AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 1, 2025

Rachel Heck

Quick Quotes

Q. We dealt with a little bit of moisture this morning and then it dried out as the day went on. What was your goal today?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, my goal today on the course was just to honestly get comfortable with the golf club in my hand again. I have not played a lot in the past year, so just good to get some reps in. This is a very difficult course, and it's honestly just so impressive how much they've cleaned it up and how pure it looks after the hurricane and everything.

It's just good to start getting a little more comfortable out there today. I got progressively more comfortable as the round went on.

Q. Does the familiarity with the course help with that?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, definitely. This is my fourth time around here, so like I said, it's super difficult, there's really difficult shots, but I think having seen it before, it's helpful.

Q. I think this is year three of what we call the Stanford invitational. How neat is that seeing all your teammates be a part of this?

RACHEL HECK: Oh, my gosh, it's so special to have all my teammates here. One, just because I miss them a ton. I get some FOMO seeing them at practice and at tournaments. I really miss that. So to be here and feel like part of the team again is really awesome, and especially to see our freshmen just thriving, knowing that the program is in really good hands. I'm excited to see what they do this week.

Q. Has anybody out here asked you for advice?

RACHEL HECK: No, I've been asking them for advice. I might be a veteran, but these young ones know what they're doing. You know, everyone has got their game plan, and it was fun to play -- I played with Megha Ganne and Kelly Xu today, so fun to get out there with them and collaborate and hit some shots.

Q. You've got a lot of golf this week, but what's next for you?

RACHEL HECK: Next, soon to go back to San Francisco, go back to my job. I'm taking PTO this week, so go back to work. Air Force-wise, hopefully I'll get down to my base in Los Angeles soon. That's going to start ramping up a lot more, so really excited.

Q. What's the last year been like for you since we last saw you here? I know things have changed.

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, everything has changed in the last year and in the best way. I love where my life is at now. I started a new job. I've done a lot more with the Air Force. I was at the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, Maryland, for the past few months, so definitely not a lot of golf there. It was pretty chilly. But it was really fun. I've learned a ton the last year, and it's been really awesome.

Q. Did golf kind of help prepare you for this next chapter?

RACHEL HECK: Absolutely. I think golf is just the greatest steppingstone into any career field, just the grit and the mental fortitude it teaches you. It gives you the strength to really step into anything new and face it head on.

Q. Do you have a different lens this week because you've got some more real-world experience? How does it look this week?

RACHEL HECK: Yeah, no, definitely. Totally new perspective coming into this week. Honestly, I thought last year was going to be my last ANWA, and I knew I'd have to have a really good spring to potentially get get back, and I ended up doing that. This feels like totally a bonus year.

My expectations game-wise, I just haven't really been playing golf. I've had a lot of new things to focus on. Just total gratitude for being here. Really just going to enjoy every second of it.

Q. How many rounds do you think you've played this year?

RACHEL HECK: One. I played one round. I played one round -- one 18-hole scramble, corporate scramble, and then nine holes once. That's it. Today was my second full round of golf. Big day for me.

Q. How did it go?

RACHEL HECK: I think it's hard because I still have that competitive spirit in me, so I think I just need to get used to the fact that my game is going to look a little different than it used to, and I'm going to have to be fine with that.

Q. What are you most looking forward to this week?

RACHEL HECK: Just all the events they have for us. Tonight we get to go have dinner with the chairman at Augusta, which is always unreal. I'll never not get goosebumps driving down Magnolia Lane. It's just so special. And then on Friday to have my family out there and just get free rein of Augusta with my best friends and family. There's just nothing else like it. I can't wait.

Q. Not a bad week of PTO.

RACHEL HECK: This is the best way to spend PTO, highly recommend it.