AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 2, 2025

Louise Rydqvist

Quick Quotes

Q. I just wanted to start by asking, you open up the day with a double bogey, but then you ended off your front nine with three birdies. Tell me a little bit about how you kind of settled yourself down after that 1st hole and kind of locked back in.

LOUISE RYDQVIST: Yeah, I was kind of in trouble off the tee, off the 1st hole. I had to take relief from the cart path and plugged in the bunker and out of there and in another bunker and then missed the three-footer. Definitely a rough start.

But I kept my head calm. Positive vibes only out there. I know there's birdies out there, so just trying to commit to my game plan and keep doing what I'm doing because eventually they're going to fall.

So just trusted what I'm doing, and it paid out on the front nine at least.

Q. Can you kind of walk me through the birdie on hole 9 and how it felt to end off your first half with kind of that strong ending?

LOUISE RYDQVIST: No, it was great. Me and my caddie had committed to playing that as a three-shot hole with the pin location we had today. Getting a full wedge in there and kind of spin it back off the slope. I think we did that great, succeeded, and made the putt. So that was very positive.

Q. And kind of bouncing off of that, how did it feel to be able to birdie 18? Obviously after running into some trouble on your back nine, to kind of be able to end it off on a positive note?

LOUISE RYDQVIST: Yeah, it brings a lot of momentum going into tomorrow. Also being within the top 30 right now, I'm not in it, but I'm in it. Tomorrow if we have a good round, we can go low and do something special.

Yeah, it feels all right.

Q. USC is only about an hour and a half away. Did it feel like there were a lot of Gamecock fans out there cheering you on today?

LOUISE RYDQVIST: Yes, there were a lot of Gamecock fans. I was super grateful for everyone who came out here and supported us. It's so much fun. Yeah, go Gamecocks.

Q. With the success that several USC programs have had with equestrian and women's basketball and softball, how does it feel to be out here representing the University of South Carolina in women's golf?

LOUISE RYDQVIST: I'm so proud to be out here representing the University of South Carolina. I'm out here to be my best self but also represent the program the best I can.

Yeah, super proud. Happy to have Gamecocks out here supporting.

Q. You've also got two teammates out here. How does it feel to have them to unpack the day with as you guys kind of regroup for tomorrow?

LOUISE RYDQVIST: It's very good. Just a little debrief, go through stuff. I just gave Hannah a hug. She was in front of me all day. Good to see her.

Q. Kind of bouncing off that, you're one of three Gamecocks out here. What do you feel like that says about just the quality of South Carolina golf and the program that you're a part of?

LOUISE RYDQVIST: I'm a part of an insane program. We love it out there. We all thrive every day to make each other better and ourselves better. To be here with two of my teammates who's also top 20 in the world is definitely special.

We compete day in and day out every day. So it's awesome. Super proud to be a Gamecock, and especially with Hannah and Ella.

Q. You mentioned you had quite the recovery after hole 1. You mentioned you're so close to home, close to your friends out here on the course. Did the comfortability have to do with that? Did that kind of help you settle in after hole 1?

LOUISE RYDQVIST: For sure. I want to be my best self, and after a double, it's not easy to be your best self. But just kind of bite together and just stick to the process is kind of what I've tried.

I looked at the crowd, and just super thankful for everyone coming out here and supporting women's golf and supporting the Gamecocks. We're so grateful and so happy.

Q. This is one of the biggest amateur tournaments of the year. Local knowledge is at a paramount. How do you weigh the options of whether you take a local caddie, or do you bring your own? How do you decipher what direction to go in that position?

LOUISE RYDQVIST: I think for me I've chosen the comfort part and having someone on my bag who I feel very comfortable around and who knows me and who knows my game and who knows when to keep up and shut up.

He's doing a great job. We'll see. Hopefully we'll play Augusta on Saturday and see what happens there. Yeah, I've chosen my own caddie this time again, and we had a great time last year.

It's also a week filled with memories, and I feel like we're building them every day and every hole out there.