Q. All right, here with the clubhouse leader, Amanda Doherty at 11-under. Amanda, your front nine today, being able to close that out in 31, take me through what was going so well for you there.
AMANDA DOHERTY: Well, just putts were going in today. I mean, I was hitting the ball well to get it close enough for them to go in, but they were just falling in, and that was definitely the best part of my game on the front nine.
And then tried to hang on on the back. Yeah, I was putting really well today.
Q. The back nine we were just talking about is a little bit sneaky, tricky, definitely firmer, more fast. What is it about taking advantage of those first nine holes that you think really helped you today?
AMANDA DOHERTY: Yeah, I think to get a good front nine was good for me because the back is tougher. It is firmer. It's faster. There is a few trickier holes.
Kind of have to get out to a good start and then not feel like I have to push too much on the back.
Q. How would you assess your final nine as compared to your the front?
AMANDA DOHERTY: Very different. Being a harder nine I wasn't hitting the ball quite as well on the back. Made it a little bit tougher. Had some really good up and downs, so I -- which is good.
Had to grind it out a little bit more on the back nine though.
Q. After yesterday, we were just talking, you said you got couple too many people texting you after one round. What did it mean to come away with the first round lead after yesterday?
AMANDA DOHERTY: Yeah, that's not a position I've really been in before on the LPGA, so it's always fun. It's nice to know that I have some good, low rounds in me for sure.
Q. You definitely had those top finishes on the Epson Tour in 2021 that got you your status here. Did you think about what you did in those situations as you're grinding it out here in week?
AMANDA DOHERTY: Yeah, definitely. The last two years on the Epson Tour was really good learning experience for me, and I think to have put myself in contention so many times last year makes me feel a little bit more comfortable with the position that I'm in now.
Q. And you've been in Europe for the last couple weeks. Go through what has been going on the last few weeks to get to that point here, if you don't mind.
AMANDA DOHERTY: Yeah, so I played Evian; finished 37th there. Had a good final round to kind of move up the leaderboard.
Then I was first alternate going into the Scottish. I didn't get in. Waited around all day hoping to get in.
Then I didn't make it through, by a couple shots, through final qualifying for The Open, which was disappointing.
So I got couple practice rounds on a few different links courses around Scotland, and then came over here a couple days early. Tried to get a feel for everything in Northern Ireland.
Q. What were those courses that you got to play?
AMANDA DOHERTY: I played Gullane Number 3 one day, and then just practicing a few places around that I don't remember the names of. Went to St Andrews one day, but I didn't -- unfortunately didn't play there. Just touristy around there.
But a lot of really good courses are high season right now, so tough to get on them unfortunately.
Q. Understandably.
AMANDA DOHERTY: Yeah.
Q. For you, seeing your name at the top of the leaderboard, what does that do for your confidence and just overall mental game going into the weekend?
AMANDA DOHERTY: Yeah, I mean, it's really nice to see my name up there. Haven't been up there in little while. You know, I had been feeling like my game was trending in the right direction, making a few tweaks here and there. From the outside looking in you might not see that score-wise, but I've been feeling like it's going the right direction.
So it's nice to really kind of confirm that.
Q. You have got your mom here this week. Just having someone to kind of go back to and also have that support around you when you're in a position like this, how much does that help you, or are you one of those that focuses on yourself?
AMANDA DOHERTY: No. It's an awesome having my mom here. Especially the last few weeks not getting to play. We got to go see some stuff and be tourists for a few days.
Here this week it's awesome, because once I'm done, done with my work on the golf course, done for the day, I try to get away and not think about golf and do something else. It definitely helps having my mom here for sure.
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