CPKC WOMEN'S OPEN

July 28, 2024

Alena Sharp

Earl Grey Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Alena Sharp after the final round at the CPKC Women's Open. Wrapped up a great last round here on Sunday. Just talk about the week as a whole and especially how your game felt.

ALENA SHARP: I think my game got better as the week went on. I think it's always -- it was windy on Thursday and Friday and just didn't have a great start on Thursday.

Was along the cut line, outside the cut line, and then chipped in for eagle. And then I think that was a huge -- actually the hole before was a huge momentum shift for me.

I hit a terrible shot trying to be aggressive to make birdie and put myself in a really bad spot on 3; got up and down out of the bunker.

Then I chipped in for eagle and it was like my mindset just switched. It was like, oh, I can play the weekend now. I just was not making the birdie putts, so it was very frustrating; then that happened.

So that was pretty cool.

And then I think I just carried that momentum forward into the weekend. There was a little less wind and I thought the course was a little bit more gettable yesterday, and I just hit it really well and just brought that into today as well.

Q. And making the weekend, shooting 7-under combined over the last few days, just talk about how comfortable you felt out there. You moved up the leaderboard quite a bit, too. How you were trying to be so aggressive just to move up and see what you could do?

ALENA SHARP: Yeah, I mean, I wasn't looking at the leaderboard much. I just really wanted to just -- my confidence has been kind of low. I had a poor end of June; didn't play well at the major, the first major I had played in since 2022.

So I'm building my confidence back up, and last week was a good result on Sunday. Typically this year my Sundays have been a little rough. Didn't sleep well last night. I definitely was nervous coming into today.

To get the result and play well and shoot 4-under today and make that putt on the last hole, I mean, pretty amazing way to finish the tournament.

Q. And what a confidence boost before you head to Paris to represent your country. Just talk about how awesome it was to play here right before you head off.

ALENA SHARP: Yeah, this is the best way to go to the Olympics I think for Brooke and I, being in Canada and having so much support here. I'm going to stay here for a few days and fly out Thursday and get there Friday and do a little bit of Team Canada watching and watch the guys play on Sunday and then get to work.

Q. How long was that putt on 18 and how nice was it to see it go in?

ALENA SHARP: It was amazing. It was 47 feet. It was a breaker. I just wanted to get it to the hole. When it went in I was like oh, my God. So that was pretty cool.

Q. Yeah, and moves you up a bit more, too, in the standings.

ALENA SHARP: Yeah.

Q. Did you get some momentum from hearing the fans cheer, Go Flames, go, after you put on the jersey on 17?

ALENA SHARP: Sure. I'll say yes. (Laughter.)

Q. Yeah, I know you mentioned it before, but just that experience going to that hole with all the fans, what was that like?

ALENA SHARP: It was amazing. I've never been to The Rink hole where it's been that full. The last few years I've played it wasn't -- I was early so, yeah, it was pretty cool.

A lot of people there cheering when I got in there, cheering when I hit the shot, and when I pulled the jersey out lots of cheers. That was fun.

Q. You did well in Priddis and you did well here. Pretty nice to be back in Alberta?

ALENA SHARP: Alberta has been good to me. I said it earlier this week. Won the Canadian Junior here and had my best finish on the LPGA here at Priddis right after the 2016 Olympics. So yeah, it's been good to me.

Q. Just talk about that momentum and especially when you're going into a new course when you head over to Paris. I mean, that's got to be something that you build up from your Saturday-Sunday here, like maybe even can translate over there. Is that something you feel is possible?

ALENA SHARP: I do, because I've heard that golf course is pretty tough. The last four holes have water and thick rough just like here, so I think doing well here under these conditions and it's going to get windy there, too so I'm a good wind player. Having a good week this week I feel a million times better now than I did on Monday.

Even though I felt decent about last week, coming into the Canadian Open there is always more pressure. To perform and have a good result this week, yeah, it's a huge confidence boost, and get to enjoy it with my aunt and uncle the next few days and relax and then fly over to Paris.

So it's pretty cool.

Q. Touching back on the Olympics, you you said you will get the chance to watch the men play. Will you have a chance to watch any other...

ALENA SHARP: Yeah, we have beach volleyball tickets. We saw it's under the Eiffel Tower. I couldn't resist. We're doing that Saturday afternoon and probably walk around Paris a little bit.

Maybe Monday as a team we're going to do something. I'm not sure. Definitely taking in some of the other sports. Woke up this morning and turned it on. It's a cool time of year. I've always loved the Olympics.