: I studied wine for two and a half years and random expensive hobbies. So after level two I said never again and ended up doing level three.

So just kind of to do something to distract myself a little bit off golf. Feel like there is a world outside golf and just keep myself a little bit engaged so doing that.

And just helicopter because I feel like it's very few women. It's mostly fixed wing, and I felt like if the guys can do it why can't girls do it.

Q. Good start. Been playing some good golf. Played the weekend last week, which is quite an accomplishment in those conditions. What are you looking for from yourself the next three days in gettable conditions?

DANI HOLMQVIST: Yeah, I think the score is going to be low out here. It's pretty approachable as long as the wind stays down like this. I think it's going to be some low numbers this afternoon.

Just kind of keep going what I'm doing and hopefully some putts will drop tomorrow.