FORD CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY KCC

March 30, 2024

Carlota Ciganda

Seville Golf and Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, I'm here with Carlota after her third round of the Ford Championship, tied for the top of the leaderboard today. How did your game feel out there?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I mean, very happy with the 6-under today. I take's very tricky day. The wind is really strong. Lots of side winds, and it's just, yeah, it's just hard. I think if you can hit greens it's good shots. There are some holes that are playing downhill and you can take advantage, as well as the par-5s.

Yeah, I made two eagles, which that really helped me today in my round. Yeah, very happy to be right there.

Q. Can you pinpoint a time in the round today that you felt the wind really started to pick up?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think on 9. On 9, that second shot I had 130 meters and usually that's a 9-iron for me. I hit a 6 and I didn't get to the green, so that was like a three, four club wind. Very gusty.

Yeah, just really tough after the last two days that it was just perfect with no wind.

So, yeah, I think I did a good job. Made some good putts. I'm happy.

Q. Impressive back nine with that wind in mind. How do you stay patient and get some of those good numbers?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I think some of the holes you just don't want to make a bogey, and I think you are gaining with the field. And then if you can, yeah, make a few birdies on the short par-4s like 16, par-5 18, that's always a bonus.

Yeah, I just tried to be very patient. It's obviously a day that the scoring is not going to be as low.

Q. Can you talk about 16, how you played the hole and eventually ended up with an eagle?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, so it's a hole that fits my eye pretty good. I like to hit that fade over the bunker. The pin was in the front. I hit a really good shot on Thursday, very similar pin.

So I was like just try to hit the same shot. It went perfect, right off the bunker, couple good bounces, and ended up 12 feet just outside the green and I? Made a very good putt for eagle.

Q. Living here, how often does it get like this thins time of year and windy conditions, and how much familiar are you with these kind of conditions?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Not much. To be honest I've been here for six years, and it can get windy in the afternoons, but today I think it was -- it's a little extreme. Usually the weather is pretty nice and sunny.

But, yeah, today was just very windy.

Q. The few days it does do that here do you play a lot when gets like this and do you play with different shots, being something that may have helped you today?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Usually when it's, yeah, very windy or not a good day, I don't practice much here because we have so many nice days.

Yeah, I'm from the north of Spain and I have four seasons there, so it can get really cold, it can get windy, it can get anything.

So I think I'm ready to play in any condition and I like when it's challenging.

Q. How do you mentally lock in in your final nine when the wind kicks up? You had a really good stretch. I know made a bogey, but had two birdies and eagle in the final, what, five, six holes.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Just being patient, just one shot at a time, and try not to analyze too much. Obviously the course is playing tough. It's, yeah, the wind is just tricky and you're going to miss some shots.

I think it's just accepting and going to the next one instead of analyzing too much. Yeah, I think we did a good job today out there. Yeah, I'm very happy.

Q. Looking ahead to tomorrow, another Sunday in contention. Maybe some of the things you learned from maybe not playing your best golf on Sundays. Anything you'll take from today or those experiences as you look ahead to tomorrow?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I mean, I think just try to stay patient. I think tomorrow is going to be back to low scoring. I think the weather is not great in the morning but I think it's going to be okay in the afternoon, not as much wind.

I think you still need to get to probably 21-, 22-under to win. Yeah, try to get to that number and hopefully that's enough.

Q. You feel like you have one of those low numbers in the tank maybe?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, after shooting an 8-under and 6-under I think it's a course that suits my eye. With the par-5s I've been playing very good, so hopefully I can do that tomorrow.