AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 2, 2025

Amanda Sambach

Quick Quotes

Q. Amanda, so many of the leaders today are veterans in this tournament, and none more so than you with five appearances here. How much does the experience count? And how much do you attribute your low round to it?

AMANDA SAMBACH: Experience makes a big difference, especially on this golf course. It's a super challenging track.

I think the setup for this week has been a little bit easier than years past. So just trying to do my best to take advantage of that. Obviously there's been less and less pressure as I come to this golf course year after year. Still have expectations for myself, but just really able to play free.

Q. Any particular holes you play differently having made mistakes there in the past or played too conservatively or aggressive?

AMANDA SAMBACH: Yeah, there are definitely -- I think overall my tendency in the past years have been to play really conservative. But this year I kind of just went into it thinking that I could play aggressive with the course setup. So I did that today pretty well.

Q. Coming in as a senior this year, do you have a different perspective knowing this might be your last time around here?

AMANDA SAMBACH: Yeah, 100 percent. Knowing this is maybe my last time here, I'm definitely just trying to make the most out of the experience, enjoy every single shot. Yeah, just take it one day at a time, take it all in.

Q. Does that come with extra expectation because you know it might be your last year?

AMANDA SAMBACH: I think yes and no. My mindset right now is honestly just to have fun. I don't know where golf will take me in the future, so just trying to stay in the moment.

Q. Amanda, your start in this championship, fairway bunker off the tee, greenside bunker, downhill lie, an amazing up-and-down for par. You said to me, I'm a dog. Can you elaborate what that means? For people who aren't familiar with that frame of reference when it comes to the world of golf.

AMANDA SAMBACH: Well, it was a bit of a joke, but yeah, obviously, hit some -- hit not my best few shots to open up, which is not a great feeling. Kind of snap hooked my drive into that bunker, had a really tough lie, had a mud ball in the bunker. So I hit a 6-iron that kind of sliced into the other bunker, had a downhill lie kind of on the edge to a tucked pin. Made like a 10-foot putt for par, and I think the I'm a dog was pretty appropriate there.

Q. You've had the same caddie the last couple of years, Rusty Goble. With a tournament that has so many outside distractions as this one, great distractions, but there's a lot going on out here, how comfortable is it to have him on your bag?

AMANDA SAMBACH: It's everything. The small talk and the getting to know each other, that's like been there, done that. So we can really just focus on getting the numbers. He knows exactly what I need, which is awesome.

Q. What's a prevalent topic of conversation between you two? Is there something you go back to each and every year? Is there a sports team? Is there maybe his family?

AMANDA SAMBACH: There's a lot of like what are you listening to right now? What did you have for dinner last night? We talk about food a lot. I think we're both pretty big foodies.

Q. And do you see him just once a year here?

AMANDA SAMBACH: Yeah, just once a year. Look forward to it every single time.

Q. How did you guys hook up initially?

AMANDA SAMBACH: Random. He was assigned to me I think the second time that I played here as just a local caddie. Yeah, I love the way that -- I love the way he caddies. He's just super confident and gives me the numbers. Yeah, there's not much more that I need.

Q. When you hit a couple of poor shots early in your round, do you change anything technically, or do you keep plugging along?

AMANDA SAMBACH: Just keep plugging along, yeah. I'm one that doesn't really think too much on the golf course. I hit a couple bad shots, but I also made a really gritty par. Just go to the next hole and try to do the same thing.