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THORNBERRY CREEK LPGA CLASSIC

July 6, 2017

Alena Sharp

Oneida, Wisconsin

THE MODERATOR: Alena Sharp is joining us in the media center. She finished 5-under par today on a Thursday to open play of the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic. Alena, can you tell us about your day and what was working well for you on the course.

ALENA SHARP: Well, it was a great day. I started off solid, just hitting fairways and greens, and last week I kind of struggled with that, so I was happy to get off to a solid start, and then I made five birdies in a row starting on No. 4. So it was nice to get those under my belt, and then I hit it really close on 10 to like a couple inches. I don't know, just very relaxed, and I really like the way the golf course suits my eye.

THE MODERATOR: Can you tell us more about those five birdies in a row, what the setup was like and maybe your longest putt?

ALENA SHARP: Basically I almost hit the same club on all of those holes except for the par-3, No. 8. I had a lot of like 125 to 135 shots and just kind of finessed my 9-iron a couple times, and for a while there I only had -- all my putts were all inside 12 feet. I had some good pace, and a couple of them lipped in, and it was just like, okay, it's my day today.

Q. We were just chatting about going to Lambeau Field for the pro-am party. Can you tell us about how it is to be involved with the inaugural Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic?
ALENA SHARP: I'm so happy to be here. It's a great start to the week. Everybody is so friendly, and the pro-am party at Lambeau was a great way to kick off this event. The golf course is in great shape, and I really like the layout. Just seems like for a first-year event, it doesn't seem like it's the first year. It just seems like it's well-organized, and everybody who's here loves being here.

Q. Have you ever had a stretch in a tournament where you've made five birdies in a row?
ALENA SHARP: Good question. I'm pretty sure maybe at one point, but it's been a long time. I know I've made four in a row before, but I'd have to look back for five in a row. It was just like hit the green, make a putt, hit the green, make a putt. It was kind of nice. I didn't really think too much. I just had nice pace on the putts, and they went in, so it was nice to see them go in.

Q. You shot a 67 today; how were the par-5s playing? I see you made three pars and a 6 on one hole. In your opinion were they hittable in two today? With the rain overnight were they soft? Talk a little bit about those four holes in general.
ALENA SHARP: I think in general the course is a little bit softer, so the shots are reacting. You had to play for some backspin. The par-5s, I didn't hit a great tee shot on 3, so I had to lay up and I had a wedge in my hand, I just missed my putt. And then on 9, I missed the fairway again, and that was probably a three-shot hole today just because the wind was kind of gusting when we were on that hole, and then when we got over to No. 13, we were dead into the wind, but now the wind is died, so I think people will be able to get home in two, but it's a tough pin on the right. And then 15, I bogeyed that hole. I hit a great drive and only had 218 to the pin and I just missed my shot a little to the right and hit the hill and went in the hazard, so I had to chip out of the hazard and then I didn't get up-and-down. Yeah, I was kind of not feeling great walking off that hole because it felt like I let two go there because I thought if I could get it on the green it was an easy two-putt. I'd be on the front with the club that I used. Just leaked a little and went in the hazard. But I think for sure if you take the aggressive line off the tee on 15 you can get there in two today, and maybe on 13 if the wind stops, and it looks like it has.

Q. How good is it to get off to a good start here, especially with the U.S. Women's Open looming next week?
ALENA SHARP: I'm really happy with how I played today. Last week it was really a struggled. I scored okay last week. I putted and chipped well, but I did not hit the ball well, so I worked hard the last few days, and it's nice to see the hard work already showing. I hit shots way closer to the pin today than I did all last week. I think it's nice to get that kind of confidence going for next week, and just go out tomorrow and do what I did today, and same thing Saturday and Sunday and then have that great momentum going into the U.S. Open next week.

Q. I was just curious if you happened to see the forecast, if you were excited to get out there.
ALENA SHARP: Yeah, I woke up this morning and saw that maybe potentially we could have some storms today, and it's always nice to get done before they come in. I've always been -- in all the rounds that you play out here, you're going to be on either side of the coin, and so I'm glad this week I'm not on that side of the coin.

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