Q. Okay, here with Ashleigh Buhai after her second round here at the El Caballero. How do you follow a round like yesterday's 9-under? What were you thinking this morning or this afternoon when you tee'd off?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah, it's always difficult to follow a low one, but I'm pretty happy how I played today. Pins were a little trickier, but still some that were gettable.
Missed a few more greens, but proud of how I hung in there, made good up and downs to keep me in it today.
Q. What were some of the main differences on the course today?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: I felt like the greens just got a little crustier, so I felt like I hit good putts that dropped yesterday, and today it was kind of like -- looked like they were going in and did something else at the hole.
I hit my lines and just continued to keep doing that, and finally got a little bit rewarded on the back nine today.
Q. Just as you've gotten to know the course, are you surprised that so many people have gone so low in the first couple rounds?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah. I didn't quite see these scores when I played the practice round. Again, I think first time you play a course it always seems a little tougher.
I think if you figure out how to use the slopes well you can use it to your advantage. That's probably why the scores are so low.
Q. It's supposed to warm up a little bit over the weekend. Do you anticipate that helping the scoring even more or maybe drying the course out a little bit more where it might be tougher to score?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah, if the course dries out it'll definitely be tougher controlling the first bounces. Yeah, there is a lot of carries onto the green. You got to make sure you carry the slope, use the back to bring it back. If you get a little bit extra you could go long.
Just the pins, what they do with the golf course. If they let the greens dry out it'll get a little tougher.
Q. How would you describe your game overall was different yesterday to today?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: I mean, felt it was pretty similar. Yeah, missed few more greens, but felt I executed the shots. Feel like I probably made two bad swings to be honest.
But, yeah, like I said, managed to really keep myself in it by hitting good bunker shots. Then a few I was short-sided, but because these slopes you could get creative and play it away and give yourself a six-footer and hole the putt. Again, my putting was really solid today.
Q. You touched yesterday on the creativity as well. Why is that an aspect of the game that you enjoy so much?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: I don't know. I think it's just how I grew up playing golf. Used get dropped off at a golf course and you just go hit shots, hit chips, all different -- just be creative and hit different shots.
And it's something my coach and I worked on over the years to have a variety of shots in my bag, and this course brings it out, especially off the tee for me, being a fader of the golf ball. Like I said yesterday, I feel like it suits a draw off the tee a little bit more.
Hitting mid-flat drivers, soft drivers, and hit some 3-woods where other people were able to hit the driver around the corner. Just hit it to my spaces where I'm comfortable and keep it in play.
Q. What is your coach's name?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Doug Wood.
Q. With it not being as comfortable for your game, are you surprised that you're at the top of the leaderboard?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: No. Because, again, I have all the shots. It's something that we work very hard on doing. Even if it doesn't suit my eye, hit it the space I'm comfortable. If sometimes you just got to take a par, that's fine. Other times it's going to suit me more than other players, where a fade suits the shape of it more.
So, yeah, just be very patient around here and the birdies will eventually come.
Q. As a kid growing up you 6talked about getting dropped off at the golf course. Any golfers that you watched that you look up to that you loved the way they were creative getting out the trouble?
ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Being South African, Ernie was the one I watched the most. Gary Player obviously; his short game, always really known for it. Didn't really watch Gary, but I've seen him and know them both personally. I've seen them demonstrate many shots over the years. Those are the two people I looked up to the most growing up.
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