MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 18, 2026

Daniela Darquea

Blythefield Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Daniela after her first round at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. Solid start to the week in maybe some difficult conditions this morning. Can you just kind of talk about maybe how different it was than maybe past years and maybe just the practice rounds as well?

DANIELA DARQUEA: Yeah, absolutely. I feel like every year that I've been here the course has been playing a little bit different. I would say firmer, but today with the wind it was a big challenge. We were lucky. It wasn't as firm as other years, so it was easier to like club. However, the winds picked up big time during the round so it was quite interesting, very fun round to play.

Q. With the wind, how different did some of the holes play out there maybe than in past years?

DANIELA DARQUEA: Yeah, absolutely. There is a couple holes that I just -- I was mind blown, let's say. No. 10, it was usually reachable; today I had no chance whatsoever playing into the wind. So I think the course played very different so that was an interesting challenge. Obviously makes us creative, you know, throughout the season just to have a switch.

Q. And then third start this year. Talk about this year as a whole and where you feel your game is.

DANIELA DARQUEA: Yeah, I've been playing a lot in Europe. I'm enjoying it a lot over there. I think the chances I have to play here are big chances, big opportunities, and I'm always very excited to play on the LPGA.

I think this week it's been, I don't know, seeing a lot of my friends and traveling with Sofia, it's been great.

So I'm having a lot of fun and seeing a lot of people that I haven't seen in a while, so that's pretty exciting.

Q. Does that extra sense of comfort kind of translate into your game as well?

DANIELA DARQUEA: I would say so. Familiar faces in player going dining and just hanging out with friends always makes it a little bit easier with the traveling. It's been my I think fourth or fifth week in a row, so that makes a big, big difference.

Q. Perfect. Great playing. Thank you.

DANIELA DARQUEA: Thank you.