Q. Ryann, what a round for you today. Take us through what was going through your mind, especially the last couple birdies come into the close.
RYANN O'TOOLE: I just feel like today was a smooth round. I mean, I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. I told myself beginning of this week to stay patient.
The greens can get soft. I think having the early tee time helped so they were rolling nicely. There was a lot of short holes.
I think patience was key and it helped me out today. I really worked on a lot of starting lines with my putter the last week and a half since probably ANA and Portland, and it proved that I was rolling it much more on my lines.
So between that and just being patient just since we started COVID to get some momentum building back.
Q. But also just your lowest 18 hole score out here this season. What was working so well out there for you today?
RYANN O'TOOLE: Like I said, I think just trusting where the ball is going. I changed some lie angles on my clubs because I was getting this weird left shot the last few events.
So that's straightened out, and like I said, was hitting my starting lines a lot more and felt like I got confidence with that.
So just seeing the ball -- seeing the shots start where I want and the ball going on my line I think just created this momentum, and I got to a place where I think when you aren't trying to play catch up or get lucky out there, like you can just stay in the moment better.
I feel like that helped me.
Q. This is definitely a different tournament, not only with no fans here, but having it in September. The course is a little different, as well. What were you expecting when you got here?
RYANN O'TOOLE: Yeah, the course is much different. Coming here this week I was wondering what would change or what would be different between the wind or is it going to softer or even more firm. It's interesting to see that the fescue is not as high, the greens are not as firm.
Granted, we've had a lot wind -- excuse me, a lot of rain, so that kind of changed the play for some holes. Some of the short holes you feel like you can just attack in past years with the greens firm you couldn't. You had to lay it back a little more to have that full wedge shot in.
Now it's like you can just bomb it as far as you want up there and everything is sitting. So I think that kind of was -- it's an advantage, but it makes it fun, makes it different. You find yourself going, Wow, like 1st hole usually I can hit wedge in and it's releasing ten yards; now it's back spinning, so it's fun to see the difference.
Q. A little bit interesting too as you approach it, I bet.
RYANN O'TOOLE: Yeah.
Q. But just taking a look at your round, the last three holes, being able to close with three birdies in a row, what does that do for your confidence going into tomorrow?
RYANN O'TOOLE: I feel like my game is back, so like I said, I'm not -- I'm an alternate next week, which is really weird. I actually booked my flights like I was in the dang event.
I was like, Oh, okay. Well, I just realize I had a slow start, so being able to see that momentum grow and capitalize on the round today versus maybe going backwards, having a bogey-free round, was nice.
I just feel like I've been staying patient, not getting discouraged, keep working on right things, and it's showed itself.
Q. Has that been in the back of your mind, the first alternate thing at all?
RYANN O'TOOLE: I don't like it. As a competitor, a golfer, I hate being an alternate. I'm second alternate, so there is a winner this week, and I want to win so I have to sit and wait and hope that I get in.
So do my best to get in. If I do, if someone else plays better, good for them.
Q. You said you felt like your game is a back. Is that going into today or now basically?
RYANN O'TOOLE: This week I felt it. Like I felt the momentum. Like I said, there were some shots I was hitting and I just -- I found that my clubs were a little too upright. I needed to get the lie angles down a bit more because I was getting this weird left shot.
I've been playing a cut for a long time now, so I've been getting this hole left miss, so I'm like, What is this? And then it took an event to try to visually see it, trust it. Before it was like I was trying to aim right to try to play it. Now I can just aim where I want and it goes fairly in that direction.
And then just get the -- waiting for the putter to get hot. I just felt like it was just a slow process back I think just having that long off and not being able to work with your coach for that period of time. Arizona was on shutdown and you couldn't fly to us or anything.
Just made it tough. And now just getting back into the swing and seeing where things are, it's a weird year to say the least.
Q. Coming in, I know it was a short putt on 18 for birdie. Were there a lot of the short putts today?
RYANN O'TOOLE: There was quite a lot, yeah. I didn't make a long, significantly long putt today, so for the most part I felt like a lot my birdies were inside 15 feet; a lot inside 10 feet.
Felt like I struck it very well. There is definitely some still left out there, but I can't complain about my round today. I feel like a lot of girls will go low. The course is -- the greens are very receptive. If someone is striking it good it's out there.
Q. Lastly, today there is no wind, great, perfect day. Do you feel like on a day like this in these conditions you have to take advantage and shoot a good score?
RYANN O'TOOLE: Yeah. Like I told myself this morning after the 1st hole and seeing how well the green was rolling. Even the 2nd hole I think I blew it by like four, five feet. I was like, Okay, they sped these up and they're smooth.
I just said to myself this will be a day to capitalize; you're kind of first off; tomorrow being in the afternoon. Watching our footprints, the greens are soft, so tomorrow you're going to have to be more patient because I feel like you're not going to get as true of rolls.
It's just a wave, morning, afternoon round on poana greens. It happens.
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