AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 4, 2024

Hailey Borja

Quick Quotes

Q. Sounds like challenging conditions today for all of you. Can you take us through how today went and just the round in general?

HAILEY BORJA: Yeah, like I said before, the wind is swirling a lot right now, and so me and my caddie were having a really tough time trying to figure out where it was really coming from, and then at least trying to get a good number to middle of the green most of the time. But it was definitely just swirling a lot. Luckily for me I made a lot of long putts that went in, and that's kind of what saved me today.

Q. Tied for third. To see your name atop the leaderboard, what does that mean to you?

HAILEY BORJA: It's really special. I was here a couple years ago, and I think all I wanted to do was make the cut, and that's the same this year. I think being able to have a little taste of that trophy will be really special for me.

Q. Obviously you're going to make the cut with ease this time around. Being able to play at Augusta National in a competitive round on Saturday, take us through kind of emotionally where that ranks for you.

HAILEY BORJA: Honestly, it's hard to have some words to be able to play Augusta National just because it's such a special place, and I always keep saying a holy grail. It's kind of the home of golf. I think it would just be really special, and just being able to enjoy it all and take it all in I think is all I really want.

Q. Of course you guys get a practice round tomorrow. What do you look to do? What's going to stand out to you as you prep for Saturday and really use tomorrow to do that?

HAILEY BORJA: I think definitely the greens. The greens are always really tricky to read there. That's really it. There's a lot of undulations there, but I'm confident in my game and my swing that it'll be okay.

Q. Tell us who you have on the bag this week for you.

HAILEY BORJA: I have my friend Quinton Hill. He's from home, one of my best friends, so it's really nice to have him on the bag.

Q. You played really well today. What was his reaction knowing he gets to caddie for you at Augusta National for you on Saturday?

HAILEY BORJA: I don't think he has any words about it, either. I'm actually not sure where he is. But I don't think he has any words. I think he's honestly just super excited and probably even more excited to be able to wear the jumpsuit.

Q. You've been here before. How have you grown as a golfer since last time we saw you?

HAILEY BORJA: I think really just being in the present moment, being patient and really just being where my feet are. I hear a lot of players saying that here, and it's so true.

A lot of practice is practice with a purpose, but then once you come here, just be where your feet are.

Q. I think it's interesting that you were the first in your family to play. Tell me about the inspiration of Lorena and how old you were when you first saw her. Do you remember what tournament it was she was playing in?

HAILEY BORJA: I don't remember, but I do remember I watched her at Torrey Pines in San Diego, and I remember just looking up to her and just seeing so much inspiration, motivation to get better, and be able to want to be in her shoes basically. It took a lot of hard work, a lot of determination, but I think knowing that there was someone out there that kind of had the same background as me really motivated me to want to be there.

Q. Was that in person at Torrey that you saw her?

HAILEY BORJA: Mm-hmm, in person.

Q. What is your background?

HAILEY BORJA: I have a Mexican background. My dad is from California but my mom is from Mexico, but all my family is from Mexico basically. Her being from there I think made it more special to want to be like her basically.

Q. When you said to your parents, I want to play golf, what was their reaction, and what was the first step for that?

HAILEY BORJA: I think they probably thought, oh, it's going to be another sport that she's probably going to quit just because I had played like three other sports beforehand, so they're like, okay, she's going to try it and kind of give up.

But I stuck to it, and I realized that I can go to college with it, and I was like, okay, might as well keep playing, and I got better at it.

Q. What was the three sports you quit?

HAILEY BORJA: I did gymnastic, soccer and swim.

Q. What age was this when you did golf?

HAILEY BORJA: I started when I was five years old.

Q. So you started those others really early.

HAILEY BORJA: Yeah, really early.

Q. Do your parents play now?

HAILEY BORJA: My dad has been picking up the clubs a little bit now. My mom, she tried a little bit a couple years ago but didn't really stick to it.

Q. How did that run at the Women's Amateur reinstill some confidence in you?

HAILEY BORJA: Yeah, it made me realize that I belong where I am. Sometimes I think a lot of players feel like they're a little bit of an imposter almost, like it's not real or it doesn't feel like I belong here. But I think being in that final four at the Am really made me feel confident in my game and in myself that I do belong here, and I am able to compete with all these players.

Q. How long had you struggled with that for?

HAILEY BORJA: I would say a lot throughout my couple first years at Michigan as well as the end of my year in high school.