AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

July 30, 2026

Paula Martín Sampedro

Mixed Zone

Q. Right now top amateur. This is Thursday, no? What are the feelings about that?

PAULA MARTIN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, I think it's great. Obviously I'm just happy to be here and playing against the pros, so obviously that's like the goal of the week, but also looking up at the leaderboard.

I was here last year as my first AIG Women's Open and getting that Smyth silver medal was very special, so looking forward to fighting for to this year, but more so being in contention.

Q. What was the strongest part of your game today?

PAULA MARTIN SAMPEDRO: That's a good question. I feel like I'd say consistency with the irons, but the putter was good the first 15 holes I would say.

Q. You've been so good since you did last year at Nairn. I loved watching you there. That was terrific. So where have you come on since then?

PAULA MARTIN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, thank you. I mean, as you said, after the British Amateur win last year I have been playing quite solid golf. More so links, I enjoy it a lot. It creates a lot of creativity and strategy becomes an even more important part of the game plan.

I feel like coming into this week with the confidence of that British Amateur and last year's AIG, just very happy to be here, and I feel like I hit some good shots out there today.

Q. Okay. And you're at university. How many years have you done at Stanford?

PAULA MARTIN SAMPEDRO: I've done three years already; I have one left.

Q. One left. And do you enjoy it as much as you ever did?

PAULA MARTIN SAMPEDRO: Yeah, I mean, college golf is very fun, and obviously Stanford is very special place. I feel like it's helped me a lot just not only on the golf side, but personally and I feel like I've grown a lot. The people that I get to share my daily life with and going to class there with some of the smartest people on the planet is very cool.

The energy and the discipline and the daily life there are all great, and I'm just very grateful that I can be -- I'm able to live that life at Stanford.

Q. Do find you can do the work as well as keep working at golf?

PAULA MARTIN SAMPEDRO: I try to. I try to, yeah. It's not always easy to handle the golf part and the academic aspect. I feel like it just requires you to organize and knowing when to prioritize what, and obviously when you got to study more maybe you don't get as much time to practice.

I feel like the whole team does a great job balancing both things.

Q. Who gives you advice on how to organize things?

PAULA MARTIN SAMPEDRO: Well, or head coach, Anne Walker, at Stanford has been super helpful for me and the whole team. We're very lucky to have her as our leader.

But I also feel like the teammates, my teammates are some of my best friends. We kind of make each other better, and you know you're not the only one going through maybe academic stress or maybe not doing great on the golf course.

I feel like it's all part of the process and learning from everything, and at the end of the day it's just enjoying it and knowing that you'll always come back stronger. It just helps a lot, yeah.