THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP

April 24, 2025

Brooke Matthews

The Club at Carlton Woods

Quick Quotes

Q. Okay, here with Brooke Matthews after her first round of The Chevron Championship. Great round to start. What do you think it was for you today that really worked out?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: I hit my driver really well. Hit it long and straight. It was able to set me up for a lot of -- I mean, this is a long golf course, playing long, so I had some relatively shorter shots into the greens.

Played the par-5s pretty well. Obviously got that eagle coming in, so that always helps.

Yeah, was able to make some putts today so it was kind of fun to finally see some go in.

Q. You had a quieter first nine and then a couple different scores on the back nine. Can you just say what kept you calm through at that time, especially in this major environment?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Yeah, definitely. I had a great group so we were just chatting and that kind of kept me relaxed. I knew I was driving it well, so I was probably going to have some opportunities even after I bogeyed No. 2.

But, yeah, I just -- it's kind of -- it isn't another golf tournament, but at the same time it is. It's fun to go off in the morning. It's a little quieter. You get to go out there and play your game and not worry about the other stuff yet.

Yeah, it was awesome.

Q. Walk us through No. 8.

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Yeah, No. 8, hit a good drive kind of up the left side; had 221 to the flag, a little downwind. Hit a 4 hybrid; landed in the upslope and went to that back section where the pin is. I had like probably 12, 15 feet; snuck in the right edge. That was fun.

Q. Nice. This is your first start here. How have you prepared for this week in your practice, and then also coming into this event what you had heard about the course?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Yeah, I hadn't hard too much. Obviously watched it on TV for the last couple years so I kind of knew a little bit, but it's never the same as when you get on site.

Played last week in LA. Hit the ball really well; just didn't quite make the putts. I knew I had some good momentum coming even though I didn't get the best finish. But playing the practice rounds we got really good lines off the tee. I started hitting my driver really well like I said today. So the rest kind of set up from there.

Q. Epson Tour graduate. I know it's such a high level of competition out there and you had to go back there last year to face that again. For you, does that help your comfortability to know you're playing against the best in the world for a full season and coming out in just a few starts and having a major championship?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Yeah, definitely. My first time I was on Tour I kind of got at the bottom half of the Q-School so I felt a lot of pressure on every start. That and it was my first year playing professional golf.

So having those couple years on the Epson Tour under my belt really, really helped me. Also just realized it's a really long season and not everybody gets off to the best start. That doesn't mean you can't have a really great season.

It's really a marathon out here. You're going to have really good days and not good days and that's just everybody's story.

Q. For you, I know it can be a challenge when you feel like you're hitting it so well. How are you managing to stay patient while you're waiting for those putts to drop like they did today?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Yeah, you have to keep going through you routine. You can't force the ball to go in the hole. If you could we all would've figured that out by now.

(Audio cut out) practice on the greens the last few days and kind of got more comfortable with just committing to it. If it goes in, it goes in. If it doesn't, just line the next one up.

Q. Take us through your practice earlier this week. How many holes did you play on Monday, Tuesday? How were you affected by yesterday's delay?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Right. So Monday I came out in the afternoon and got to see the front nine. I wasn't in the pro-am so just went to the range and putting green and got some practice in there.

And then yesterday, yeah, didn't look great. I was planning on coming out early and then obviously the storm. I was like maybe I'll go out and walk or something. Luckily it cleared up and I was able to see the back nine yesterday afternoon.

So, yeah, I mean, it's a four-week stretch for me. Sometimes a little less is more. You want to be as prepared as possible but also want to show up feeling good.

Q. Yeah. So then you've played the whole course once?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Yes, correct.

Q. How far do you carry the ball?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: I don't know. Today it was probably pretty close to 260. I think most of my drives were going 275, so that's kind of a guess. I was hitting it nicely today off the tee.

Q. How much of an advantage, if you could put in perspective what that is around here having that distance?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Definitely at this course it is an advantage. As long as it's going straight. It was going straight for me today.

Yeah, I mean, it's a long golf course. It's soft from all the rain. So the less club you can have in the better chance you're going to set up to make some birdies.

Q. You mentioned you had a great group. I guess sometimes that might get overlooked. How important is it to be playing with a couple other people you're getting along with and not too stressed out, maybe pace of play is good?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Yeah, I mean, it's a big deal. I know Caroline. She's a good friend of mine. And I actually just met Maja today. The flow of the group was good. Everybody was ready. Pace was good. We were second off so didn't really have to wait very much.

Yeah, it was just comfortable out there. We were just all doing our thing. Everybody was making birdies. Everyone was making putts. So just kind of the flow.

Q. You obviously got a long time before you tee off tomorrow. How will you spend your time tonight and tomorrow morning?

BROOKE MATTHEWS: I guess I'll go eat some lunch, maybe a little bit of practice. Nothing crazy. Probably just chip and putt. Tonight my mom is coming, so probably get to see her. My dad is already here. He got to watch today.

I'm staying at a really nice host house this week with a couple other girls, so probably just hang out, eat some dinner, maybe go in the hot tub. Who knows. Take it easy.

Q. (No microphone.)

BROOKE MATTHEWS: Cassie Porter and her coach/caddie, Dan, and then Ryann O'Toole.