LPGA Photo
For the first time this season, Emma Talley is right at the top of the leaderboard after round one of a LPGA event. Talley shot a 6-under par 65 — she has seven birdies, including four in a six-hole stretch, and just one bogey — at the Volunteers of America Classic in Texas and trails by two shots going into Friday’s second round. It was Talley’s best round of the season.
The 27-year-old golfer has not had a top ten finish this year but is in position to change that.
Here is everything she said in her interview after her 65 Thursday.
Q. Emma Talley, 6-under 65 on day one of the Volunteers of America Classic.
EMMA TALLEY: Yes.
Q. You had it going on out there.
EMMA TALLEY: I did have it going on out there.
Q. Take us through it.
EMMA TALLEY: Yeah, you know, I been working really, really hard on my game, and then also from that I’ve also been working on my mental game. I knew this day was coming, and finally, it’s all paid off. So hopefully the next three days treat me just the same. I’m just happy to be able to talk to you guys.
Q. You mentioned it’s been a while. When you look at your results this year, obviously not what you want, but what have you taken from it personally to learn and grow from?
EMMA TALLEY: Yeah, so I went back to my old swing coach in December, and so it’s been a work in progress this whole year. Also hired a sports psychologist in November. Between the two of them and the work we’ve put in it’s finally all paid off. Every week was getting a little bit better, and just being confident in the process and knowing what I been working on for six months now was eventually going to take off. So, yeah, I’ve learned a lot along the way that’s for sure.
Q. What’s both of their names?
EMMA TALLEY: Paul Dewland is in Orlando and Todd Trimble is my long-time coach since I was nine years old. We split for a couple years and we just went back together in December.
Q. And Paul is the psychologist?
EMMA TALLEY: Uh-huh.
Q. Very cool. How did you get in touch with him or what made you want to kind of pursue that path?
EMMA TALLEY: Yeah, I think out here it’s grueling. Week in, week out, whether you play good or not, you’re expected to play the next Thursday. I think just the grind of it all I’ve realized that I needed to talk to someone. And also losing one of my good friends (Cullan Brown) last year in the summer I just felt like it was time to talk to someone about life. So he’s been a great asset to my game and my mental game. Actually felt so calm out there and that felt amazing. First time in a long time. What was the other part of that question?
Q. Just how you came about working with him.
EMMA TALLEY: How I found him. So I was working with Gareth Raflewski — sorry if I didn’t pronounce that name right — with my putting and short game. He put me in contact with Paul. He works with a lot of players on the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry and he actually works with a couple girls out here as well.
Q. And Cullan, right?
EMMA TALLEY: Yep.
Q. That was around this time last year?
EMMA TALLEY: Yeah, August of last year. So coming on the anniversary of that. I know he’s proud of me today that’s for sure.
Q. On the course specifically today what made Old American Golf Club look easy for Emma Talley?
EMMA TALLEY: I had several tap-in birdies, which always helps. At one point I had no idea what I was even shooting. I looked at my caddie on the last hole and I said, Do you have any idea what we’re shooting today? One of the things Paul told me to do is he keeps the scorecard now. So I had no idea what I was shooting, which is pretty cool. The tap-in birdies helped. Striking the ball how I want to, I think I hit all the fairways, so just hitting the ball really well.
Q. Was there one of the tap-in birdies that really stood out to you as kind of a hole that you hope to replicate throughout the weekend?
EMMA TALLEY: Not necessarily tap-in. On the front nine I had a lot of looks that I missed, and then 13 I made a 10-footer for birdie. I thought, Okay, there we go. So obviously tap-in birdies are easy, but I finally made a putt. So that got me going on the back nine, and, yeah, hopefully I can do that in the next few days.
Q. And you’re an Alabama grad so used to this heat.
EMMA TALLEY: Yes, I’m an Alabama grad, live in Nashville, and am from Kentucky. So this heat, it’s terrible but I am used to it.
