THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for joining the live virtual interview room here at ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer.
We are joined by 2020 ShopRite LPGA Classic champion, Mel Reid.
Mel, take me through the last about half hour, 45 minutes going from the final putt to the champagne spraying, the excitement of being a Rolex first-time winner on the LPGA.
MEL REID: Yeah, I don't really think it's sunk in yet. Obviously it's amazing to have like a lot of friends come out with champagne. I love champagne. So it was nice to do it. I've not had that feeling for a long time, so just relief honestly.
Like I wanted to put things right from Portland. Yeah, just felt like I handled things a lot better today than I did the final round in Portland, so just absolutely made up to be holding the trophy.
THE MODERATOR: How does this change life for you?
MEL REID: I don't know yet. I don't know yet.
THE MODERATOR: Goes from a perspective of wanting revenge, you get your revenge, and obviously take your time to think about it, but I would imagine life is going to change for you.
MEL REID: I hope so. Yeah, I mean, people have been talking about my talent for a long time but I've just never really got anywhere close to where I thought I would be.
Since I've worked with my psychologist I think something has shifted in my mindset, which is quite obvious in the last three or four weeks.
Just even like I missed the cut in Arkansas, but me and Dez were talking about, my caddie, and we felt like we made a big gain there. We just took that momentum from ANA to Portland to here.
So, yeah just feeling pretty good and just very, very happy the way my team is all molded together now. Yeah, just feeling pretty good about life right now, to be honest with you.
THE MODERATOR: We talked about your psychologist, Howard Falco, yesterday and how instrumental of a role he played to help get you here. Talk about Dez a little bit. Take me through, because a caddie doesn't necessarily get all the credit they deserve. Take me through what he's meant to you.
MEL REID: He's basically our roommate because he can't really go back to Canada with the COVID and stuff. He's become one of my best friends honestly. We only started working together this year, and I want to give him as much credit as possible. I could not have gone through as easy as I have done without him on the bag.
You know, I'm just absolutely delighted and proud that he's with me the whole way. Like he doesn't change whether I make a bogey or birdie, which I think is good for approximate to me. His emotions don't change at all. Just a great dude. He's my bro. He's just like -- he's like a brother to me now. I love him it death and he deserves all the credit.
Yeah, just an unbelievable caddie and I'm very lucky to have him on the bag.
THE MODERATOR: Take me through the front nine. You off with a couple nice birdies on 1 and 3 and danced around a couple bogeys on 6 and 7 and then closed out the front nine with a pair of birdies for a 2-Under 35.
When you made the turn, what were you feeling?
MEL REID: Pretty good. I made a great birdie on 8. I hit a really good putt on 7. Just kind of horseshoed and didn't go in.
So made a great birdie on 8, then I don't like the look of that hole, so that was nice to make birdie there. 9 was a pretty easy birdie for me.
Then had a really good look at 10 and I felt really comfortable. Like I didn't feel comfortable in Portland at all. I've not been in that situation for a long time, and so we reflected on it a lot and I picked up a few things I didn't do great.
Hit a great shot into 11. Made birdie there. Made a steal of a birdie on 12. That is probably the toughest hole on the golf course. You cannot miss that green and being in the bunker wasn't ideal.
Yeah, from then on I knew 15 was a huge putt as well. Making par there, that's when I knew like, right, if I don't do anything stupid this is mine.
So, yeah, I was pretty calm the hole way through.
THE MODERATOR: Take me through No. 15 a little more. In the media center when we were watching, you drained -- it was a pretty lengthy putt for par on the par-3 15th. You gave a fist pump, the emotion was there. Take us through that.
MEL REID: Yeah, I punched a 4-iron but that was a miss on the right. It's a tough hole today, so we didn't get a great lie in the rough. I kind of thought it was plugged but it was on a bad lie with thick rough around it.
We played the percentage play, a little chip and run, and came out a little bit hotter than I thought. That putt was missing right all day and I just willed the hell out of it for it to catch at that right edge and it did.
That was a huge moment for us. Probably first time I think I showed emotion the whole tournament because I knew what a big putt that was.
So I was just very happy that it snuck in the right edge.
THE MODERATOR: You had talked about slowing down your pace; you're a fast player. You talked about in the week off you worked with Howard on just pumping the brakes a little bit. I think you went right back to Mel Reid ways to finish it out on 18. How excited were you?
MEL REID: Yeah, I knew when I (indiscernible)it up there it was good. Even I can't three-putt it from there. Yeah, just relief honestly. It's probably all you're thinking when you win is just relief. You put in so many hours, so much sacrifice hard work into this game to have one moment like this. Just so, so happy that I managed to get it done.
You know, I've kind of always said that I try and use my platform as a voice for what I believe in, and hopefully now it's an even bigger platform. Yeah, very, very excited for the rest of the year and for what's about to happen.
THE MODERATOR: Obviously in next week is a major championship. What kind of confidence do you bring to next week having not only won this week, but...(indiscernible - audio cut out).
MEL REID: I think a lot of confidence. Carlota was telling me she played it a few weeks ago. I love tough golf courses. Obviously my confidence is very high right now. Feel like I'm swinging it great.
Just tweak a few things with Jorge. Yeah, feeling pretty good. Yeah, I will celebrate a little bit tonight but still going to work tomorrow, so won't be too crazy. Just enjoy the moment right now and we'll we get to next week when we get there.
Q. In light of all the experience you had in Europe and here, how much did that experience help you in the final round today, just having been in those conditions or those circumstances more than the other players in the field?
MEL REID: Yeah, I mean, I knew Jennifer -- well, both Jennifers were going to play well today. They're both very good players, very established players.
So I think me winning is very different than winning in Europe. Like I'm not going to beat around the bush here. But it's very hard to win out here. These girls are world class.
There is no -- if I shot level par today I don't win, so I knew I had to play well. I kind of tried to stay in my own zone as possible. But, yeah, I mean, I honestly just got in my own bubble. I tried to get to 20-under. I thought if I got to 20-under it would be pretty hard for people to catch me, and if they did they would win the tournament.
I didn't give it away. That was the number in my head. Really happy I got to 19 and got it done.
Q. Do you feel like this win kind of let's you take a weight off your shoulders? You worked extremely hard to get to this point on and off the golf course.
MEL REID: Yeah, 100%. It's huge relief. You know, it's a great moment for me and me team. Yeah, I mean, just goes to show doesn't really matter what age you are.
Like I think a lot of emphasis goes to the younger players, which I'm 100% with. At the same time, there are a lot of players who are early 30s, mid-30s, even early 40s which can still compete out here.
That is a huge relief for me being 33 years old. But being 33 years old and being able to lift this trophy when I had some young players behind me, you know, the older you get in this game you do create a few scars.
Yeah, just goes to show like I guess I like adversity. I don't know. I'll always be a fighter and always try and fight my way through things. I'm so happy and relieved that I got it done.
Q. I have to know have you talked to your dad yet?
MEL REID: Yeah, he was actually a bit more sober than expected. He said the Black Swan has had two bookings from Korea already. Danny, the landlord, is pretty happy with my right now.
Q. Awesome. I'm sure he's over the moon. Can you just try to put into words what this means given all that you've gone through with losing your mom and nearly walking away from the game and just the battle that you've had to get to this point? I mean, what does it mean to you?
MEL REID: I mean, it just goes to show, doesn't it? No matter what life throws at you it depends how you handle it. I made a huge sacrifice moving to America, leaving my comfort zone, my friends and my family, and it's paid off. You know, I wanted to be a world class athlete, I always wanted to be a world class athlete, and to finally get the job done is a huge sigh of relief.
No matter what, people can't take away the fact that I'm an LPGA winner against a world class field. It just goes to show you just got to keep going. Things will get tough. I will have tough years as well ahead of me. As long as you just keep your head down and doing the right things, good things will happen to good people.
So, yeah, just really lost for words, to be honest with you, that I've managed to win. I knew it was always in there. Just great to finally get it done.
Q. With the major championship around the corner, what is a low-key Mel Reid celebration?
MEL REID: (Laughter.) It's a big trophy so I'm going to have to fill it up with something. So we'll see how that goes. Yeah, look, I reckon I can fit a few beers in there. I don't know. We'll see.
Q. I reckon you can.
MEL REID: I'll do my best anyway. Yeah, obviously I got to do a little bit of work tomorrow, it's a major week, so I won't be too crazy. I'm definitely going to celebrate.
Q. What would your mom say if she were here?
MEL REID: She probably be incoherent as well so I don't think she would be able to say much. Yeah, she's have her wine eyes on right now. I already spoke to my sister and brother and they're just so over the moon. There is a lot more to it than just me. My whole team, family, friends. A lot more to it that I've created this, and not just myself. Just or the moon for them as well to have this moment.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports