Q. So another solid round, 3-under. How did it feel being done for the day?
VALERY PLATA: Feels really good. I had to stay patient a little bit for the birdies to come, and I just kept staying patient and committing to my shots. At the end of the day the result is pretty good.
Q. And then almost another bogey-free round. Obviously 18 looks a bit tricky out there. Can you walk me through that last hole, what the mindset was going into it knowing you had one left and then with the tricky green kind of how you approached each shot?
VALERY PLATA: Yeah, you know, off the tee I started a little off today, but then it progressively got better. I hit a really good tee shot just right in the middle of the fairway, really far. It was good.
Then I had good 134 maybe. Hit my 9-iron just a touch heavy and then it wasn't enough for it to just get over the flat side of the green and then it just came back.
Then my third, it was not a very easy shot. It was just kind of a tough decision and I choose whatever I thought was best. I thought I executed it well and left myself like a five-footer.
I maybe didn't read it as good as I've been reading greens today or it just didn't feel very good, but, you know, it was okay. I mean, two-putt, made 5 and then just walked out. It was a solid round either way.
Q. I know we talked about bogeys are inevitable out there. It's eight rounds; a lot of golf. How do you remind yourself that par is your friend and your bad shots you can convert into good opportunities still and keep positive throughout the long journey?
VALERY PLATA: Yeah, like you said, it's a really long event, really long tournament, so I just try my best to hit my shot and forget about it. Just keep moving on, knowing that there is still a lot of holes to be played. I just try my best to stay present.
Q. And then you played Meijer a little bit early in the year.
VALERY PLATA: Uh-huh.
Q. How did that experience give you some confidence heading into these two weeks?
VALERY PLATA: It was great. I mean, playing Grand Rapids was special. This year was my second time over there, and I played a couple majors, too. It's great. You know, it just gave me a feel of what it would be like to have this as my job in the future, and it just made me want it a little more; made me realize that I could do it, too, so it's great.
I love those tournaments, and I look forward to going back some time.
Q. I know we talked about you're still in school; finals next week. Were on Zoom earlier in the week doing class and group projects. How does that help you at the end of the day kind of take your brain off what was on the course and let you leave it here and focus on your schoolwork and come into tomorrow or come into the next day with a fresh mindset?
VALERY PLATA: Yeah, I thought it would be a little more challenging. I thought I would be mixing both things. When I was at home I would be thinking about the golf course and here about school, but hasn't been that way at all. I think I've done a good job just like separating both things and getting my time right.
You know, sometimes I just need a break from both so I don't do much. Yeah, it's good.
Q. And then have you talked to your coach or team mates at all from Michigan State? Have you leaned on them through the week? How have you been able to lean on them to kind of keep calm and confidence in this week?
VALERY PLATA: Yeah, absolutely. I talk to my coach almost every day. She sends me texts here and there, good job, I'm proud of you, keep going. My teammates are very aware of what's going on. They've been following and they text me every once in a while, they call me.
You know, I feel like they're my family. I've been with them for -- some of them for four years, my coach for five. I even still talk to my assistant at the time. It's just like a family to me.
I might not be going back, but I'm still going to be talking with them a lot. Forever I think.
Q. How does it feel knowing that you may not be going back, but you're going to have a support system on the -- whether it's Epson or LPGA -- knowing in your professional career you're always going to have that support system to lean on?
VALERY PLATA: Yeah, absolutely. I think it's really important to me. My coach has been doing her job for a long time. She's had some players get to the Epson or the LPGA, and she knows how things work.
So I can lean on her and a couple other people that I've got that know the ropes here. So I'm excited about that.
Fastscripts by ASAP Sports...
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports