BLACK DESERT CHAMPIONSHIP

April 30, 2025

Nataliya Guseva

Black Desert Resort

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome to the media center at the Black Desert Championship presented by Greater Zion. I'm joined by Nataliya Guseva. You won the 2023 Black Desert on the Epson Tour. I know that was a bit ago.

Could you give us some idea of what Utah golf was like that week that you won?

NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, I mean, it was amazing. It was my first professional win as well on the Epson Tour. Just in general enjoyed my time on the Epson Tour. Whenever I came to that course it was great. It was different course that we're playing this year, but the whole organization of Black Desert is always on the top of the list.

Super excited for this week as well. We're getting treated here as probably like queens, you know, just having the best time out here. One of the most beautiful golf courses and just, yeah, super excited for this week to get started and going for some beautiful golf, yeah.

Q. And can you just put into words what Utah means to you having your first win here?

NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, it means a lot. I feel like just in general, you know, whenever I won out here it was the most welcoming. Also Patrick who's the owner of the Black Desert, he seems like a very, very nice person who's really involved into women's golf, which is the most exciting for us.

Seeing this resort hosting both the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour events is amazing. Hopefully we're going to see more and more of that. Utah is awesome. It's definitely like a place like -- you're here like in another world I feel like, on another planet. This golf course is just something else with the lava rocks. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

Going to be definitely a tough one for us, but, yeah, we'll probably enjoy it.

Q. And just to touch a little bit more, you said you felt like you were treated like queens this week. Why do you feel that way? I know you were one of the players that ended up on that charter flight here.

NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, starting the week with a charter flight from Houston to here was super convenient. I wish every week would be like that.

But, yeah, it enjoyed my time there, and then being here in the resort, just staying in the hotel on the golf course, and they're doing amazing job for us.

This week, starting from charter flights to food to accommodation, everything, yeah, that's amazing, yeah.

Q. And you mentioned too about this golf course. Going to probably be a little tough. Why do you think it might be a little tough? I've heard of some are blind shots, a lot of lava rock.

NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, definitely that, and I've heard a lot of things from the PGA TOUR events that they had like 1000 unplayables last year, so I was like oh, that's great.

But I mean, I played this course once before and it was nice. It's definitely something else from normal type of golf. You just got to hit precise shots and take it as it comes, and that's what is great about this golf of game.

Q. Just your second year out here on Tour. What have you learned from last year and what are you feeling about your game this year?

NATALIYA GUSEVA: I feel like I'm learning every event something new, something new about myself, and just super nice to have more and more experience playing different type of golf courses, meeting alongside such cool and fun people.

I mean, starting from players, then pro-ams, you know, just I feel like golf is beautiful game that brings out so many people, so many new connections. It's just probably the best part of it, so yeah.

Q. I know you obviously spoke about the win on the Epson Tour, but how did the Epson Tour really prepare you? You had an incredible rookie season; you've got off to a really strong start so far this year. Can you speak to how much preparation the Epson Tour provided you?

NATALIYA GUSEVA: I'm honestly so glad that when I played the Q-School I didn't come all the way to the LPGA and I started my way from the Epson Tour. It really prepares you for the LPGA, and whenever you play the Epson Tour you meet a lot of people and a lot of new places. You have to travel by yourself. It's definitely like a hard type of thing.

But I think it just prepares you to play with the best players in the world. I'm so glad that I did that. You know, explored the whole U.S.

We did so many places. Some of the places were amazing; some were in the middle of nowhere. That's what makes it cool and unforgettable in a way.

Yeah, I think with every year Epson Tour is becoming better and better. There are so many players coming out there, and I mean, getting better every year.

It's just nice to have tour like that, so, yeah.

Q. For fans that may have seen your name at the top of the leaderboard, what would you tell them about your golf game and what you feel like the strengths of your game are that have let you compete and contend out here?

NATALIYA GUSEVA: I'm one the probably longest players out here, so it definitely helps I feel like on every tournament, you know, just bombing drives and enjoying that process.

But had I think mentally when I really need to finish great I think I have that ability to do that, which I think is great, knowing that you can do whatever you want.

I mean, I'm just the person that never gives up and is going to fight until the end. I think that is what's important out here.

Q. Being a player that does hit it pretty long, there are a lot of the holes out here I would think you can't really take full advantage of that length. What's it been like to switch your brain from a bomb-and-gouge mentality versus a strategic, hitting hybrids and irons?

NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, when I came out here my caddie said, yeah, it's going to be a lot of 4- and 5-irons off the tee, so be prepared for that.

It's good. It's still -- golf always challenges you somehow, which is like I mean, great about golf. You know, you always got to be precise, know what your strength is. At the same time sometimes take advantage of this, so, yeah.

Q. So we're here with FireFly Automatix. We're providing the robotic mowers for the fairways. I would just love to hear your thoughts about the playing conditions are like and what the grass is like for you?

NATALIYA GUSEVA: I mean, as I know, we have a bermudagrass out here, which is my favorite type. I grew up on bermuda all the time so it's kind of also advantage for me in a way.

So I mean, as we all know, the altitude out here is pretty high, so the ball is going to fly quite a bit, and I think it's going to become a little bit dry the course.

You got to I think be careful out here, especially with a lot of lava rocks, so your ball will not run out into it.

Yeah, it's great.