AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 3, 2024

Hailee Cooper

Quick Quotes

Q. Give me an idea about how the conditions and course is being receptive for you today.

HAILEE COOPER: It was tough for me. I think the greens are softer. Wind was tough out there. I think they were pretty receptive, the greens, so scores could have been low. Not for me, but definitely could have been.

Q. Did you have a chance to play a practice round here before yesterday at all?

HAILEE COOPER: I did not. Yesterday was my first time playing, yeah.

Q. So just tell everybody that mindset of, okay, using basically 18 holes to dial in for a competitive round. How difficult is that?

HAILEE COOPER: It's hard, especially when you come from playing courses that the greens aren't as fast, rough is not as high, stuff like that. So it's hard to kind of adjust in those 18 holes.

A lot of times you try to spend a lot of time on greens, but it's not the same as playing rounds on it. But, yeah, yesterday was super fun, so I got to learn a lot about the course; today I learned more, so hopefully tomorrow I can...

Q. What was the aspect of the course that was maybe the most difficult for you in the afternoon?

HAILEE COOPER: The greens today. My speed was -- normally my speed is the best part of my putting. My speed was off today. Hard to dial in. I let the wind get in my head a little bit and tried to over play some stuff.

Yeah, greens are the hardest part about the course.

Q. This week is a long time coming for you.

HAILEE COOPER: Yeah.

Q. Going back to 2020, tournament gets canceled, invitation rolls over to '21 and then you tested positive for COVID. How big was it for you to be able to get out here finally?

HAILEE COOPER: It was awesome. Teeing off this morning I was worried I was going to be really nervous or something but it was awesome. I came out and I just -- it was like playing a round at home. I had a lot of fun.

Yes, it was a long time coming. When I hit the first tee shot I was like, okay, I'm done. That was the hardest part. I made it, so I'm excited.

Q. Right before you tee'd off I noticed you gathered with your family in a huddle. Tell me about that moment.

HAILEE COOPER: Yes, so we pray before every round. It's important it me, to my faith. And I never ask for to play well or anything, but I ask for peace and patience to keep everybody safe out here.

It's just a nice big group prayer. Yeah, it was good.

Q. What's your mindset going into tomorrow?

HAILEE COOPER: I didn't play my best today. Tomorrow I just hope to learn a little bit and be able to make some putts, hit it closer. I missed to the wrong sides today and I didn't play -- my score wasn't horrible, but I definitely could have played a little better.

Tomorrow just try to improve on today and make a lot of putts, go low tomorrow, yeah.