Q. How was it out there today?
ANDREA LIGNELL: It was good. It got really hot on the back nine.
Q. I know. We were standing here.
ANDREA LIGNELL: Felt like we were out there for forever.
Q. Needed a little shade. I think it's going to be cool the next few days.
ANDREA LIGNELL: It is.
Q. Soak it up, right?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Yeah. Maybe I should not complain.
Q. Second appearance for you. What did you learn from last year that you're going to carry through to this year?
ANDREA LIGNELL: I think I learned just to stay patient throughout especially the first two rounds.
There is a lot of like great opportunities out there. You want to go for it, but for me it's just to stick to my game plan and not play too aggressive and just play smart, aggressive golf.
Q. How about at Champions Retreat? Anything specific you're looking to do, especially tomorrow?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Yes, I think it's just really important for me to get my driver going, hit a lot of fairways, just give myself a lot of good opportunities, hit a lot of greens.
I think for me, actually it's crucial with the putting, just finding good speed on the greens. Because you're not going to hit everything to like inside 15 feet, so speed will be really important tomorrow.
Q. Finished third last year, of course. How do you sort of improve upon that finish?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Yeah, I mean, obviously it helps. Gives me confidence going in here, especially I haven't had the best season so far. At least not what I wanted.
I feel like my game is trending the right way, and obviously helps that I had a good finish last year to get the momentum going into this week.
Q. I was going to say, how do you feel about your game? Where are you mentally headed into this week?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Yeah, I feel like I have been struggling, to be honest, a bit the last few weeks. Like the whole season to be honest.
But just going in with the mentality to enjoy myself, have fun out there, and just see where it takes me. Kind of similar to last year.
Q. Do you have family, friends in town this week to watch and cheer you on?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Yes, my whole family is in town and my godmother and her whole family is coming too, so I'm really excited to see them.
Q. What does that mean to you? It's not a short journey obviously from back home in Sweden. What does that mean to you to have so much support here?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Obviously it means a lot that they wanted to come all the way out here to watch me, and also to spend a week with them because I don't get to see them very often. It means the world to me.
Q. What are there their first impressions? Godmother, is this her first time out here?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Yeah, first time here. Honestly just threw it out this winter. They were like, it would be so much fun watching you. I was like, oh, I have four tickets. She was like, okay, we'll book flights.
They're all coming tonight, so I am really excited for them to get out here.
Q. For the players that this is their first time, any advice for them as they embark on this journey of a week?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Yeah, so I played with my best friend, Louise. She goes to South Carolina. It's her first time here. I think I just tried to give her a lot of advice with lines off the tee, together with maybe some holes that you feel like you want to go for it, but I'm like, no, statistically, you're actually better off laying up.
So just trying to give her all the advice that I used last year that I got from, for example, Ingrid that played several times now. So just tried to pass that long.
Q. You have a contingency of Swedes here. How cool is that to look around and see some of your fellow countrywomen out here playing?
ANDREA LIGNELL: Yeah, it's really cool. We're six this year. I guess that is the most we've had ever. Increases our chances to have a win, so be great to have a Swede winning this year. I'm really excited.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports