MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 15, 2025

Carlota Ciganda

Blythefield Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Okay, here with 2025 champion Carlota Ciganda. Carlota, third career victory. Talk about the emotions of today.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I mean, amazing. Amazing obviously to win. I think the key has been just being in my own bubble with my caddie. It's such a fun week to play here. We have a great host family. Doesn't even feel like a tournament.

Yeah, very proud of staying present, very proud of just thinking about my game, accepting, being patient out there. It's a course that there are a lot of birdies out there, but at the same time you have to make the putts and they can get away from you.

So just very happy to stay present, yeah, all the 72 holes. Yeah, the end was a great finish and very happy to get that win.

Q. Just talk about it's been a couple years now since you won last on the LPGA Tour. Just talk about that time period that has come between the wins and what this victory means to you after that period of time.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, it's been a lot. I won in 2016, nine years now. I love playing golf, competing, and for me, obviously you want to win, but at the same time I think if, yeah, you can do all these things about giving your 100% and preparing and doing all the things that you can control, I think it's really important. That's what I tried to do.

Just proud of, yeah, all the many years on the LPGA playing here, finishing top 60 every year for CME. Yeah, just have a great team around me. I want to thank Jorge Parada my coach because he's been with me for ten years.

Yeah, he's amazing. He knows me very well. He's the one that believe in me every day and he's helped me a lot. Yeah, my whole team, my family, everyone that's around me, I think it's their win as well.

Q. Lastly from me, can you just talk about coming down the stretch? Were you looking at any leaderboards at all? Were you pushing to get some more birdies? What was the thought process?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: To be honest I haven't really looked at the leaderboard all week. It is true that on 16 I just ask him like, how are we doing. He was like, you are T2 right now, and Hye-Jin Choi, she was first. I knew if I beat her I obviously had a chance.

Yeah, made a good birdie on 15, the par-3.

Good putt on 16.

Then I hit a great driver on 17. I played good those two holes the last couple years.

Hit a great shot for a tap-in into 17.

Yeah, to birdie the last five holes and winning by one, it's pretty special.

Q. So the last few holes, like you said you played so well. How were you able to keep the mental game stable when everything is on the line? You seem to play better as it went going.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, you feel nerves, but I think that's just normal. Everyone that's up there is going to feel the same. So just having, yeah, a good mental process, good routine, just focusing on what you want to think and having the process is key; having that pre-shot routine and believing in that and not thinking about the result and the leaderboard.

Just me and my caddie. I mean, I was really proud of that, just staying present all week and doing our thing.

Q. You said you love playing this course, but you mentioned 2016. Obviously like coming back here just to play the course if you like it, but did that 2016 year make you want to come back every year until you got to this moment?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think when you play good in a course you always like it. I think it's a course that suits my game very well. You can hit the driver pretty hard out here. You have five par-5s that you can reach, so I know there are some low scores out there.

Yeah, it's just with the feel that I get when I come here. It's very similar to the northern part of Spain where I'm from. Feels very much like being home. Very peaceful. I love the drive in the morning coming here, the trees. The course is fun to play. You can go low.

Yeah, it's just a fun week overall.

Q. Congratulations, Carlota. What is it like coming from behind, birdieing the last three or four holes? What did you like about coming from behind to be able to win this and how you did that?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think to be honest I was just trying to be present one shot at a time. Hye-Jin started playing really good. She had an eagle on 4, so she got in front of me. Then I had a good run of birdies on 8, 9, 10, three birdies in a row that put me very close to her.

And, yeah, just kept telling myself to stay present, one shot at a time, and just believe. I mean, I have a very good feeling with my caddie this year. We are having a great time on the golf course, off the golf course. Yeah, I'm happy off the golf course and I think that's really important to play also good golf.

But, yeah, just believing I could do it and then, yeah, having those last few holes, I played good those holes in the past, obviously 18 being a par-5. Yeah, just staying present and believing.

Q. You talk about how this course reminds you of home from Spain. How much of that feeling, the relax, you talk the drive in, the trees, everything, that familiarity; how much can that help a golfer like you?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I mean, I think being happy and relaxed outside the golf course, it's really important, especially you can have that same feeling when you are playing. I think when we play in other places it's a bit more stressful. Like LA or New York can be a bit more -- a little different.

But I just love this week. I love the trees. I love seeing green. I like the golf course. I don't know really what's about this week but every time I come here I play pretty good. I'll be coming back.

Q. I bet. Last one from me: You're the oldest to win on Tour this year. 35 certainly is not old. For the Tour purposes this year, I think the average age is about 24 of the winners this year. So just with kind of your thoughts on getting a victory for the quote-unquote older crowd?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I mean, I'm 35. For me age is just a number. I don't feel as fresh as when I was 24, but I still feel I can compete and I can win out here.

I love playing. I love Thursday to Sundays. I love competition. I mean, I still have that motivation to keep getting better every day. I love the life, especially those Thursday to Sunday, that adrenaline, and, yeah, just competing. It's something that I will miss when I don't play anymore.

I'm just going to try to enjoy the years that I have left and, yeah, keep playing and keep having fun.

Q. Congratulations.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Thank you.

Q. Two quick ones if I may. I'm curious what Suzann said to you when you had your lovely FaceTime call.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Not much. Just said congrats. She was very happy. I think she's coming next week so we'll have a nice dinner, nice talk. She's a great friend and she's always really happy when I play good. She's always sends me text messages.

Yeah, just nice to chat to her and see how happy she was for me. Yeah, very nice of her.

Q. Your fiance was just behind you on the golf course. What has he meant to you over the years in terms of getting to where you are today?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I mean, James, he's amazing. We been together almost for ten years. I feel I am a lot more selfish than him. He's an amazing person. Everything he does for me, I mean, he moved to Phoenix and just helping me with everything, day to day life.

He's just so happy when I play good golf, when I'm doing good. He just wants me to see happy. Yeah, very, very lucky to have him by my side. I love doing life with him. Yeah, I can't wait for December. It's going to be fun, yeah.

Very thankful and grateful for him, his family, and all the people that I have around.

Q. Wedding in Spain?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yes.

Q. Awesome. Thank you.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah.

Q. I want to ask, today is Father's Day. I am sure this was a great gift for your dad who is probably watching in Spain.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah.

Q. Can you put into words what it means to win on Father's Day?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, it's not Father's Day in Spain, but, yeah, it is here. Yeah, still amazing to win on Father's Day. My dad has been a big influence my whole life. Started playing golf because of him. We still play together. He plays pretty much every day.

Yeah, just obviously when you win it's always very special, but I think to do it on Father's Day, I'm sure he feels very happy and very proud.

Q. If you could picture what he's doing right now, do you think he's watching you win, celebrating already?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I talked to him a little bit before the prize presentation and he was having a few drinks and enjoying a nice meal.

Q. Also, how do you plan celebrate?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think we're going to our host family and have some nice steaks, and there will be a few drinks. I don't drink much, but probably have something tonight.

Yeah, for me just being with the people that I love is the most important, and just having a nice meal. I don't need big things. When you go back to Spain we'll have a bigger party maybe.

But there is a major next week so I want to celebrate and enjoy but then get ready for Dallas.

Q. You talked a little bit in the trophy presentation about your caddie. You got emotional talking about it. Talk a little bit more about what he has meant to you being on the bag this year.

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, Casey has been amazing. I started with him at the beginning of the year. We had a nice chat I think it was in December; then he came to Phoenix before we started the year.

I think since the beginning we had a very direct communication. Just I told him what I wanted, how I wanted to be. He just gets it. He's a great guy and understands golf. He used to play so he knows how the player feels.

At the same time he's very confident with his words. I love the way he talks to me on the course, the belief that he has. Yeah, when he talks I just believe it.

Also just having fun on the golf course with him, just walking and enjoying being out there. The last couple years it wasn't as easy, so I think just having fun and being happy makes a big difference.

Q. You mentioned about getting emotional on the green; when your host family walked up they got pretty emotional, too. What was that first conversation like with them and how much have they meant to you the past several years at this tournament?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, Bubba and Gretchen, they're like family. They been hosting us for almost ten years and they follow me, send me text messages pretty much every week when I play.

Yeah, I think when you stay with them so many years they become family. They love golf, but they understand, yeah, we are athletes and they don't say too much. They know when we have to go rest. We just go downstairs in the basement and just relax of. It just flows and it's very easy and comfortable.

I mean, just very happy also for them to win here because I lost in that playoff the first year. Yeah, it's just they are very close friends, family, and just very happy to see them every year doing good. Yeah, very lucky to stay with them.

Q. Wanted to ask you, I can't remember who the person was that commented on your age, but do you have any physical routine that you do as you're playing golf? Kind of like Lexi is focused on physical fitness. Does that play a part?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yes, I go to the gym. I have a trainer. It's really important to stay in shape. I think for me now playing so many years, if I can avoid injuries and then have the energy to play two, three, four weeks in a row it's big.

Yeah, it's really important to have, yeah, healthy lifestyle and workouts and feel good. I love sports so I like it swim, I like to play other sports. I love playing golf but I come from a sporting family and I really like, yeah, watching and playing other sports.

So I feel I'm pretty good shape for my age, and yeah just enjoying every day.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Carlota.