AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 6, 2024

Bailey Shoemaker

Quick Quotes

Q. Bailey, can you talk us through your emotions seeing Lottie make that final putt.

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: Good for her. Especially under pressure, knowing she had to do it, that's amazing. That's awesome. I think super clutch.

I'm obviously disappointed, but at the end of the day, I played about as good as I could have. Maybe a couple of putts could have dropped. But I made just about everything too. It is what it is.

Q. Have you ever been in a position like this before where you're waiting in the clubhouse?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: Nothing quite like this. It's at Augusta too. It's a pretty special week.

Q. It looked like you were kind of walking quickly to your next shots.

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: Yeah, just trying to keep it rolling, get it done. We're on the clock. Just keeping it rolling, not allowing myself to think about too much, what if, what would happen, but just being patient.

Q. Did you have a game plan coming into today, and did you think that you had to shoot a certain score?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: I didn't have a set score in my head, but I thought around 3-under would be pretty good. Everybody wants to win, but I was just hoping for a top five or a good finish this week.

Once the putts started going in, I thought there might be a chance. So I just kept it rolling.

Q. Can you walk me through the tee shot on 16.

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: On 16, I was in between clubs. I went up a club. I was trying to get like five yards right, go up, take the hill, pulled it. Good club, I guess. Just barely carried on the front edge, and it was good. A nice little birdie from five feet.

Q. What do you take away most from today?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: Just experience. Just another opportunity where I've been in the hunt and in position to win a tournament. It's been a while for me, but it's okay. Especially at Augusta National, it was fun. It was exciting.

Good test of pressure for myself, I feel like. It's always good to put yourself in that position and see how you perform.

Q. What were kind of the emotions you were feeling as you were waiting to see how Lottie finished?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: I was just happy. I was just happy to be here. Fortunate to be in that position, just grateful to be in that position, have the opportunity to be in a playoff or have a chance to win at Augusta.

Just happy, talking to my coach, talking to my dad, just enjoying the moment.

Q. When you finished up the round, what did your teammates say to you?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: I actually couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell you, but just happy for me. Just happy for me. I know that they're already thinking about our next college event that they're flying to tonight, but yeah, just happy for me.

Q. How would you describe yourself as a competitor?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: I'm super fiery. I'm super gritty. Always make the joke I am not a good ball striker. I can putt, but that's about it. Just fighting tooth and nail honestly. Just trying to put myself in good position.

If I get on a roll, I get on a roll. Unfortunately, I didn't today.

Q. Did this round help you learn anything about yourself?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: I learned that I can be patient and I can take a moment. Really been working on sport psych and just letting go, accepting, just whatever happens happens. Once you get to the next shot, nothing's happened before that and just really got to focus on the next one.

I was really proud of myself today. I was super patient. Forgot what was happening almost, just focused on what's happening right now. Not worried about the future or what's happened in the past.

Q. Going into the rest of your year at USC, what's the biggest takeaway?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: Like I said, putting myself in a good position to win or to perform or do something well. Coming up on Pac-12s and Regionals and NCAAs, just really excited.

I'm hoping we make it to NCAAs and give it another run again. Runner-up last year, but I'm glad I'm the new addition to the team, and I'm excited for it.

Q. How excited are you to come back in a year?

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: Hopefully. I hope I come back in a year. My WAGR is not great right now. I played a full Epson season, and that kind of hurt my ranking.

I hope to come back. Every single year everybody wants to come back and play. It's a tremendous opportunity to play the final round at Augusta National. That's all anybody could ask for.

Q. You made the most of it.

BAILEY SHOEMAKER: I did make the most of it. Finally.