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U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 2, 2016

Margaret Shirley

Springfield, Pennsylvania

Q. I heard a rumor you had a tee time at Merion tomorrow?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: We were trying. We were definitely making plans of doing something else other than playing golf here, I can tell you that. Yeah, the last 18 holes I played was on Father's Day and that was just for fun. I haven't played a competitive round since May. So my expectations are pretty low coming in, and I've just played a lot of really good golf. I struggled with my putter a little bit today, but I think I hit 15 greens, so...

Q. Do you think it helped having not played competitive golf in a while?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: It does. I mean, it helps that you don't have the expectations. If I had come in and had a few tournaments and was playing well, I'd probably have higher expectations. But I'm just out here for fun. I'm an old lady this week. I think I'm the third oldest person here. So, yeah. I mean, I'm playing in a kid's tournament, so my expectations are not very high.

Q. Have you made match play in any other event besides the women's event?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: Yeah, actually I made it the very first --

Q. A couple years ago here?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: Yeah, I think three are four times here. I made the round of 16 in 2004. That's the best I've ever done. But I haven't had a match play in a while, so this is nice.

Q. Do you have any hotel plans you'd have to change?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: No, we have a 6:00 a.m. flight out on Thursday, so I'd love to be able to change that. That tells you our expectations. We were actually planning on going to the USGA Museum if I didn't make it. So those plans will have to wait as well.

Q. What was going well for you out there?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: I'm hitting the ball beautifully. I had four three-putts today. These greens, I got above the hole a lot today which you can't do. But I was hitting the ball really well, almost too well on some of them. But I played, after yesterday's first five holes, I played six birdies coming in. Had three birdies today, I'm hitting the ball really, really well. When my putter's going, it's been good. It's just a little shaky today.

Q. Was there a point out there when you realized I'm going to make match play on this thing?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: Yeah, after number 14, it's such a tough hole. I hit a good shot in there, almost three-putted. But then I bogeyed here, and I was like come on, Margaret. Then I birdied 16 and that kind of put me at ease knowing I had two par-5s that I played really well the day before. So I was thinking all right. I think we can get this to the house. But you never want to think about that though.

Q. Obviously, USGA match play is not something that's going to faze you. Are you excited about it?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: I love it. I love match play because anything can happen. You never know. Someone might get really hot and you're never out of it. When I think I played in 2007 I was a 64th or 63rd seed and beat the No. 1 seed. So it can happen. I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Obviously, this is a field that's trending much younger every year. Do you have a sense of pride representing the Mid-Ams?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: Yeah, I do. I know last year no Mid-Ams made it, so, yeah, it's pretty neat to do it. I don't know how Lauren played today. Hopefully she put up a good round to make it as well. But, yeah, you do feel a sense of pride. Like I said, you feel like you're at a kid's tournament and I'm a working woman who has a job. I worked a little bit this morning, which I don't think anybody else probably did.

Q. Nice prep for the Women's Mid next month?
MARGARET SHIRLEY: Absolutely. That's by far my favorite tournament, and, yeah, this certainly helps for a good tune-up for that, and I'm a month away.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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