AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

March 31, 2026

Ava Merrill

Quick Quotes

Q. How did it go today in the practice round and how is the course feeling?

AVA MERRILL: Yeah, course is feeling great. The course is super pure. The greens are cut super well. They're fast. I haven't played on greens this fast all year, I don't think. Fairways are pure. The course is fun. Every hole is a little different. Back nine and front nine have different designers, which is cool. Back nine is a little hillier. But I had a great time today.

Q. What did it mean to you to be invited to this event? How cool is it that you're finally here? What's it like now that you're here?

AVA MERRILL: Yeah, it's such an honor to be here. It's my first year, and I'm just super excited just to be on property and get to experience the whole event.

Q. Being from Atlanta, you probably grew up an hour and a half, two hours away from here. What's it like to be here walking around, being able to take in all the ambiance of what Augusta is and everything?

AVA MERRILL: Yeah, my coach told me coming to this event, it doesn't even matter how you do, just take in the experience just because this is one that you'll remember for the rest of your life. So I'm going to try to do that this week.

Q. Growing up in Johns Creek and the Atlanta Athletic Club and everything like that, how did that help you get where you are today?

AVA MERRILL: Yeah, I think it's really cool for me. I play at Bobby Jones' home club. He founded, I guess, the National, so just kind of the history there is really cool and it makes it even more special to me.

Q. Your coach is on your bag? Who's on your bag?

AVA MERRILL: Yeah, it's my swing coach Jimmy Harris who works out of the Atlanta Athletic Club, actually out of the Jones Center, so Bobby Jones is right in the name. It's so awesome to have him on the bag this week. He kind of keeps me chill, so it's nice to have someone there to do that.

Q. Are you going to have a lot of friends and family coming up?

AVA MERRILL: So many family, so many friends. I'm so excited to see them all.

Q. What is the reality of trying to chase down an invitation to play in this championship? I know it's your first time; you've seen a lot of your contemporaries in college golf get here and have success here. What's the reality of trying to chase this down and get the invite?

AVA MERRILL: Yeah, it's something we work for all throughout high school, all throughout college, all throughout amateur golf. You have to play well in a lot of events to be here, not just one. I think it's just the accumulation of playing well in a bunch of events that kind of shows off getting an invitation to this event.

Q. How do qualifiers and college golf help out in this situation? Essentially this is a 36-hole qualifier to get to play not one but two rounds at Augusta National. How does college golf help with that mindset?

AVA MERRILL: Yeah, it helps a bunch. We've had a bunch of 36-hole qualifiers just to play in the lineup. So kind of the same idea. You've got to play well quickly. There's not four rounds to get there. It's two rounds, so you have to make as little mistakes as possible and just play smart golf.

Q. Who have you spoken to leading up to this tournament for guidance, advice, assistance, about what it's going to be like as a first-timer at ANWA?

AVA MERRILL: Yeah, so Auston Kim, I spoke to her a little bit. She's on the LPGA Tour. She played in this tournament. Just kind of hearing about some of her advice, notes on the course. Then my caddie and coach Jimmy Harris has played this course a couple times for pro assistants, so he's got a little home course knowledge a little bit, so that's cool, too.

Q. The thing you're looking forward to most off the golf course in this tournament?

AVA MERRILL: I was promised a peach ice cream sandwich here in a second. I'd say I'm really looking forward to that.

Q. Who promised you that?

AVA MERRILL: I think her name is Claire. I'm going to find her, too.

Q. Is the mindset different going into a tournament like this where it's not like a normal college tournament per se because of the amount of competition and the amount of competitors and everything like that? Does it change at all for you?

AVA MERRILL: I hope not. I feel like the way for me to play my best is for me to just focus on my game and playing solid golf and trying not to worry about all the external factors. I feel like that's my approach this week, and I'm going to try to stick to it.