PORTLAND CLASSIC

August 1, 2024

Emma Talley

Columbia Edgewater Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Emma Talley after her first round at the Portland Classic. 7-under to start the tournament. Talk about how it went out there.

EMMA TALLEY: It was really easy today. Golf is a weird game. I've been playing really well the last few weeks and actually told my husband yesterday this is one of my favorite golf courses.

And my game feels really solid right now, so just trying to stay patient. Some of them go in and some of them don't.

Q. And you love this golf course. Why do you love this golf course? What is it about it?

EMMA TALLEY: Yeah, I probably hit it about average distance, and you don't have to have a ton of distance, but you have to hit it straight. I've been hitting the ball really well the last few weeks and putting really well.

This is a good course for ball-strikers and someone that is playing well, so really excited for the week. I told my parents this morning, I think I'm going to play good today. Maybe I need to start saying that more often too myself.

Q. Sounds like a lot of the positive mindset headed into this week. Played really well last week; we talked to you. What's been the mindset shift maybe?

EMMA TALLEY: Yeah, I think this whole year, I know this is kind of sad, but my husband caddied for me at ShopRite this year and I joked, but it's true, it was the first time I hadn't cried on the golf course in almost eight months.

It's been a really big grind and it's been really hard. I feel like we all putt in so much work and sometimes it doesn't pay off for some reason.

I got a new coach in the off-season and everything started clicking about a month and a half ago. After seeing Lauren last week and a few of my friends, Solheim Cup coming up, and I want babies one day, just a lot of things feeling good right now as far as just being out on the golf course and my identity is not in golf.

It's just starting to click for me.

Q. Awesome to hear and see that you're doing well this week. Talk about Portland, too. Anything you enjoy doing here? Any stops you like to make? Any shopping to do this week?

EMMA TALLEY: Yeah, my husband surprised me with some Nike shoes yesterday which was fun. Everyone's coffee spot is Proud Mary's. It's the best. I haven't been there yet but I'm planning on going tomorrow afternoon.