U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 9, 2022

Catherine Rao

Chambers Bay

Quick Quotes

Q. That ties the course record out here.

CATHERINE RAO: Does it really?

Q. It does. What are your thoughts on that? What was working well today?

CATHERINE RAO: Ball-striking was really good today. Front nine a lot of putts were dropping. Back nine, it was a little rough on the putting, a lot of lip-outs, but it's a beautiful course, and out there I kept looking out at the water and reminding myself I am so grateful to be here and that's all that matters. I just tried to have fun, loosen up and play the way that I know I can play.

Q. Is this your first time out here at Chambers?

CATHERINE RAO: Yeah.

Q. What do you think of the course so far?

CATHERINE RAO: It's amazing. I love it. It's in really good condition, obviously beautiful. Very tough course but playable. It's fair. Again, the views, you just can't beat the views.

Q. You had a nice bounce back eagle on 18 after a bogey on 17. Walk me through that.

CATHERINE RAO: So off the tee, I've been struggling with that tee shot, and I actually hit it into the fairway bunker, but I was like, okay, just don't -- my thing is don't make unnecessary mistakes out there, so I just laid up, was in the fairway, had about 120 in, three-quarter swung a 9-iron, and it was actually really funny because I saw it hit towards the hole and it was just a few feet right but I couldn't tell where the distance was. So I'm looking up at everyone up above, and I'm like, guys, is it good? And then one person clapped, and I was like, okay, so it's at least on the green. Then all of a sudden they're like, It went in. So I was like, yeah!

I liked it that way; it was funnier.

Q. A week like this, long week like this, what do you do to stay sharp and prepare going into match play?

CATHERINE RAO: The recovery area. I've been going after every round before if I can and then just when I get home, get sushi, lay on my bed, ice my back, don't move.

Q. Does the strategy change for you heading into match play?

CATHERINE RAO: Not really. I feel confident with my game. Everything has been good. I think it's just really remembering that I need to play my own game, not really pay attention to what else is going on around me and just stay focused.