COGNIZANT FOUNDERS CUP

May 12, 2024

Madelene Sagstrom

Upper Montclair Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Madelene Sagstrom after the final round at the Cognizant Founders Cup. You had an awesome week. Played some really solid golf. Just talk a little bit about it from your perspective.

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I mean, it's kind of -- it stings a bit right now. I felt like I gave myself a lot of good chances today. I played some pretty good golf. Played really good golf in the middle.

And then, I mean, it's kind of like everyone. You get nervous and want to hit good shots. I wasn't really pulling it off. Rose had a fantastic finish. I couldn't really have done too much more. I felt like I gave it my all. I can't be disappointed, but at the same time I am.

I've done a lot of really good things this week and my game is in a really, really nice spot, so I will look back and I will be very proud of it.

For now it hurts a little bit.

Q. What does this kind of good golf that you've seen this week do for your season and your confidence moving forward after seeing some holed putts, really good shots out there this week?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think, I mean, it's a sign that I'm doing good things. Whatever we're working on is working and what we have -- I mean, it's been a lot of improvements. My driving has been fantastic this week, which I've struggled a little bit with before. Probably a bit of contact on that.

Today I hit some beautiful iron shots and happy with how Shane and I were making decisions. It was really a lot of good things and a lot of things that I've been working on that I can see the result.

It's not all there, which it never will be. It was good enough to be up there fighting for it, which means it was a good week on the golf course.

Q. I know for you obviously in a sense still stings a little bit, but can you speak to what it takes to put that kind of golf together consistently over four rounds?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: It's hard because this week felt easy. Like it felt easy to play really good this week which it doesn't always.

Watching Rose, she was hitting lovely golf slots. We talked about it in the car on the way back. When you play with players that are playing good you kind of get into the same momentum yourself. It's really encouraging and it really helped my game tremendously yesterday playing with her, and today, too.

We were going back and forth, hitting a lot of good shots. So I think it kind of just puts you in a good place. You see somebody striking the ball nicely and making putts, it really just encourages you to do better yourself.

So I don't know, come back to me when I'm playing bad again and I'll let you know how was it.

Q. Just to have this kind of stretch, this has just been a -- I've said it to you all week, I don't know what golf course you're playing. When you look ahead, we're heading into the full-on major season; a lot of important events this year. How do you take this and keep copy and pasting it as you move forward?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think I've built up a bit of a playbook, gamebook or the last few weeks - really my whole career. We have started really nitpicking what drills work, what thoughts work, and what feelings work, and I think that that is something that I'm going to be even more deliberate -- when you play well it's easy to forget about it and you kind of just go with the flow.

You really have to sit down and like what is the reason? What are we doing that makes me play well? I think me and my team, they're still here, we are going to sit down and we are going to talk about it and keep doing good things.

Golf has to still go your way out there. Just keep doing good things is going to be the key, and hope for momentum along the way.

Q. For you obviously Jack was always going to be there off the green. To have that big of a group of players come over, what does that tell you about how you're valued by your peers whether you win or lose?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: It made me tear up probably more. I did feel that today felt like my time. Like I said, I played well here before. I think that's why it stings more. I was up fighting for it I think it was our first time here in '22. I played really well final group on Sunday. Watched Minjee win that week.

It kind of felt a bit -- a little bit the same. Like I felt like I kept giving myself good chances. I wish I could have pulled it off for myself and my team.

That shall come.

Q. Just one last question from me: You have some flowers in your hand. Talk about the fans this week, this course, the event, how much this week as a whole has just been great playing and course conditions, too.

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Yeah, I was kind of worried being Mother's Day and the weather was horrendous this morning I bet all the morning wave people really hated us, because we really got really lucky with the weather in the afternoon.

But it was really nice to see some fans come out. There were a lot of kids. I said that yesterday. There was a kids' clinic going on, Girls' Golf, and it's just incredible to see them out there.

Some of them been out there for hours, so they're really -- I mean, they just seem to love being here. Super generous. I got these flowers from a little boy in the end of the line today signing autographs. They're going to go to my house this weekend and sit on the front there. It's just lovely to see that families want to bring out their kids and love this game as much as I do.

Even though it throws you some kicks sometimes and it hurts, it's still a fantastic game.

Q. Just touch on the Founders, seeing how they started the game, the history of the game, and those Pioneers siting there at the end of every day?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I mean, it's just -- I don't have any personal relationships with any of them as of now. Might come; who knows. Just looking back and remembering why we're here, why we have the opportunity we do, why we can do this for a job, I think it's great.

I think it's something that needs to be acknowledged and that we're doing a good job with. We have to keep reminding generations to come where we all come from.

So it's very important and something that I'm very proud of to represent. I'm proud to represent the LPGA Tour, the Founders, and the women that played before me. I'm hoping to bring that to the next generation. It's really good to acknowledge our past.

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