Q. All right, here with Hannah Green after her second round of the CPKC Women's Open. Tied for the top of the leaderboard right now. Just talk about how today was for you.
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, I did not know I was tied for the lead. Yeah, it was another solid day on the greens. Managed to hit two more fairways today so that was nice; gave myself some good opportunities for birdies.
But, yeah, it was tough again out there. There was some pretty strong wind gusts, especially our last few holes, so committing to the shot you were envisioning was kind of difficult.
Yeah, I'm kind of glad that I'm finished for Friday and I can go relax now.
Q. Hearing that you're tied for the top of the leaderboard, obviously some shock with some of the scores; still the afternoon wave to come. Just talk a little bit more about the conditions too, if they held on the same way as you saw yesterday.
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, almost felt similar to yesterday afternoon's conditions even though we played in the morning. It was a similar wind direction and also kind of starting to change and swirl a little bit more.
So that made it difficult to, yeah, know how much it was going to hurt the ball flight or help the ball.
So, yeah, I think it's going to be tough this afternoon. The wind is actually stronger than what the forecast is saying. Hopefully it's not too bad out there.
I thought that the wind direction that we had was probably more favorable than possibly a different one just with how the golf course is set up.
But, yeah, it's playing like a major championship. It was tough. I hit a couple shots that were maybe, yeah, a yard off the fairway and I had to, yeah, take my medicine and hit a wedge out of it.
Yeah, some of longest rough we play all year.
Q. You had mentioned off the top with a smile you hit six fairways today versus four yesterday. Did you work on anything on the range yesterday? Or just kind of to your point about it being a major championship setup, are you just taking it as it comes?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, it's hard. I did go and hit some drivers yesterday, but then and the driving range was straight down wind. It's pretty hard not to hit it down line when it's hunting downwind.
Yes, it is in the back of my mind that I'm not playing as well as I would like off the tee, and so I'm maybe not as confident as perhaps other people would play. I played with Megan Khang and she hit 11 fairways today and felt like just every shot she hit exactly where she wanted.
It was kind of nice to see someone else doing that. I don't think with the conditions hopefully it will be too bad this weekend. Yeah, just trying to make sure that when I do have 5-woods and 3-woods that I'm making sure I hit the fairway. It wasn't just driver today that missed the fairway.
Q. Two wins and a second this season; tied for the lead again heading into the weekend here. Something mentally just going well with respect to I'm trying to win now? I am not going to try to finish top 10, something like that?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, last year I had a very mixed season. Obviously still had a win last year, but I had nearly the most weekends off I've had since my rookie year. The '22 season I had my most consistent year yet. It's just been different this year.
Everyone jokingly said, you got married, must be obviously in a good place, which I certainly am, but I obviously am feeling very confident in my game and it's nice to have that obvious experience having won tournaments before.
But going neck and neck with Nelly earlier in the year, even though the result didn't go my way, still gives me motivation to continue to work hard and try and get my hands on the trophy.
I always really enjoy coming to Canada. I played well in Vancouver last year, so hopefully I can do a few better and get my hands on that big trophy.
Q. You said you didn't know you were in the lead. Are you the type of person who doesn't look at the scoreboard when you're out there?
HANNAH GREEN: No, I typically do. I'm not sure if there actually was a leaderboard when I finished on 10. Obviously I've just literally signed my scorecard. Because of that leaderboard I didn't see where it was.
Yeah, I'm definitely a leaderboard watcher. I like to know where I am, and I even like to see where my friends, how they're going in their round.
Q. So you saw Jennifer because she was ahead of you?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, I did.
Q. And saw her drop a little bit, too?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, the last time I saw a leaderboard I would've been at 5-under and she was at 7. Just assumed she continued to play well obviously.
Q. Being surprised, is it nice to be at the top of the leaderboard?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah definitely. Yeah, it's nice. Maybe I'll be playing in the final group tomorrow. Obviously still have to wait to see how the rest of Friday's play goes. Get myself a later tee times is always nice, and not to be too far back.
Q. I'm just curious, as we watched the opening ceremonies and wait for the cauldron to get lit, how do you treat the upcoming Olympics? Are you putting it out of your mind? Are you daydreaming a little bit about it? Where are you at in that regard?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, no, I mean, ever since I officially qualified at KPMG it's been really nice to know what's ahead in the schedule. I guess most of us are pretty much treating it as our sixth major championship this year.
I am getting in on the Saturday. We have a Wednesday start for the women, so I'm not getting in super early because I didn't want to over-prepare and feel mentally that I'm already a bit drained throughout the week.
So, yeah, getting in Saturday. Going to watch the men over the weekend and then obviously get ready. But I have not been to the Golf National before. I didn't go there before Evian to go and play the course. I've seen a little bit on TV. I probably will try and watch some replays and see as much stuff as I can online.
Yeah, just don't want to put too much pressure on myself. There are 60 women and we are all trying to get a podium finish I would say, not only just a gold medal. A Top 3 would be amazing for ourselves and countries.
It's just fortunately just another golf tournament. We still have the Scottish Open, British Open, so many great events coming up.
Q. Will you start to feel over the next couple days, despite being in Calgary and not in Paris quite yet, feel the Olympic spirit a little bit?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, I've seen so much stuff on social media. I follow a lot of the other Aussie athletes and they have been obviously getting all the gear and showing -- some of them competing soon. Seeing that on social media kind of wishing I was at the opening ceremony, but obviously I've got places to be.
Yeah, I think once I get there I'll hopefully try and soak it all in on Saturday and then try and enjoy it a little bit. Whether I'll be able to go watch other competitions I'm not really sure what that will look like.
We've decided to not stay in the Village, Team Australia, because it is a bit of a commute. I am hoping I can meet other athletes and just really soak up the experience.
Tokyo was a little bit different with COVID. We had a lot of restrictions. It felt a little unusual in a sense.
Yeah, I'm hoping Paris will be a full experience.
Q. When you talk about you have places to be, obviously here?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah.
Q. Victory this weekend might be a pretty good steppingstone.
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, absolutely. I wouldn't mind that at all. I guess I think every win that I've had on tour I've never played the week after, so can then celebrate into the week.
Yes, my caddie is also Canadian. He's from the other side of the country, but be pretty cool for us to both win here.
Q. Where?
HANNAH GREEN: Kingston, Ontario.
Q. Are you surprised where the scores are at after two rounds?
HANNAH GREEN: After seeing the golf course like Monday through to Wednesday I thought the scores would be much lower. But then playing in this wind and having some cooler conditions yesterday, I'm not surprised at all.
The rough is very penal. And, yes, all of us girls are usually pretty straight off the tee, but even around the greens is pretty juicy, so making sure where you miss-hit it is also very important.
I do like hitting a lot of bunker shots. I don't feel like my chipping is really that strong out of the rough, so I actually have been almost trying to play into the bunker, because I know generally speaking it's going to be a decent lie.
Yeah, it's tough. Only getting harder this afternoon as well.
Q. So you just back to your caddie, how did you come about getting caddie from Canada?
HANNAH GREEN: We been working together since 2019. We both met when I was playing on the Symetra Tour, now Epson Tour. I had, yeah, finished up the 2019 -- the 2018 season and I was looking for a caddie in the off-season and he was looking for a player. Our first event was together in Australia and then later that year we won KPMG together; been together ever since.
Q. He was with you last year's Open as well?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah.
Q. Give you any good tips?
HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, it's funny. When we play closer to where his family is a lot of his family and friends come and watch. It's always really nice to have their support.
Yeah, it's really nice to play. And I don't feel like I'm obliged to play because my caddie is Canadian. I really do enjoy coming up here.
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