Q. ... to be competing out there today.
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: It felt good. Yeah, I had three weeks off, so really worked hard on just my wedges and that sort of thing, giving myself more opportunities.
Hit the ball well today and had a lot of chances for birdie and had a couple drop, which was nice.
Q. Is that one thing you've maybe learned through the first few years out here, the short game is key?
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: Definitely. I had a lot of wedges and really focused on them the last couple weeks and just giving myself good looks at birdie and tried to stay patient with the putting today.
Q. You're not from Virginia but you did go to school here.
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: Yes.
Q. Did you ever play here in college?
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: I did not, no. Two years ago in '19. My rookie year, was my first time playing out here.
Q. What did you learn about the course that you took into this week from that appearance?
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: You know, it's playing a lot different than it did two years ago, so I felt like kind of had to relearn it a bit. It's fast and firm, which I love golf courses like that. Still had some good targets and things like that.
I felt like it was playing quite a bit different today than it did two years ago.
Q. Have you noticed the 17th tee box?
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: It's way back.
Q. Yeah, that and it's where -- have you seen the plaque and everything there?
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: On the ground?
Q. So the 17th tee box is where the first English settlers ever --
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: Oh, yeah, I read that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Q. Yeah. You every step on it and you're like, Oh, it's kind of cool, or you're like, Yeah, whatever.
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: It is cool. Yeah, during the practice round actually I don't think when I was here first I like took the time and read the signs, but it was nice to just kind of read those signs and little piece of history, some distraction from golf.
Q. Yeah. You're like, Sorry about tearing up you lawn, but no big deal.
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: Yeah.
Q. Any of your birdies particularly stand out today?
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: I hit it to about two inches on 4 for birdie, which was really nice. Just kind of three pars to start and made a birdie there.
And then birdied 7. That's always nice, to birdie a par-5. So I felt like I had kind of a good round going at that point.
16, that hole was playing tough with where the pin was, and made a good putt, birdie there.
Q. The Aon hole is 15.
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: Yes.
Q. I'm assuming they'll move it up over the weekend.
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: Right.
Q. You positioned yourself nicely to make the weekend. Is that a hole you can have a good game plan on with your length off the tee?
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: I think so. Actually two years ago we played a different tee box. I think we played one up from where we are now. So I remember the hole playing a bit differently.
Yeah, I think so. Maybe just take a little bit more off that corner and go for it in two. Today my drive was a little bit left so I didn't have a chance to go for it. A little long today, so just laid up.
Q. So tomorrow.
ELIZABETH SZOKOL: So tomorrow we'll see.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports