Salas Returns to Kingsmill to Defend Title


Lizette Salas finally broke through last year at the Kingsmill Championship. The native of Azusa, Calif., who learned golf at age 7 from her father who worked at the local course, cruised to a four-stroke victory in Williamsburg, Va.

The 2014 win on the River Course at Kingsmill Resort culminated a fine year up to that point. Prior to the tournament, the four-time All-American at USC had a second- and a third-place finish. In 2013 she was a member of the U.S. Solheim Cup team.

"I was patient, I was steady and I was happy," she said after ending up at 13-under 271 and collecting her first and so far only LPGA title. "I was just so ready (for a win)."

Now 25, Salas is looking to recharge her season. In seven LPGA starts so far her best finishes have been a tie for 11th in the HSBC Women's Champions and the Founders Cup - both in March - and a T-20 in the North Texas Shootout in late April. So far she's earned a mere $79,785.

But Salas saw some encouraging signs in Texas and hopes they point to repeat success at Kingsmill. "I've had a couple top-15 finishes in Singapore and Phoenix, but definitely after being at home for a while and not being in a competitive mode for a very long time, Dallas was a good turning point for me and my mentality to get back it where I want to be," she told reporters Tuesday.

Salas is certainly enjoying the attention brought to the defending champion this week, and hopes the good vibes continue into the tournament, which starts Thursday. "They treated me so well. I'm staying at the resort for the first time and they sent me two bottles of wine and some snacks to my room.

"You know, it's a special feeling. And so when I'm walking around Kingsmill, I'm walking with my head up a little higher and I'm much happier. At the same time, have to do what I need to do to get good results this week."

Here's what else Salas had to say during her Q&A with the media.

MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome defending champion Lizette Salas into the interview room. Lizette, how does it feel and how excited are you to come back and defend this week?

LIZETTE SALAS: It is definitely an event that I have been looking forward to this whole year. Not because - well, because I'm defending champion, but because I get my own parking spot which is really, really tool. It's hard looking for parking. Just being back, all the fans, the volunteers, just having people come up to me and say, I hope you get back to back win. Just getting good vibes. It's really nice.

MODERATOR: You mentioned the parking spot.

LIZETTE SALAS: It feels really good. That's a really special part about coming back to Kingsmill. They treat us so well. They treated me so well. I'm staying at the resort for the first time and they sent me two bottles of wine and some snacks to my room. You know, it's a special feeling. And so when I'm walking around Kingsmill, I'm walking with my head up a little higher and I'm much more happier. ,At the same time, have to do what I need to do to get good results this week.

MODERATOR: So a lot of the players out here say this is one of their favorite places to play. Assuming after your win it's one of yours, too.

LIZETTE SALAS: Yeah.

MODERATOR: But other than your win, what would you say is the No. 1 reason you like to come back here?

LIZETTE SALAS: One definitely is the fans. Second I think the tournament just does so much for the players. Just little things like getting a certain type of golf balls on the range or making the locker room a little extra special. But it's just the whole town of Williamsburg. There are just so much to do, so many restaurants to go to. There are outlet malls, which I just went to last night. There is just - Williamsburg just makes us feel at home. There are a lot of great places to go to, like little taverns, William and Marie University out here. Especially the military base out here. Really get them involved in the tournament. You just get little bit of everything out here.

MODERATOR: What's the key to winning out here on this course specifically now that you have?

LIZETTE SALAS: I think it's just the putting greens. Just really trying to get dialed in on the right quadrant on the putting green. Definitely hitting the right part of the fairway. My strategy last year was just fairways and greens and try to roll in as many putts as possible, really minimizing your mistakes, especially coming down 15, 16, 17, 18. So those holes are really critical, especially 18.

MODERATOR: Is your plan to repeat that strategy this year?

LIZETTE SALAS: Yeah, my strategy is very simple: Keep it in the fairways, keep it on the green, and head steady. So we can come back to Kingsmill down the road. This tournament brings out the best. Major champions have won this tournament. So I got to step it up a little bit this week and really kind of redeem myself. I haven't had the best year that I want, but coming back to this place it should bring out the best golf.

MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You mentioned that you haven't had the year that you would want. The two weeks ago you tied for 20th; sometimes where you finish isn't indicative of how you placed. Are you pleased with the way you struck the ball in Dallas, and do you feel like you're on an upward trajectory?

LIZETTE SALAS: Yeah, definitely. I was off for quite a bit. Injured myself at Kia. Whole world knows that. I just made a couple changes, and the final round of Dallas I shot 3 under par, but definitely could have gone a little bit lower. When I saw I was tied for 20th I like got so excited. I was like, Oh, my God, we tied for 20th. It's Solheim Cup points and a Solheim Cup year. There is such more meaning to finishing in the top 20. But, yeah, definitely I'm going on an upward motion. I'm doing the right things and have the right team around me. I'm just trying to be stress-free out on the golf course and trying to play the game I know how to play. Yeah, so Dallas was a really good event for me.

Q. One of the more rewarding 20th place ties of your career?

LIZETTE SALAS: Definitely. I've had a couple top-15 finishes in Singapore and Phoenix, but definitely after being at home for a while and not being in a competitive mode for a very long time, Dallas was a good turning point for me and my mentality to get back it where I want to be.

MODERATOR: Any other questions for Lizette?

Q. So what are you going to do with the two bottle of wine?

LIZETTE SALAS: Do you want one? Have a glass every now and then. I don't even know if my room has a bottle opener. That would be the task first.

Q. I'm sure they could hook you up. You're in your mid 20s, relatively early in your career. You mentioned this event has produced - the winners have been major champions. Cristie Kerr, Karrie Webb and such. As you come up through the ranks as a younger player, do you look at some of these and I say this with all due respect older players and say, How did they sustain it for that long?

LIZETTE SALAS: Well, yeah, Cristie has had a lot of success here. I think that just gives her the motivation to keep going. Definitely my motivation is to win as many times as she has out here on tour. Same as Karrie Webb. She's been out here for a very long time. That just shows how great our tour is.

"We've had a lot of success with players being really young, and me being in my mid 20s now, I feel like a veteran. Still, it's my fourth year out here and I'm still learning. But it's great to have the older players having success and the younger players having success as well. That's what makes or tour so different.

MODERATOR: All right, thanks for coming in, Lizette.

The transcript for the above interview is courtesy of ASAP Sports.