AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 4, 2025

Kiara Romero

Quick Quotes

Q. Kiara, takeaways from the practice round. Probably looks a little different than it did a year ago, but what stands out to you?

KIARA ROMERO: I just kind of feel like it's -- I don't know. It looks really nice out there. Kind of got taken away by the perfect look of the course and stuff. I'm just really focusing on creating a good game plan for me, for myself, hitting the right part of the fairway on the right part of the green, trying not to miss on the wrong sides, yeah.

Q. How much did you take notes in terms of in your yardage book last year compared to this year? Was it significantly more this year or no?

KIARA ROMERO: For this course? Yeah, I didn't take any notes last year. I just kind of played it to have fun and stuff. Definitely have more this year for sure.

Q. Do you think it was a mistake to maybe not do that last year, so you wanted to make a point of digesting as much as you could this time around?

KIARA ROMERO: No, not really. I think I just wanted to enjoy the moment last year and just kind of enjoy playing the course and stuff.

Q. Now that you've had a walk around this place with your sister and a local, have you made any final decisions on caddie tomorrow?

KIARA ROMERO: Still thinking about it right now.

Q. What are you leaning toward?

KIARA ROMERO: Probably having my sister out there to just kind of help me keeping a good attitude for the whole day and stuff.

Q. What do you think is more important, that comfort of having your sister on the bag or some local knowledge with the local caddie?

KIARA ROMERO: Well, with having the local caddie today, he kind of taught my sister as much as he could. So she kind of gets all the little secrets around there. So I think having her could possibly be both.

Q. What specifically are one or two things that he taught her or you about the course?

KIARA ROMERO: There's just like a specific part of the course where everything kind of breaks towards that area. So that's kind of one thing.

Q. Are you talking Rae's Creek?

KIARA ROMERO: Maybe.

(Laughter).

Q. Kiara, do you have pin positions for tomorrow, or do you have a sense of where they're likely to be?

KIARA ROMERO: No, we didn't get the exact pin locations for tomorrow, but just kind of watching this tournament growing up and seeing a lot over the years, I kind of know where the right spots would be.

Q. What would it mean to win this event?

KIARA ROMERO: It would definitely mean everything to me, for sure. To win at this course and all the history behind it. It would be really cool to see all the hard work pay off.

It's a big thing to accomplish, and I know there's a lot of us at the top of the leader board.

So I'm not really worried about that. I'm just kind of going out there to play my game and have fun out there.

Q. You said you watched a lot of the events growing up. Is there anything you remember from watching that or any winners that you remember and hope to kind of emulate tomorrow?

KIARA ROMERO: I think the biggest thing that I always remembered watching it growing up and I was kind of inspired by it was just seeing the players that I would always play with, like my friends out there going out and winning tournaments and getting all the TV time and the big crowds out there.

So it's definitely really good energy out here for sure.

Q. If you were to win tomorrow, that will have meant you will have beaten Lottie Woad, going toe to toe with her, being tied for the lead going into tomorrow. How much do you relish playing with someone like Lottie, the world number one, and how much could that do for your confidence to be able to beat her tomorrow?

KIARA ROMERO: I definitely have a good amount of confidence with my game right now, and I know the player she is and the accomplishments she's had. So being in that position would definitely mean a lot to me, yeah.

Q. Being in a different position from the last time you played, what do you think tomorrow's tee shot is going to feel like where you're at now?

KIARA ROMERO: Definitely will have a lot of adrenaline out there for sure. I think I'll hit it pretty far.

Q. Is there a mindset you'll have -- you mentioned a crowded leader board. Is there a mindset you got into how you feel you'll have to play given how the last few days have progressed?

KIARA ROMERO: I think the biggest thing is just to focus on playing my game and not worrying about what anyone else is doing out there. I Won't be staring down the leader board on every hole and stuff. I'll just kind of focus on where I want to put my next shot, yeah.

Q. Do you still carry a 3-iron?

KIARA ROMERO: I don't always use it every course, but I do play with it sometimes.

Q. Does this course present different challenges from those at Champions Retreat, and do you have to make certain adjustments?

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah, I feel like there's a lot of similarities and differences between the two courses. I think the biggest thing would be the type of grass that is out here. Champions Retreat is a lot stickier, kind of grabs your club a bit, but the grass here is a lot more smooth. So it kind of makes it easier for iron shots and stuff.

Q. How about the greens?

KIARA ROMERO: I feel like both greens were super slopey. So not too much of a difference there, but I think it's definitely a little faster out here.

Q. You've had several close calls this season. I'm wondering if there's anything you've learned from getting up there and coming up short that you'll try to apply into tomorrow? *?

KIARA ROMERO: I've built a lot of confidence being in contention my last few tournaments. I feel like I kind of know how to handle it being on the top over there and not worrying about trying to force a win or anything, just going out there and trying to enjoy it and have fun and play my best game.