Q. All right, pleased to be joined by Gaby Lopez after her first round at the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba. 4-under round today. Can you talk us through your day today? Obviously playing in front of a home crowd. How fun is it to be out here and surrounded by so much support?
GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, it's very, very fun. I woke up today and I was very excited to play the first round with Nelly and the group. Very happy with how it went. It's always a pleasure to play against world No. 1.
Yeah, very, very excited. The kids, the crowds, played very solid golf out there. Hit my iron shots very, very close to the pin. So just very happy overall.
Q. Talk about that back nine but your front nine today. Coming out of the gates hot like that, how important is that to get a good score under your feet quick?
GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, sure, it's good to get a hot start. It's going to release some tension out there.
But, again, it's one shot at a time. You have to still find the fairway here because it's very tricky. Down here doesn't feel the wind, but up there the wind is moving in a different direction.
Just got to trust your swings and your targets.
Q. You mentioned playing with Nelly a little bit, World No. 1. You both traded eagles on 18 and traded birdies all day. Do you feed off each other's energy, especially with the crowds like you had today?
GABY LOPEZ: For sure I feel it, and Nelly, she played great. We did feel that on 18 I hit it close, she hit it a little closer, I made the putt, then she made the putt. It's cool to have that battle out there.
At the same time I just want to focus on my game, my routines, and my processes.
Q. Going to be going out again early tomorrow. Do you prefer maybe a late/early or late/early window or does it not matter too much?
GABY LOPEZ: It used to matter a little bit more. Now doesn't matter because still got to play, comit to the shots that I'm playing.
Yeah, I feel that sometimes when you have late/early, that momentum, just wake up with that vibe and you kind of just keep going through the Thursday round.
But, yeah, I feel it's also (mic malfunction- cut out) people around being able to stick to it for 18 holes, very happy with it.
Q. You said on the end of your list here today is to go sign for people as well. How important is that to you out here?
GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, for sure. Being able to go sign a golf ball, a glove, a flag, it's very cool. I do remember myself out there so many times chasing Lorena or Suzann or Juli, so it's really fun to kind of give that back.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports