CPKC WOMEN'S OPEN

August 21, 2026

Kiara Romero

Royal Mayfair Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Kiara after her second round at the CPKC Women's Open. Right now tied at the lead at 9-under heading into the weekend in your pro debut. Talk about just how excited you are to be here and be on the LPGA and now be in this contention in your first event.

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah, honestly, I'm just really grateful to be out here and I feel like I just came out here with the mindset to just go out and have fun and just enjoy it and just remember that it's just golf at the end of the day.

Q. And then brother on the bag this week; has been with you in the summer. Can you just kind of talk about your relationship with him and just how you feed off each other on the golf course? We've had people mention to us just looks like you guys are just having fun out there.

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah, I feel like regardless of how I'm playing out there, you know, we'll be out there laughing and having fun and just kind of talking about everything but golf. It really just keeps me grounded out there and keeps my mind off the stakes out here.

It's a lot of fun.

Q. You started playing in a par-3 golf course. A lot of players start on an 18-holer. What did you learn on a par-3 golf course?

KIARA ROMERO: Honestly, I think just growing up playing golf we always just went out and played that par-3 course every single day. We didn't go to the range or anything and my siblings and I would always have a match, and I think that's how I learned how to compete and how I got my competitive edge.

I think that was really important, and it kept the game fun for us so we grew to love it.

Q. And then Tiger learned on a public golf course as well, so probably didn't hurt you.

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah. Someone good to follow after.

Q. The only bogey you made was you just barely missed the green there, I think it was the 12th hole, maybe the 11th hole. You hitting almost every green, is that your goal, is middle of the fairway and get it on the greens because the rough is a little penal if you miss the greens here?

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah, I feel like this course really fits my eye, so when I'm out there I'm playing pretty aggressively with my iron shots and just trying to make as many birdies as possible.

Q. Young players on the LPGA Tour, they have no fear. Do you have any fear joining the LPGA Tour after your amateur career?

KIARA ROMERO: I would say no. Right now I'm just really focusing on having fun and just enjoying -- I mean, it's my first tournament as a professional, so I think it can be tough, the transition from college golf pro golf, so just to make it as little pressuring for me as possible.

I just want to go out there and just try to take this as a learning experience and try to just ground my feet out there.

Q. What will it be like when somebody gives you a check when this tournament is over, actually some money to play golf as opposed to maybe a $2 when you're playing with your buddies?

KIARA ROMERO: I'm sorry, I can't hear you.

Q. What will be like to get a check at the end of the tournament being a professional as opposed to being an amateur where maybe you're playing with your golf buddies for $2 a nine?

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah, it'll be nice, but honestly that's not the reason I play golf, so I don't really pay attention to any of that.

Q. Have you always driven the ball? Has that always been your strength, distance?

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah. My sister actually hits it a lot farther than me. So believe that or not, she probably be hitting it 320 out here.

Q. Really?

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah.

Q. So you're backing off a little. Were there some holes here you didn't hit your driver?

KIARA ROMERO: Yeah.

Q. And your putting, was it as good today as yesterday or just a little -- not quite as good?

KIARA ROMERO: Not as good with the closer ones, but it was still pretty good.

Q. Good enough.

KIARA ROMERO: Had some long ones out there.