WOMEN'S OLYMPIC GOLF COMPETITION

August 7, 2024

Brooke Henderson

Le Golf National

Quick Quotes

Q. The shots that you hit in on 8 and 9, how much did that sort of maybe change the feel of your day?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it did change momentum there for a little bit which was great. I needed that. I needed to start climbing back and so those -- yeah, a great feeling. It was nice to get back-to-back birdies and almost made eagle there on 9 which would have really helped. But unfortunately I had to drop a few shots -- especially the ones on 15 and 17 because I was getting it back. I was only one over going into those holes.

So it was a little disappointing. Just the wind can you caught me off-guard a little bit on 15 and that led to a big mistake. But happy to finish off the round with an eagle. Again, that kind of gives me good momentum going into tomorrow and hopefully I can just play a little better.

Q. You mentioned yesterday that the course was starting to play a little bit fast and firm. Was that a factor early on, maybe a couple drives, maybe not the greatest bounce that you would have wanted?

BROOKE HENDERSON: This morning, it played actually harder than I think it is playing right now. It was a little bit windier. The rough was wet, so it was thicker. It was challenging right out of gate, which I made it look that way for sure. But no, I think it was playing a little bit tougher. As the round got going, I feel like we got a better feel for the wind and how the greens were reacting. So again, that's just good information to know for the next three days. But I feel like this course can change very quickly. So you always have to be adapting and trying to make smart decisions.

Because even though I hit a lot of good shots today that weren't necessarily rewarded, because mentally we didn't make the decision, but I think going into tomorrow, continue to try to hit really good shots but make smart decisions.

Q. I was on the other side of the fairway but looked like a couple lies in the rough were not the greatest?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, honestly I don't think I've ever played a course where there's so many thick rough lies. Occasionally you might get one like I had today but I had maybe like five that I was like, I might hit this 30 yards, and I was swinging very firm at it trying to get it back.

That makes it very difficult if you're missing a lot of fairways to make par even. So I think just premium tomorrow is try to hit as many fairways as I can and that way I'll give myself an opportunity.

Q. You can tell by the trajectory that you were fighting to get it out.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah.

Q. Walking away from it now, you didn't play yourself out of the golf tournament by any means especially with that eagle. What's your outlook going forward?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, the eagle really helps. I feel like right now I'm within striking distance, which is really good. Three days left to try to climb the leaderboard. That's my priority now. Try to sharpen things up this afternoon on the range and go out tomorrow and like I said try to hit a lot of fairways. I feel like if you're hitting fairways you're going to give yourself good looks for birdies and easier pars.

Q. When you come to the Olympics, you must have to change your approach slightly because obviously 10th place isn't going to do it here?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it is really different than a regular week. Regular week, top 10, you're feeling great about yourself. This week, you finish fourth, and you feel terrible. It is definitely a mindset shift, which I think is kind of difficult for a lot of us out here, just doing that for one week every four years.

But at the same time it's a challenge and it makes it pretty fun.

Q. What did you think of the crowds?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, so amazing. I was here on Sunday and saw the men's crowds, by that was Sunday in the final round and I thought that was beyond incredible. So I wasn't necessarily expecting that for us.

But even early this morning teeing off, 1 was surrounded. It was just an incredible vibe. It's so cool that women's golf is so popular in this event here this week. It's pretty exciting for the game.

Q. Do you think this will be a leap forward for golf in the Olympics?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I think so, yeah. I think it's really picking up momentum, like every year.

Even Tokyo wasn't the best with you with Schauffele and Nelly winning, I feel like that was a great boost. And then this week, the fans, the course, the challenge of it, I feel like it's really building momentum.

And then to go back to the U.S. in four years is pretty cool.

Q. Does it feel to you that golf is slightly apart from the Olympics? You're professionals and same people you see week-in and week-out.

BROOKE HENDERSON: It is different than most sports, I think. Just because we play against the best in the world every single week. I go to the Scottish Open next week and I play against the same people I'm playing with this week, just more of them.

So it is a little bit different I think that way but it's really fun for us to be a part of the Olympics and be able to be among the best athletes in the world, I think it is a really cool feeling.

Even though next week is a bigger field and the same players pretty much, it's a different feel this week. It's a bigger stage. There's more meaning behind it, especially when everyone is competing for their own country. I think it hits everybody a little bit different.

Q. Will there be a time when it matches what it feels like to be in contention for a major?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I would say a lot of girls out here consider it equal or above, some girls. I think everyone has a slightly different opinion on it.