FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 18th, 2016

NOTABLE QUOTES: WOMEN’S OLYMPIC GOLF COMPETITION (THURSDAY’S ROUND 2) AND GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE OLYMPICS

Golf Channel Notable Quotes
Women’s Olympic Golf Competition – Round 2
Thursday, August 18 (6:30 am – 3:15 pm ET)
Olympic Golf Course, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

**Live Round 3 coverage of the Women’s Olympic Golf competition gets underway at 6:30 a.m. ET on Friday morning immediately following Golf Central Live From the Olympics, airing from 5-6:30 a.m. ET.

** NBC Olympics’ 34.5 hours of live coverage of the Women’s Golf competition marks the most-ever live hours of coverage dedicated to a single women’s golf event for Golf Channel. Play will culminate with Saturday’s final round, followed by the medal ceremony.**

VIDEO FEATURE: India’s Aditi Ashok’s boundless love for golf has her representing India at 18

For more Olympic Golf coverage on NBCOlympics.com, visit HERE.

On Thursday’s round two of the women’s golf competition at the Olympics
Jerry Foltz – “When you look at the scores, this is really shaping up to be a very special day in our medal round on Saturday. Some big names playing some great golf, all playing for three places.”
Kay Cockerill – “The best women players in the world are rising to the occasion. You put quality players on a course with minimal wind and these types of greens, and you are going to see a lot of low scoring.”

On South Korea’s Inbee Park, leader at 10-under par (5-under par 66 on Thursday)
Curt Byrum – “She looks like she is in top form despite the fact that that she has hardly played at all in two months.”
Byrum – “She is playing to her strengths.”
Terry Gannon – “66-66, when there was so much doubt due to the injury and the time spent away from the competition. And guess what the lead was midway through the men’s event. 10-under par.”

Inbee Park talking with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands following her round
Inbee Park – “Yesterday my ball-striking was very solid. Today I made a couple of mistakes on tee shots, but I was able to convert them into birdies which was really good. The ball striking was a little different but my putter felt better today and I felt like I holed more putts today.”
Park – “I wouldn’t say it is easy, having a lot of pressure is really hard, especially when you are playing bad or having a tough time. But at the same time, I try to think very positive. I have a lot of people on my side and people watching me and cheering me on, taking the positives out of it.”

On U.S.A’s Stacy Lewis, in second place at 9-under par (8-under 63 on Thursday)
Sorenstam – “She is one of the players who has talked about how important golf in the Olympics is. Now, she is stepping up and showing them the importance of golf here.”
Tom Abbott – “It is a game changing day for Stacy Lewis.”
Cockerill – “In general, she was really on target today.”
Annika Sorenstam – “When you know it is your day, it is your day.”
Gannon – “Magical round on day 2 for Stacy Lewis.”
Byrum – “That is finishing it off in style, birdied the last four holes coming in.”

Stacy Lewis talking to Golf Channel’s Steve Sands following her round
Stacy Lewis – “I hit some shots closer than I did yesterday, but I felt so good over the putter in making everything.”
Lewis – “I love those last four holes. It is a place you can make some birdies. I was mad and started to be a little more aggressive and got some in there close. The one on the last was pretty special.”
Lewis – “I felt much more comfortable on the tees. Tee shots especially. There are so many blind shots out here. Knowing where to hit it is the hardest part. I felt way more comfortable today knowing how the shots were going to react on the green. It helps getting a competitive round under your belt.”

On Canada’s Brooke Henderson, T3 at 8-under par (7-under par 64 on Thursday)
Sorenstam – “She is an impressive young lady at 19-years old. She knows her game so well. That’s what takes time is getting to know your strengths and she is playing to her strengths, plugging along and being patient.”
Abbott – “She will no doubt mount a challenge over the next two days. I fully expect her to contend for a medal.”

Brooke Henderson speaking with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands following her round
Brooke Henderson – “The last couple of holes in my round yesterday gave me good momentum going into today. Coming into today I felt way better than I felt yesterday, more like my old self. On my lasts six holes here I really turned it on. I made five birdies and really get things going back in my direction.”

On Great Britain’s Charley Hull, T3 at 8-under par
Sorenstam – “She is one of the fastest players on tour. There is no holding back for Charlie.”

On U.S.A’s Gerina Piller, T8 at 6-under par
Sorenstam – “I’m sure she is excited to see Stacy playing so well. It is give her a little extra fire.”
Foltz – “If she is on that medal stand on Saturday, her par on 17 will be a big part of it.”
Foltz – “Gerina’s two recovery shots on her final two holes, she couldn’t have done any better and wouldn’t want to play those again.”

Gerina Piller speaking with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands following her round
Gerina Piller – “I played well all day today…to get up and down the last two holes just saved my day.”

On India’s Aditi Ashok, T8 at 6-under par
Karen Stupples – “What I find truly amazing is that she did this all on her own at five-years old. She went and putted all on her own. It wasn’t her mom and dad that said, ‘here is a putter you go putt.’ She went and did that on her own. She made those dreams on her own and put that on her poster. As a seven- year-old. She is now living her dream. That is a very special gift to have.”
Sorenstam – “This is what the Olympics are all about, where dreams can come true. It is a great story considering that golf is not that big in her country.”
Sorenstam– “If you go to the streets of India and ask them if they know what a major is, they would shake their heads and say no. But if you asked them what an Olympic medal is, they will cheer. For her to be a part of this and to do what she has done so far is incredible.”

Aditi Ashok speaking with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands following her round
Aditi Ashok – “Today I didn’t hit my tee shots really well. I was out of position on four or five holes but I putted really well over both of the days.”

On New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, T22 at 3-under par
Sorenstam – “I think we expected her to do a little bit more, she doesn’t seem to have her top game right now.”

On U.S.A’s Lexi Thompson, T22 at 3-under par
Byrum – “Lexi Thompson is the equivalent of Dustin Johnson in women’s professional golf as far as she hits it. If her wedge game improves, she will win five times a year, easy.”

GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE OLYMPICS

On South Korea’s Inbee Park
Paige Mackenzie – “I think that her sanctuary is inside the ropes… If you’ve ever listened to her, she doesn’t give up much. She doesn’t tell you what’s going on in her personal life or outside of what happens from tee-to-green… That probably to her was stating the obvious, ‘Don’t you know what’s going on in Korea? They’re asking me or wondering if I’m going to play in the event or give up my spot to one of my other Korean teammates.’ To me it was incredibly revealing that she was sharing that.”
Brandel Chamblee – “We look at athletes and we judge them on how many times they win and how they change their sport. But it’s not always the case when athletes look back on their career that they judge themselves in the same manner. Yes, she’s in position to win the gold. But the fact that she’s doing so well in the face of all this pressure is a gold medal effort. What you overcome says as much about who you are as wins do. The fact that she’s playing so well this week with all the pressure that’s been put on her… She’s not only overcome the injury to her thumb, she’s overcome in my opinion the injury to her soul. The pressure that has been put on her has lit a fire under her. She’s come in here and put on a show that leaves everyone agape.”
Chamblee – “Similar in so many aspects to Lydia Ko in that she’s not the longest driver on the LPGA Tour, she’s not the straightest driver, but she is very tough to beat with a wedge in her hand or a putter in her hand.”

On U.S.A’s Stacy Lewis
Chamblee – “It is hard to say that something is missing from her game, but there is just a small difference between the greatness she was achieving and where she stalled out. But I look at her and think, Beth Daniel won 18 times after she turned 30 years of age, and I can’t help but think that’s where Stacy Lewis is going.”
Mackenzie – “If you look at some of the close finishes she’s had, it’s because she hasn’t putted well down the stretch [that she hasn’t won]. It’s been a source of frustration from Stacy, because so many times coming down the stretch in the last few times she’s been in contention, that’s the club that’s let her down.”

On Great Britain’s Charley Hull
Mackenzie – “She’s one of the players that given the chance to compete for a gold medal, I don’t think the moment will be bigger than her. I think she can handle it.”

On Canada’s Brooke Henderson
Stupples – “Outwardly she’s wonderful, but inwardly she has that fire that’s burning so deep in her that she just wants to win.”

On India’s Aditi Ashok
Chamblee –“She has a chance to literally be a part of, and affect one of the greatest moments in the history of the game over the next couple of rounds.”

-Rio 2016-