AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 6, 2024

Hailee Cooper

Quick Quotes

Q. You waited four years to get here. Tell me what you were feeling going into the 1st tee box.

HAILEE COOPER: Today I was so nervous. I didn't realize the amount of people that were going to be here. I've seen it on TV and stuff, but when I was putting over on the practice facility, all these people were in line just to get in. It was nonstop for like five, six minutes. I just kept seeing people.

So I was really nervous. My only goal was to not hit anyone.

Q. Number 12 is one of the most iconic holes on the planet. Sounds like you had a good run through it. Can you tell me about it?

HAILEE COOPER: I had a great hole. It's one of my favorite holes. It's so aesthetically pleasing.

I put it on my registration that's my favorite hole actually because it's really fun to watch. It's really hard. The greens are really skinny. I had a pretty good number, like 145, we were playing at about 145. I was like I'm going to hit a soft 8-iron to the left. I hit it perfect, right next to Rachel's.

I hit my putt, I thought, a tad too hard. It hit the pin, went right in the hole, and I made a birdie. It was awesome.

Q. It was awesome.

HAILEE COOPER: Thank you.

Q. What's the biggest thing that may have surprised you about the course yesterday or maybe even today?

HAILEE COOPER: The course, let's see, the amount of short game shots that you need in your bag, I would think. Most courses you can walk up with a basic chip shot and get your way around. Here you have to be really creative.

I had fun yesterday chipping around. It was interesting, they're like, hit it backwards and see where it goes. I hit it backwards, and it would go back on the green. It's just this undulation.

I never knew it was so hilly out here. You don't see it on TV. So, yeah, that was surprising to me.

Q. You touched on my question too. I love asking first timers in this event because they say watching it on TV doesn't do it justice.

HAILEE COOPER: No.

Q. When you get out there and it seems kind of daunting. Was that what you experienced?

HAILEE COOPER: Yes. The first night we were here for the first round, we had a dinner up here. I remember looking over at No. 9 here, and all I saw was the top of the pin and the tee box way over there. I was like where's the rest of the hole?

I never realized how hilly it really was. A couple of my shots, we got to play 20 yards uphill, and you never see that at any other course really. It was really fun to come out and like totally see all the undulation.

Q. Give me a summary of this week and what it's meant to you to be able to take it in.

HAILEE COOPER: This week is just -- it was humbling for sure. The course is hard. The courses were hard. It was heart-wrenching. My heart was racing during the second round of the stroke play.

Like I think it was a lot of resilience for me, really fighting my way to get here and going through a lot of adversity. Then I kind of did the same thing in my rounds. I was kind of out of it and fought my way back in to play.

Today was just bonus for me. I didn't play great, but it was definitely bonus for me. I got to walk it again.

Q. Your college career has come to an end.

HAILEE COOPER: It has.

Q. What's your plans?

HAILEE COOPER: Actually, next week -- I graduated last year from A&M. Next week -- well, I fly home tomorrow. I get in my car on Monday and drive to a WAPT event in Louisiana, L'Auberge.

I'll be playing a WAPT event out there. I'll play my practice round on Monday, and we'll tee it up Wednesday, I think is the first round. So I'm already ready to go play again.