NW ARKANSAS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 28, 2024

Gaby Lopez

Pinnacle Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Gaby Lopez. Gaby, talk about the resilience of that round, the way you were able to grind it out, especially after 14. Walk me through day two.

GABY LOPEZ: It's probably the best mental round that I've had. You know, after having a triple bogey, it's so easy to kind of just lose yourself and lose patience.

But just deeply, I don't know, I feel that I'm playing very, very well. I don't know, I feel that I'm making a lot of birdies so I just told myself, hey, you're playing awesome. There is a ton of golf left.

Yeah, just tried to give myself a pat on the back and kind of keep the gas pedal down.

Q. Is that inward kind of mentality, or is that maybe your caddie helping you out?

GABY LOPEZ: I think I call it experience. You know, it's been a rollercoaster mental year for me. I've played awesome. I've played just great overall and haven't really seen results until last week, and this week also.

I think just I feel that if I keep doing the same thing, stick to my game plan, keep being patient and kind to myself, I think good things will turn around.

Q. To be able to come out of that triple and have the birdies you did, walk me through the rest of the round.

GABY LOPEZ: Right, I think it didn't shock me as much as other times it would. I told myself I'm going to keep doing aggressive swings to my targets. That's literally what I can. And control my speed. Yesterday it was a little off, so I was just making sure I had good speed on the greens.

Yeah, literally, yeah, just, I don't know, it's one of those rounds you don't really remember a lot of things. Just kind of grabbing a club out of your bag and all of a sudden you're putting.

Yeah, very, very happy overall how good and how I stayed in the round.

Q. Just in general, I know we've seen videos of you over the past two days, you do it every time you come here, to have the support from the Arkansas community, with two full days of that, how much does that help in a place so comfortable and you have that to be able to use that as part of the game plan?

GABY LOPEZ: For sure. You know, after making that, I don't know, just triple bogey, and just looking at all the people that are around me, just doesn't matter if I shoot 10 or I make a birdie, they're still right there next to me cheering me on.

I don't know, I feel that the community, the energy is very contagious and I try to feed off that.

Q. If you don't mind me asking, what did happen with the triple bogey?

GABY LOPEZ: I just hit a bad tee shot and tried to hit out of the rocks and clipped the tree and just went in the water. It was very unlucky. It was just one of those breaks that kind of goes in or doesn't go in the water.

I don't know, it was a bad swing, but, yeah, I'll make sure I hit the fairway tomorrow.

Q. I know you said you don't remember too much, kind of were just grinding the rest of the round, but any memorable birdies or something that happened that sticks out in your round?

GABY LOPEZ: I think an amazing wedge shot on 18, 1, 2, and amazing wedge shot on 4. I think just wedging very, very well and hitting the middle of the club also has given me the confidence that I'm controlling the speed and the line of the putt.

Q. What do you draw on heading into tomorrow up near the top of the leaderboard?

GABY LOPEZ: You know, kind of brings me back when Rory had this tournament and he took the lead on the 71st hole. So you don't really have to have probably the lead until the last couple holes to give yourself a chance.

As much as I want to be up there leading, I want to be just playing good golf. At the end of the day result is actually what I can't control. I can't control what the others do.

I control my attitude and how I swing the golf ball and that's about it. Just trying to remind myself that a good break or not good break is out of my control.

I can only go enjoy fearless golf out there.