U.S. WOMEN'S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 2, 2026

Ivy Shepherd

Montclair Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All righty, Ivy. Congratulations on making it to the finals of the U.S. Mid Am. How are you feeling right now?

IVY SHEPHERD: Feel very, very blessed and grateful and all those sorts of things.

Q. What does it mean to you to make this deep of a run and advance all the way to the championship?

IVY SHEPHERD: Honestly, like it's kind of hard without getting a little emotional about it, but the people who know me have like kind of known my golf journey, kind of hitting the top and honestly falling like flat on your face and kind of losing your dreams and not getting to turn pro and like all those kind of hardships, very miniscule for some people, but they've known the fall from grace for me.

So it means a ton to be able to I guess just kind of put together and really just enjoy competing again. Like, you know, Nick is my caddie. He's a pro out here. He did a phenomenal job at helping me with my game plan, which was to just be grateful for what the Lord has given me and to not be anxious but to be (indiscernible) and of sound mind. That's just kind of what I've done this whole week, and really enjoyed competing again.

It's truly a blessing. Like I don't kind of have a ton of words, how to phrase it, but, yeah.

Q. The journey that you described as going from the bottom back up to the top, what did it take to get you from whatever that moment was to get back here?

IVY SHEPHERD: I mean, a lot of failure and a lot of self-reflection. Obviously this isn't the pinnacle of any means by any stretch of the imagination. I mean, there is a lot of other things that could I guess take up a lot more of somebody's mental capacity.

So it's just really just a bonus, like getting to compete at 26 years old at a high level for the USGA that does a phenomenal event for the mid-amateurs. It's truly a blessing to get to play and to enjoy it.

Again, it's not like it's the pinnacle by any means so I don't kind of get that high. It's a lot of gratitude I guess would be more of that feeling.

Q. Flipping over to the match, seemed like it was quite a grind out there dealing with weather, back and forth the whole way.

IVY SHEPHERD: Yeah.

Q. What did it take to get the match done?

IVY SHEPHERD: Yeah. It was a phenomenal match. It was so much fun. Me and Nick were just joking around. We were just playing the golf course the whole time just trying to make a ton of pars and good speed, good lines, and if they drop, they drop. Vanessa made it hard. She made a ton of birdies.

I mean, it was a great match. Made me really have to my game plan of trying to make pars and trusting that it was going to work itself out, because that's the kind of the golf course it is. It can get you real quick if you try and push too hard.

Q. When you're standing on the 18th tee you have a 1-up lead; you know what's on the line. What's going through your head? What are your emotions?

IVY SHEPHERD: I mean, honestly, like I don't feel like I was too nervous in that position. It was very much like if you screw it up you're going to another hole anyway.

It really was one good shot at a time and finding ways to put yourself in a good position. So I put a good swing on and kind of leaked it right, but I knew that short of the bunker, then me and Nick just talked a lot about getting good number on that shot coming and just, again, plotting around and trusting and not pushing too hard.

Q. What are your thoughts and feelings going into tomorrow's championship match knowing what's on the line, not only a championship, but also a spot in the U.S. Women's Open?

IVY SHEPHERD: Yeah, I mean, it's awesome. It's the longest freaking Women's Open qualifier in the history of the world.

But it's cool. All that is just awesome, you know, results and rewards for a long week of competitive golf for somebody who is going end up winning it. Again, just tons of gratitude.

Yeah, I feel very, very blessed, but, I mean, at the end of the day like it's just going to be fun. Like that's kind of what I'm looking forward to. I think it's just going to be a great time and that's it.

Q. My last question: Obviously you were without a caddie and now you have Nick. How important has that been in the last few days of match play out here?

IVY SHEPHERD: So important. I think match play is the one thing that can really get in your head and start to play against the person which you kind of are. More for me, what works for me, is I don't try and play that person. Unless you're on 18 and you have to make a birdie.

Yeah, and just he's been so good. I told him my game plan from the getgo and he's been so respectful of it and he's been incredible and giving me a ton of good numbers. Just had a great time and ton of prayers. He's a man of God, so it's been very peaceful.

I've really enjoyed it.