THE MODERATOR: Stacy, this is your second U.S. Senior Women's Open. What has it been like for you playing in one so close from home, just an hour away from Michigan State and East Lansing?
STACY SLOBODNIK-STOLL: Well, I just feel like it's an honor to be here again for the second year, and having it right in our back yard is wonderful.
Just had the opportunity to play in the U.S. Am here and the Mid-Am, so being the third USGA event in the state of Michigan is really, really cool. I love it that the first part of the week I got to commute back and forth, so I could be with my team on Tuesday.
Now hopefully I'm going to have to stay two more nights in Ann Arbor, but just very proud of our state. Of course, the golf course is in incredible shape. It's taken care of by a Spartan, so we're very proud of that.
THE MODERATOR: Speaking of the team, you guys had your first practice yesterday, I believe. They were out here today following you. What was it like looking at them in between shots, having them follow you out here during your second round?
STACY SLOBODNIK-STOLL: It was wonderful. We've got four new players on the team. You know, it's like all that we preach to them of how to play and what to do. I just want to be a role model and example for them and to let them know that I understand everything that they're going through because I'm still trying to be competitive myself. I think it was very nice of them to get up pretty early to make it here for the first tee at 7:45.
I'm looking forward to being with them this year and having another great year of Spartan Golf.
THE MODERATOR: You're starting your 30th year as head coach. You talked to the team after your round. What did you say to them after your round today?
STACY SLOBODNIK-STOLL: I want young people to understand that the women that are in this field are the ones that have paved the way for us, and for me it's an honor to be in this field because so many of these women are the women that I looked up to when I was their age. Now being able to be in the same field is just so cool.
I mean, even Jackie and Carin, who I played with today, just what they've been able to do. Carin told my team that she made the winning putt in the Solheim Cup, and she was the Solheim Cup Captain. Then Jackie has played for 18 years and Jackie's brother.
There are so many ties, and golf is such a small world. Then the team got to meet Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel today, two good friends of mine. I think it's really important for them to understand how we got to where we are, and even having a Senior Open right now that's only 8 years old, it's relatively new. I think that the women on the tour that are playing in this now deserve that.
It's a humbling experience, but I hope that also my team understands that golf is a game for life and that you can be competitive even when they're 18 and I'm over 50 now and still want to be just as competitive as they are, so wonderful.
THE MODERATOR: You were one of four players who have played in all three USGA events here. How much pride do you take in knowing that, that you played in really three stages of your golf career played in three events at the same course so close to home?
STACY SLOBODNIK-STOLL: I don't think when you're playing in the Am that you think about those things. When I played the Am, I played with Kellee Booth, who beat Babe Zaharias's record here, so I was really more focused on watching her.
Then playing the Mid-Am I remember thinking this is cool, it's the second one. When I talked to Suzy and knew this was going to be here, I was, like, wow, that would be really neat to play in all three of them.
So I felt like I maybe practiced a little harder just to make sure that I had a spot in the field, and it was close. I had to go into a playoff to get here, but I think it's wonderful.
Having Mike Tirico here and supporting the event and being able to do media day with Mike and Suzy was very special. So, you know, just again, more wonderful moments associated with the game of golf.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports