FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 31st, 2017
NOTABLE QUOTES: ANA INSPIRATION, FRIDAY COVERAGE ON GOLF CHANNEL (NOON-4 PM ET)
Golf Channel Notable Quotes
ANA Inspiration
Friday, March 31, 2017 (Conclusion of 1st round, start of 2nd round: Noon-4 pm ET)
Mission Hills Country Club
Rancho Mirage, Calif.
**Golf Channel will air live continuing live coverage of the ANA Inspiration second round tonight in primetime from 7-9 p.m. ET.**
On Caroline Masson, co-leader at 5-under par after her opening round
Judy Rankin – “She is one good looking player. You think that is going to open the floodgates after she got the first win.”
Jerry Foltz – “Everybody was very pleased last year when she finally broke through for her first win.”
On Cristie Kerr, co-leader at 5-under after the opening round
Rankin – “She was good with the putter last week. When the putter gets hot with Cristie Kerr, look out, because it can get scorching hot.”
Cristie Kerr speaking with Golf Channel’s Lisa Cornwell after her opening round
Cristie Kerr – “I feel pretty good. I really worked on simplifying my swing with my coach last week. Went back to some old feels and I think I’m going to stick with them.”
Kerr – “I’ve played this tournament so many times. I know to not put extra pressure on myself. The people that do inevitably don’t ever win. It is very early in the tournament. Supper happy with my round and I just need to take it day by day.”
On Charley Hull, T4 at 4-under par after her opening round
Rankin – “She has really be building her confidence after her win at the CME the end of last year.”
Nelly Korda, T10 at 3-under par after her opening round, speaking with Golf Channel’s Lisa Cornwell
Nelly Korda – “I am having a great start to the season. It is definitely a big confidence booster, especially playing out here. The fairways are really tight and the rough is really thick here. Just trying to hit as many fairways and greens as possible. That confidence definitely helps.”
Korda – “Knowing that I earned my spot here this year is definitely a huge confidence booster because when I played as an amateur, I didn’t have as much confidence as I do this time around.”
On whether Jessica Korda has given any advice to younger sister Nelly
Korda – “Nothing this week. I also played Q-school out here, so I’ve played this course enough where I don’t need any sisterly tips.”
On Inbee Park, T10 at 3-under par after her opening round
Karen Stupples – “She is playing with freedom. She has achieved everything she wants to achieve in golf. There is no real pressure for her to play or achieve everything else. So, she is able to just play golf. Plus, she is hitting a ton of fairways right now.”
Rankin – “She is an amazing person and player. Talk about someone who is very quietly an intense competitor. She very quietly goes about her business.”
On Lydia Ko, T15 at 2-under par 70 after her opening round
Rankin – “I think she played unremarkably well. It could have been a little bit better.”
Stupples – “I don’t mind the swing changes. Changing the swing, that’s fine, but changing everything all at once is so difficult.”
On Day 2 at the ANA Inspiration and Thursday’s wind conditions
Foltz – “What a difference a day makes. Yesterday we were sitting here in very similar conditions to this waiting for the winds to arrive, and did they ever. Today we are not waiting for them. We are in for a glorious afternoon.”
Rankin – “Both sides of the draw are going to have that ‘oh dark 30’ that they didn’t expect, where they need to be the best of themselves and the best athlete at 7 a.m. The playing field is pretty equal now and how it [Thursday’s suspension of play] was all handled has worked out really well.”
-NBC Sports Group-
