THE MODERATOR: Here with Nataliya Guseva as she's about to tee it up for first time at the Mexico Riviera Open at Mayakoba. Nataliya, just tell me how excited you are for this first week in Mexico, first time you've ever been to the country I hear.
NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, no, I'm super excited. I've heard a lot of good things about just in general like the golf course, Cancun. As I said before earlier in this week, that for us it's kind of like a vacation with a side of golf.
It's super amazing being here in this beautiful resort. So many welcoming people around us. You know, good food as well, which is the best thing you can do for us.
But yeah, super excited to play. I know it's going to be pretty warm out there, but still try to make it cool, so...
Q. I know yesterday I was with you and we took a little boat ride around the canals. Tell me about that experience and some of the other fun things you're looking forward to this week off the golf course.
NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, that was awesome to see the whole resort from the boat and then being beside with my friends sure Gigi and Bianca, it was a cool experience definitely. After that we got dinner, so it was everything perfect in a way with as I said like kind of a vacation for us.
It's nice to see the beach as well. When you're done with golf you're just going to go and chill a little bit by the beach. That's nice to have that. Going to try to enjoy every minute of it.
Q. What do you know about the Mayakoba course? What do you think about it?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: I think it's awesome. I played already 18 holes. Played nine yesterday, nine today. It's very tight off the tee. The greens are pretty small as well. I know that the guys had a pretty low scores out here, but I think with the wind and with those type of conditions it's going to be pretty hard to like score. So it will reward good ball strikers, which is good for me I would say.
Just going to try to have fun in the same time just be more precise and focused out there. So, yeah.
Q. Since you said you played the whole course, hole 7 with the big hole in the middle of the fairway, talk about that. Was it something you worried about?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, it's weird to have the hole there. At first I thought it's actually a bunker, but it's an actual hole. It's also a hard shot. You're hitting a 3-wood, and if you're in a downslope you kind of have to like fly it over.
So, yeah, like it's nice to have some type of like differences out there, not just typical golf courses. So, yeah, just cool to have that.
Q. Did you put a ball there on purpose to try to hit out?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: No. But I took some pictures though in front of it. So, yeah.
Q. Then the greens, there is a lot of talk about the greens and how small are. How does that affect how you approach your strategy this week?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, so the greens are pretty small and very firm as well. A lot of girls out there just trying to land it way before the green to roll out there, but I think I it just is important to have a good short game out here. Because would be nice to hit 18 greens every day, but I think it's not going to happen with this winds as well.
So just going to try to practice all the things and just go out there and have fun. You know, like I do my homework for three days and then it doesn't matter. So I just go play golf. I think it's important to have that, so...
Q. Mexico has a golfing culture, very rich. We are so excited to have you here. What are some things you love most about being here in Mexico and Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, it's -- I mean, the whole place is just beautiful. I feel like starting from when I arrived here at the hotel, the people is so welcoming. I think that's the best thing you guys have, you're just really welcoming for us.
That is like so nice.
But, I mean, a lot of friends told me to go and do some sightseeing is a well, swim with the turtles, try some good Mexican food, which I'm looking forward to. Try some good margaritas as well. But I think, yeah, just in general looking forward for this week.
It's already like treating me really nicely, and hopefully I'll keep playing good golf and, yeah, make it more fun.
Q. There are a lot of Mexican players here in the tournament. What do you think about them?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: Yeah, I mean, I know a lot of them. I know Gaby pretty good. I know Fernanda pretty good. They're all really, really nice girls.
You know, it's just nice to have the locals out here and for you guys as well to support your -- to have for them like their home event, so it's probably pretty cool. So, yeah.
Q. How do you prepare mentally for this type of tournaments playing against very good players?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: So, yeah, mentally to me, I just try to stay in the moment. I feel like this is the most important thing. Next week for us it's the U.S. Open and I think it's a good momentum starting from here to play some good golf and bring the momentum to the U.S. Open week.
So just excited about that. But at the same time, I'll just try to make it -- to keep it more fun, keep it more easy and laid back. Because we travel so much week over week. I mean, the last time I've been home was like five weeks ago in Florida, so it's just trying to enjoy it.
Q. Mexico has a No. 1 for many years Lorena Ochoa. Do you think about Lorena?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: Honestly, she's one of my favorite golfers. When people ask me, to me like Lorena Ochoa is honestly like No. 1. The way she was like -- the feels, everything, she had the whole mentality to be No. 1.
I learned a lot from her. I was growing up and watching her winning the tournaments and everything, being No. 1. I just want to repeat that. I just like the whole thing that she had. Like playing her best like until she's like 30 and retire and have amazing family.
Yeah, I'm still looking up to her. It's just nice that you have a superstar like that.
Q. What message do you send to the little girls that want to be pro one day?
NATALIYA GUSEVA: I think the most important thing for the little girls is try to keep it more fun. A lot of parents out there is really pushing them to do something else, to maybe achieve their type of dreams.
I think it's important for them just to know what they want, if they want to keep it more fun, more serious. You know, there are so many girls out there. I'm also like super nice when the girls come up to me and ask me some type of questions.
They should not be shy to go ask and, you know, have those type of idols that can help them to grow as well. I went through a lot of stuff. I thought I'm going to do it like completely different way, but now I'm out here and it's nice to have always these type of idols. Like Lorena, Annika Sorenstam, Nelly is big star for us nowadays.
It's important to have that. At the same time, I hope our generation bring them some type of answer to the questions they have.
And, yeah, hopefully they're not going to be shy to ask those questions. I'm always open to answer them, so, yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Okay, thank you.
NATALIYA GUSEVA: Thank you.
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