AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

August 21, 2021

Anna Nordqvist

Quick Quotes

Q. Started raining towards the end, 7-under, very, very difficult to beat the rest of the day and didn't drop a shot?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I feel like I've been playing really solid this week and last week at the Scottish I hit the ball really well. So I think it's been coming together for a while. But just very steady. Hit a lot of fairways, a lot of green today. Gave me a lot of good chances and that's going to be the difference. Made a few good putts out there, especially on 8, a longer one and I had to stay patient around the turn. I had good chances on 9, 10, 12 and 13, I feel like all inside like 12 feet and then I didn't make any but some good strokes. Very pleased. Finished with a birdie on 15 and 17. Very happy with my round and feel like I've been staying patient this week and just letting it come to me instead of trying to force it.

Q. Some rain overnight last night and the most amount of rain the whole tournament to date. How did the course play differently compared to the first two rounds?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I would say the pace has been the biggest part. It's been so slow obviously on Thursday afternoon, we played five hours and thought it would be speeding up yesterday and we were off in the morning and it still took almost five hours. So it's a long time out there. I was trying to stay entertained. But today, I mean, I had a great pair with Mei (ph_. She played well as well, so you feed off each other a little bit and get a little momentum.

The course is as good as we've seen it and we are just fortunate to be able to play such a great venue.

Q. That's the thing about links golf, every time you step on the tee there's a decision to be made. How mentally exhausting is it out there?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I wouldn't want to play links golf every week but I love the few times a year we do play it. I think out here, you kind of have to challenge some of the pot bunkers off the tee or you're going to stand with a really long club in. So you're going to have to be a little risk and reward and accept if you end up in one of the bunkers here and there. I think it's such a good golf course and such a good test of golf. Been lucky the last few days it didn't blow as hard as it did in the practise rounds, but it's still a hard test and the last few holes are playing a beast today.

Q. Huge jump up the leaderboard. What do you think is going to be required of you tomorrow?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Like every week, there's just so many good players and it always seems to be someone shooting a really low one last day, and it's getting really tight. All I can really do is try to shoot another low round and see where it puts me. Just don't have many expectations right now. I'm just trying to focus on what I can control and just enjoy playing golf.

Q. Going to start calling you a local favourite with your family connections.

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I don't know but I'm happy to have a lot of support from friends and family. It means a lot for them to come out in this weather, and it's a long walk out there. Just with all the protocols, haven't been able to be back here in a good two years, and seeing everyone, definitely feeling the local support.

Q. Have you played much here?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I actually haven't. I wish I did. I played here on December 26 a couple years ago. We were back for Christmas and it was awesome. We played on summer greens, so maybe two or three greens and a little mat and that's how I grew up playing. It's such a good venue and I really enjoy coming back here.

Q. Ten years ago -- is there something about Carnoustie that suits your eye?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I think it's a good golf course. I think it's a ball-striker's golf course because you have to challenge a few bunkers out there or you're going to stand with really long clubs. In links golf in general, when my game is on, I feel like I'm pretty consistent and my misses are not too big. Just love playing links golf for a while because it's so different from what we play in the US every week.

Q. Any highlights today?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Made a good birdie on 3. I hit it to like 15 feet on 6 and 2-putted for birdie there. Birdie on 7. I made a good putt on 8, a long one. And then had to stay patient at the turn because I had good chances on 9, 10, 12 and 13 I think all within 12, 15 feet and I didn't make one of them.

So good birdie on 15 and I hit an amazing hybrid in from 230 on 17 to, what, about 15 feet and I made that one. That was an amazing birdie.

Q. How much confidence does it give you --

ANNA NORDQVIST: I feel like courses like this, a few bogeys happens, you've just got to accept it and go on with it because you can have good shots and it can kick in a bad spot down in a bunker, but definitely a boost to not have a bogey today and like just very happy.

Q. Solheim Cup, any thoughts?

ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, so tomorrow is the Solheim Cup selection and obviously it's been on my mind for a while. I love Solheim Cup. I think everyone knows that, and I've been fortunate to have done six so far, and doing another one, especially in the US would mean a lot.

I'm not in an automatic position right now. I would have to move up a bit on the World Ranking. So hopefully with a good finish tomorrow, otherwise I would hope that some of my consistency and the play the last two years and some of my experience is going to be needed on that team, so fingers crossed.

Q. How much is it on your mind this week?

ANNA NORDQVIST: I mean, obviously it's been on my mind for a while. You can't really get away from all the talk, especially between caddies trying to predict who is going to make the team or not.

All I can focus on is what I can control and that's like me trying to play good, and if she wants me on the team, she wants me on the team. I feel pretty good the way I've been playing, so I've done everything I can.