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THE MODERATOR: Please welcome Julia López Ramirez to the interview room. 4-under today, 6-under for the championship. How does it feel to be in this position in your first Sunday at a U.S. Women's Open.
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: Honestly, it's pretty much where I want to be, so I think it's really exciting and gets my confidence up the next two days. Honestly just seeing my game in the right place and trending, it's very exciting, and excited to go play more.
Q. What's been the key to you being able to keep yourself mentally in check out there when maybe things get difficult?
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: I think honestly it's a big tournament and a lot of crowds are there. I think for me it's mainly like just keeping in the moment, be very pressing on it. Mistakes are going to be made, bad shots are going to happen. So for me it was keeping my steps shot by shot and just playing with what I have. Sometimes the wind take it, the greens are playing fast.
It was just mentally a strong day for me, keeping myself present and dealing with what's in front of me.
Q. You mentioned the other day that you ride motor bikes. Can you tell me more about that?
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: I've been riding since I was three because my dad has always been riding motor bikes so I feel like I always been involved in that.
They never want me to get involved in competitions because he got injured multiple times, so he didn't want that to happen to me. Yeah, but been riding, and every time I go home I like to go and have my go-around. Obviously you don't do anything crazy because obviously you cannot get injured in the middle of seasons.
But it's something I really enjoy and it's exciting. Just no thoughts on it. You have to have present in that, like don't fall.
Q. When is the last time you've been on a motor bike?
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: Last Christmas.
Q. Have you thought, what's the difference this week, be it a swing thought, mental thought, just that golf is golf? What has gotten you to this point compared to previous weeks?
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: I think it at the it's quite overwhelming out here. Just being a rookie I think it's very hard to get used to the rhythm, the tournaments, just like what you have to do.
I think at this point I'm very used to how the tournament works and how it's going that I feel like mentally I'm in a really good place and my swing is getting into a really good position.
I think it kind of like all clicks and just got like a good week. It's been going really well since Utah. That's what I said the other day. I think that's something that's been trending and honestly like I will keep working on it.
Q. Spain is really rich in their golfing tradition. Do you take inspiration from any of the famous players of the past?
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: Yeah, I do. I've been actually chatting a lot to Carlota and Azahara, two players on Tour. They've been super helpful out here for me and been basically moms for me, just helping me with like how it works, what to do, where to be.
I think they're definitely -- since I was a kid, I always see them as heroes, so right now me being friends with them, like chatting to them, is quite incredible and quite a good opportunity that everyone would like to have.
Q. The greens were double cut and rolled, the sun came out, the breeze picked up. How much tougher was the course today than the past two days and how did you adjust so quickly?
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: I definitely agree with that. The greens were playing a lot tougher, very quick, pins were tucked in. I feel like that was definitely a lot different than the last couple days. I just feel like I kept myself in a patient situation and attacked pins when I can; play in the middle of the green when it's not possible.
Obviously I feel like I just kept myself in the right places to be and not make any mistakes when I cannot make them. I think that's the difference from the last couple days.
Q. You've obviously set yourself up very well. What is your mindset heading into the final round tomorrow?
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: Yeah, honestly it's very exciting. I'm very excited for tomorrow. I'm just going to keep playing my game, have a lot of fun out there and play my game. It's what I love the most. I think to be present, do my things that I can, control the things that are in my hands and see how it goes.
Q. When is the last time you've been in this kind of position? What kind of tournament was it? And what do you draw on for tomorrow being so close to the lead?
JULIA LÓPEZ RAMIREZ: I feel like I've been in this position probably a few times in college, but obviously it doesn't make any difference for being in majors. I do believe that obviously when you're in college and you're about to win an event you have the same nerves. That's the most you care in that moment. You just want to win that tournament. You just want to be a good player in that.
Honestly they're the same nerves around there. Obviously more crowds are here, big tournament. But I think for me the last event I've probably been in was probably nationals, or SECs, the conference for me like last year. I played also St Andrews last year as an amateur, so that was quite a good experience, as well.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports