Q. We're joined by Aditi Ashok after a nice steady 6-under 66 in the first round of the 2022 Gainbridge LPGA. Bogey-free until 18, but you hit all 14 fairways; 17 of 18 greens. How great was it to put that round together to open the season?
ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, it was great. Obviously I was playing good to the end of last year but then with couple months off I didn't know where my game was at, so it was good to kind of pick up where I left off with a lot of good shots.
17 greens in a row was really good for me. Obviously I couldn't reach 18 actually, but I'm still happy with the way I hit it today. I think I could have actually -- I putted really good but could have hit it a lot better, maybe given myself a few more birdie chances.
But 66 is a great day for me.
Q. You had birdies at Nos. 5 and 6, 11 and 12, 14, 16, 17. Looking back on your round, did any of those in particular stand out as one that maybe helped get some momentum going?
ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think 11 was important because that's kind of a long hole for me, so I hit a really good approach shot. That's kind of when I figured everything is -- I'm hitting it really good. When you make birdies with longer clubs that's when you know you're really hitting it good.
So I was trying to make the most of it, and yeah, then after that I got on a bit of a roll and made every -- made pretty much all the makeable birdie putts I had, which was good.
Q. What did you work on in the off-season?
ADITI ASHOK: Actually first month I didn't even play golf. I just sat at home. I enjoyed my time off. Yeah, not much different. Just trying to work on being better with the longer clubs. I've added a hybrid in my bag. I used to have just two hybrids now three hybrids, and I think I that's helping the longer approaches.
Q. What's the new hybrid?
ADITI ASHOK: It's a 5-hybrid, Callaway's new Blue. Well I call it hybrid, but it's like 23 degrees.
Q. What does it add to your game?
ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think at that yardage I was always hitting 5-iron. That's not the best club for me. I've never been able to spin it as much or get as much height on it.
I actually made I think three or four birdies today with a 5-hybrid, which is great for me. Wish I would've added it sooner in my career, but better late than never.
Q. Yeah, absolutely. Did you do anything fun during the off-season?
ADITI ASHOK: Not really. Just ate a lot of Indian food. That was fun.
Q. Yeah, good Indian food is awesome.
ADITI ASHOK: Yeah.
Q. What do you remember about this course having not played here since 2020? When you stepped back out here earlier this week, what were some of the memories and things about the course that came back to you?
ADITI ASHOK: Well, last time I missed the cut, but I remember it being really long. This time I was kind of focused on playing the long holes good and I kind of worked on my hybrids a lot the last three, four days, not as much on my iron game.
So I think that kind of helped, because I know I really am going to get at least five or six hybrids, maybe more, into the greens.
So, yeah, just being able to hit those close and make birdies with hybrids was kind of good for me.
Q. From some of the experiences that you had last year climbing the leaderboard and being in contention, what did you learn now having put yourself in that contention spot right off the bat this year?
ADITI ASHOK: Yeah, I think with the Olympics kind of proved to myself that I could definitely play with the better players and kind of -- I had the game to, you know, contend. Even though I finished fourth it did a lot for my confidence.
So, yeah, obviously the goal for me is to get in those positions much more often because I haven't actually been in that position lots. After the Olympics I had like three Top 10s, so, yeah, it's been -- that's been the goal and I'm hoping for more of that this year.
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