ISPS HANDA WOMEN'S SCOTTISH OPEN

August 15, 2024

Nicola Garcia

Dundonald Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Your hat, when did we make the decision to wear the beanie instead of the usual?

NICOLE GARCIA: My ears were freezing this morning. The wind is not an issue and the rain is not an issue with my hat. I was credit before I cold. To put that hat over a beanie or vice versa is not going to work.

So this is, Doug and I were trying to figure out when the last I didn't have the hat on was and it was -- the only other time was this in nine holes in Saudi and that was because I wore too big of a hat and it covered my eyes, and that was the only reason why.

Funny enough the guys from Callaway asked me, do you wear the hat, 100 per cent, 90 per cent? Definitely, 100 per cent all the time. I didn't take into account how cold it was going to be.

Q. I'm glad you kept your ears warm. Round of 3-under, obviously a long day but very good play from you. How was it?

NICOLE GARCIA: I mean, at the beginning of the day, the forecast, it was terrible. Coming into this morning, I said to Doug, like you know, 2-, 3-over today is going to be good, especially how the wind was pumping the first few holes.

Putting for me was actually the most difficult in those first few holes. Just my two dropped shots on the front nine were 3-putts and so I was hitting the ball really good in the wind, and yeah, then obviously we came back out. The sun came out and got warm and the wind died. So just gave me a bit more opportunity which was good. So I'm happy.

Q. And you obviously had a few weeks off coming into this. What have you been doing over the break you had?

NICOLE GARCIA: Not too much. I think I needed it. This was a lot of golf that I was trying to get to get into the Olympics and it didn't do my body or mind any favors. So I went from playing really well and then I completely dropped away. So the break was really good.

So hopefully, I mean, you know, we'll see how it goes the rest of the week but I'm feeling good with my game.

Q. And Doug is obviously from Fife. I know that you saw him in his gig on Sunday; that you and some of the other caddies and players came up to watch him. What was that like seeing him in a different environment?

NICOLE GARCIA: It was hard obviously for him to be the star of the show. But no, the band, Got Got Need, was good. Their new song they just came out with is one of my favourites. So it was nice to see them play and also meet all the other band members because I'm always ripping Doug on Instagram. They know who it is. It was nice to see him at least once.

Q. And now going into tomorrow?

NICOLE GARCIA: Just going to go and rest. I don't think hitting in the wind and cold is going to do us much good for tomorrow.

So yeah, just go and have some tea. I'm a coffee person but to be fair, the tea sounds good. I can understand why the English, with some of the weather, I can understand why they like tea so much. Just going to rest this afternoon.