AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

March 31, 2026

Paula Martín Sampedro

Quick Quotes

Q. Paula, can you just talk about having so many Stanford teammates in the field? How special is that? A lot of players aren't going to have that same experience that you're going to have. What's that dynamic like?

PAULA MARTÍN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, it's amazing. As you said, we're lucky enough to have a few members of the current team here playing and even a couple of recruits.

I think it's great. I think it speaks for the fact that our team has been doing really good, and it's great to also share this week alongside my teammates.

I feel like when we practice and travel, like the environment and team dynamics, it's amazing, and having them here at an individual event, it's also great. Really look forward to what the week is going to be for us.

Q. Do you actually approach this like a Stanford collegiate tournament, going over your yardages together, or do you shut that down at some point?

PAULA MARTÍN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, I don't think so. I think this tournament is more like everyone kind of does their own thing and more like individual, I guess, especially like most of us having our own coaches here.

But our head coach is going to fly in and watch us. So it'll feel a little bit like a team, and it'll be nice to see them playing and hon the course.

But yeah, just more focus on the individual level this week.

Q. What's been your approach to just putting it out of your mind that making the cut gets you twice the amount of rounds at Augusta National? That's a challenge for every player every single year. How do you approach that?

PAULA MARTÍN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, this tournament is very special for a lot of reasons. But we get to play Augusta National. I've been lucky enough to play there the last round the past two years that I've played here, and it's amazing. But honestly here at champions, this is also a great test of golf and an amazing challenge.

Playing in this great of a field, I feel like I just need to take it one shot at a time, and now we're here on this course for a couple of days, so I just look forward to focusing on just competing here and playing my best and then hopefully enjoy the last couple of rounds at Augusta National.

Q. Who's one person from your golfing past that you wish could be here to watch you play at Augusta National?

PAULA MARTÍN SAMPEDRO: That's a good question. I feel like growing up, a lot of different people have contributed to my growth, both as a player and as a person. But over this past few years, I feel like everyone that I wanted here has been at some point at least once, so it's nice.

But I'd say anyone from the Madrid or Spanish Federation that has really made an impact on my life I wish could be here this week. But I think they've all been here at one point, so it's nice.

Q. What can you say about -- obviously you're making your third start, but Megha Ganne is going to be making her sixth start. What did she tell you about this event that helped you, and can you describe what you think about what she has done in her five starts here?

PAULA MARTÍN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, it's funny because I think she's had a lot of different experiences playing this tournament. First few years she was just saying how hard this course was and a great challenge, and then last year she shot the tournament record.

It's very inspiring, as I said before, to be surrounded by my teammates, especially Megha. That's something that I've looked up to growing up, as well, and having her as a great teammate and friend is amazing.

She adds a lot of experience and value, both to the team and to me at the individual level. Yeah, of course it's a week that everyone is just grinding to compete and play their best golf, and if I'm not wrong, this will be her last year, so I think she's out here wanting to enjoy the week to its best.

It's just great to have someone like Megha on our team and obviously as a great friend, too. It's just honestly, like, hard to explain how much of an impact she's made on everyone and how she continues to inspire and grow the game of golf. It's awesome to have her by our side.

Q. Obviously last year some Spanish success happened here at Augusta National. I don't know how much you've talked to Carla in the last year. What has she told you from her experience and also how do you feel like you can continue that Spanish success this year?

PAULA MARTÍN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, it was amazing to see her win here because obviously this is one of the most prestigious amateur events. It was the first Spaniard to win it. I haven't talked to her much, but just definitely, like, something to really look up to, and hopefully the Spanish players that are here this week, we can all together make something special happen again.

But yeah, I guess that that proved how good the Spanish women's team is currently, and honestly, it just showed that any of us could be her this year. It's just very inspiring to have her as a roll model this week and in general, and I know she's playing professionally now, so I do think that her victory here was really a point of inflection in her career and has opened a lot of new opportunities for her.

Yeah, just excited to give my all this week, and hopefully just take Spain and all my teammates very up the leaderboard.

Q. This course is most likely going to play a little firmer than the last couple years. How do you feel like you're going to attack that this week?

PAULA MARTÍN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, I've noticed that in the first few holes I played today. I said, I think this is a very demanding course, top to bottom. With firmer greens and just the ball rolling great, I feel like it's a combination of good strategy and where you need to be putting from and where you don't want to be chipping from. That's going to be very important.

But I guess just trusting in my game and the shots that I want to hit, and obviously just thinking through what are the best spots to be.