KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 23, 2024

Ally Ewing

Sahalee Country Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: All right, here with Ally Ewing after the final round at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Just take us through the day. Looking like another Top 5 finish for you. What was working so well for you this week.

ALLY EWING: Yeah, I just been playing really steady golf. This golf course is super demanding from every perspective or ever aspect of your game, so it was a challenge.

I think the biggest thing for me coming in this week was just to be really precise with targets. You know, it's just so demanding off the tee, but I trust my ball striking so much that if I can get a ball in play on the fairway, I felt like I was going to have a pretty good chance this week.

Yeah, super happy with the potential really good finish in a major. We'll see what goes forward.

Q. Looking like possibly your third straight Top 5 finish. What part of your game is really clicking for you?

ALLY EWING: I think for me, it's all got to come together, right? You have to drive it well, strike it well, and you have to make big putts. Yesterday I -- my husband texted me after the round and said that I had made 160 feet of putts or something like that and I shot even par.

That's what kind of grind Sahalee is.

Certainly, when I can get the putter going, that's when I feel like I really have a good chance to contend in golf tournaments. That's all you can ask for when you tee it up in a major is to contend.

Q. Does your gut tell you you did enough to get to the Olympic team?

ALLY EWING: I don't know. At the start of the week I really have no idea how the rankings will shake out. I thought I really had to win to be honest.

I have no idea if -- what is going to be good enough. I certainly feel like I'm playing really good golf right now, so as Amy Rogers just told me, we'll see the rankings tomorrow and cross our fingers.

Q. It would be huge, right? Given your form, playing so well at this time of year, be a great opportunity.

ALLY EWING: Yeah, for sure. I think representing the United States in anything, it's truly a privilege. Solheim Cup has been one of the best weeks of my career every year that I've been on the team. And those are unfortunately with losses.

So any time you get to represent your country in any form, it's truly special. It would be an incredible honor.

Q. To have your best finish in a major and then top it in the next major, come pretty close in the next tournament, what does that take mentally to be able to contend like that in major championships?

ALLY EWING: Yeah, I got to hear this a lot today, a lot of people chanting for Charley walking down the fairways playing with her. Yeah, I think you come into a week like this and you trust the confidence that you have in your game.

But still, like you have to go hit the shots. You can have a good game plan but you have to hit the shots and this place demands it.

Really excited to see that. And we don't know what the scores will shake out the last few holes, but feel like my game was in a really good place to contend this week. Amy is playing ridiculously well around here.

Q. Four Top 10s in majors before this season.

ALLY EWING: Yep.

Q. Is there something that has switched for you mentally? Not maturity-wise, but something that's hit different for you in the big, big tournaments that you feel like you're able to execute a little bit better?

ALLY EWING: Yeah, I think it's just kind of getting acclimated to that pressure. We all have expectations and goals, and it's easy to get ahead of yourself or get in the past or the future.

So a lot of the training I've done mentally is just how well can I stay in the present and stay focused in the present moment. If you get ahead you're not going to be focused on the now. If you get behind you're not focused in the now.

Kurt and I have just been enjoying our walks and being in tune with every shot and putting our best focus and game plan forward on every shot.

Q. What's your earliest memory of watching the Olympics or any sport?

ALLY EWING: That's a good question. I've always enjoyed watching swimming, Michael Phelps, what he's done. We were talking about beach volleyball the other day. Kerri Walsh, the dominance they went on.

I just love watching other athletes at the peak of their sport compete. I would be the nerd that turns on the TV and just anything that pops up.

Even the Winter Olympics, like something of those sports, something that I would never do in Mississippi. It's incredible to see people at their peak in the Olympics.

Q. Did you feel a little extra nerves out there because of that?

ALLY EWING: Yeah, I mean, I think it was definitely -- it kind of lurks around. Like I said, I was trying to stay in the present, trying to contend for a major championship.

Certainly towards the end I started to notice how far ahead Amy was. Soon as you try to start biting off more than you can chew that's when doubles and triples come into play.

So really solid golf and just tried to execute. Like I said, I was just trying to contend for a major championship this week.

Q. Amy has been on tour for a long time. How would you describe her reputation out here and what you think of her game?

ALLY EWING: Yeah, I mean, we saw her play incredible golf at CME last year, winning that tournament. There is so many great people on the tour.

I think you would go -- these fans that come out to watch, I think they can see that and just see how -- the reputation for women's golf is really good. We're at high right now.

It's really good to see good players, people have success.

Q. You have been out there today. The wind is up. Tougher than it's been in that regard all week. How crazy is it to see 10-under?

ALLY EWING: Yeah, that's incredibly good golf. I'm not really one to get to a golf course and put a number like in my head I feel like I have to get to.

Situationally when you hit every shot you're doing your best, so to see what she's doing, it's insanely good golf.