AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 2, 2025

Farah O'Keefe

Quick Quotes

Q. Farah, obviously the scoring conditions were good today. Does having experience here also help?

FARAH O'KEEFE: Absolutely. I think playing last year, I actually talked about it with some of my playing components and partners, was that last year the conditions were so different, they were so hard, that -- you just said it, the conditions today were scorable.

Also, like knowing the course when it's hard makes it a little bit easier also when it's not blowing 45 and can't control your golf ball.

I also just think knowing a little bit more of the tee shots, where the lines are, and maybe where to hit it, where not to hit it on the greens was -- that was one of the biggest differences from last year for me.

Q. Can you explain a little bit more how knowing how it played hard enables you to take advantage in an easier day like this?

FARAH O'KEEFE: Yeah, I mean, last time I saw this golf course, I'd hit a good shot, and it would end up 45 feet from the hole. Now to hit a good shot and it ends up 10 or 15 feet from the hole, it's a different mindset. It's just more positive. You hit a good shot, and you're rewarded and you're not punished.

Q. A lot of distractions, good ones here at Augusta National Women's Amateur. What time did you arrive at the golf course to get ready for your round?

FARAH O'KEEFE: I think I got here at 8:15. I teed off 9:55. So I think I got here at 8:15 and hung out for a little while, talked to some people, talked to you. Just kind of mingled and started getting ready for my round.

Q. What were the nerves like to start?

FARAH O'KEEFE: Teeing off of 10 kind of was a blessing in disguise because No. 1 tee box, there's a lot of people around that tee box. So going off of 10, there weren't as many people.

This is such an incredible event, such a prestigious place that you're always nervous, and you're nervous for the weeks and the months leading up to it, ever since you get the invitation.

I think for me I really had some specific goals in mind of what I wanted to accomplish this week and today, and I was able to do that today, and that reflects in my score.

Q. Fair to say you're an aggressive player. I think you showed that at the Women's Western. The rain and the softening of the golf course, when did that first kind of click with you that, okay, this may actually play into my strengths where I can attack this?

FARAH O'KEEFE: Since yesterday, I think. The course was soaked yesterday. For me, I'm a little bit of a longer hitter, so for the par-5s to be reachable in 2 plays to my strengths and plays to my advantage.

Like I had 2-irons into par-5s today, and I knew I was going to be able to stop it, and it wasn't going to one-hop and bounce over the green. Even with a 3-wood, I had a 3-wood in on 9, and it bounced on the back of a ridge, and instead of going all the way off the green and into the rough and over the green, it ended up in a fine spot where I had an opportunity to get up-and-down.

Q. Farah, were you as nervous this time around as a veteran here as you were last year?

FARAH O'KEEFE: I don't think so. I think last year for me I had probably unrealistic expectations of what I thought I was going to be able to achieve. I really, really, really wanted to make a good impression in this tournament first time around.

I did okay. I finished top 20. But I think that knowing the area, knowing the golf course, knowing the people that are going to be here is a big difference.

I also want to say that we've played two college events this year where I think over 50 percent of the field have been in those college events. So to have good finishes in those college events and then to come out here and kind of make the connection that I've had good finishes in college events where 50 percent or more of the field are in those fields.

Like the Darius Rucker, and I think the Colonial -- the Charles Schwab intercollegiate -- or invitational. So I think, yeah, that's just a confidence booster. Also just knowing my way around is a big difference.