Tag: AIG Women’s British Open

How much money each player earned at the AIG Women’s British Open at Carnoustie

Check out how much money each player earned at the 2021 AIG Women’s British Open at Carnoustie.

It pays to play well in major championships, folks. Just ask the most-recent winner, Anna Nordqvist.

Six players held the lead early on Sunday at the AIG Women’s British Open, but it was Nordqvist who emerged from the pack. The 34-year-old from Sweden signed for a 3-under 69 on Sunday afternoon to win by one shot at 12 under at Carnoustie for her third major championship and first win since the 2017 Amundi Evian Championship.

Nordqvist earned the top prize of $870,000 while Georgia Hall, Madelene Sagstrom and Lizette Salas will each take home $409,135 after finishing tied for second.

This year’s purse was increased by $1.3 million to $5.8 million.

Here’s how much money each player earned at the AIG Women’s British Open.

AIG Women’s British Open: Photos | Leaderboard

Position Player Score Earnings
1 Anna Nordqvist -12 $870,000
T2 Georgia Hall -11 $409,135
T2 Madelene Sagstrom -11 $409,135
T2 Lizette Salas -11 $409,135
T5 Nanna Koerstz Madsen -10 $219,787
T5 Minjee Lee -10 $219,787
T7 Leonie Harm -9 $154,918
T7 Patty Tavatanakit -9 $154,918
9 Moriya Jutanugarn -8 $129,855
T10 Ariya Jutanugarn -7 $113,635
T10 Marissa Steen -7 $113,635
T10 Louise Duncan (a) -7 –
T13 Mina Harigae -6 $85,328
T13 Brooke Henderson -6 $85,328
T13 Sei Young Kim -6 $85,328
T13 Nelly Korda -6 $85,328
T13 Stephanie Kyriacou -6 $85,328
T13 Leona Maguire -6 $85,328
T13 Yealimi Noh -6 $85,328
T20 Matilda Castren -5 $65,279
T20 Ayaka Furue -5 $65,279
T20 Alice Hewson -5 $65,279
T20 Lexi Thompson -5 $65,279
T24 Wichanee Meechai -4 $58,203
T24 Paula Reto -4 $58,203
T26 Nasa Hataoka -3 $52,895
T26 Sanna Nuutinen -3 $52,895
T26 Elizabeth Szokol -3 $52,895
T29 Haeji Kang -2 $44,992
T29 Lydia Ko -2 $44,992
T29 Stacy Lewis -2 $44,992
T29 Gaby Lopez -2 $44,992
T29 Albane Valenzuela -2 $44,992
T34 Carlota Ciganda -1 $36,442
T34 Perrine Delacour -1 $36,442
T34 Hinako Shibuno -1 $36,442
T34 Angel Yin -1 $36,442
T34 Su-Hyun Oh -1 $36,442
T39 Megan Khang E $30,583
T39 Brittany Lincicome E $30,583
T39 Yuka Saso E $30,583
T42 Brittany Altomare 1 $27,827
T42 Nicole Broch Larsen 1 $27,827
T42 Eun-Hee Ji 1 $27,827
T42 Emily Kristine Pedersen 1 $27,827
T42 Jenny Shin 1 $27,827
T42 Lauren Walsh (a) 1 –
T48 Hannah Green 2 $21,491
T48 Gerina Piller 2 $21,491
T48 Atthaya Thitikul 2 $21,491
T48 Jeongeun Lee 2 $21,491
T52 Pajaree Anannarukarn 3 $18,691
T52 Jennifer Coleman 3 $18,691
T52 Inbee Park 3 $18,691
T55 Marina Alex 4 $16,921
T55 Andrea Lee 4 $16,921
T55 Kelsey Macdonald 4 $16,921
58 Lauren Stephenson 5 $15,740
T59 Chella Choi 6 $14,858
T59 Jessica Korda 6 $14,858
T61 Aditi Ashok 7 $13,680
T61 Christine Wolf 7 $13,680
T61 Annabell Fuller (a) 7 –
64 Jennifer Kupcho 8 $13,091
65 Felicity Johnson 9 $12,792
66 Laura Davies 16 $12,499

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Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist holds on to claim third major title at AIG Women’s British Open

Nordqvist last won in 2017 at the Amundi Evian Championship in a playoff.

The wind took the week off at famed Carnoustie, but the best in the women’s game did everything they could to still deliver drama. As many as six players held the lead early on at the AIG Women’s British Open on Sunday, and it stayed bunched up until the finish in sunny Scotland when Anna Nordqvist outlasted them all.

Nordqvist breaks a streak of nine consecutive first-time major winners and ends a personal victory drought that stretches back 1,435 days when she won the 2017 Amundi Evian Championship in a playoff. Nordqvist played Carnoustie’s tough four finishing holes in even par, carding a 3-under 69 to win by one at 12 under and earn her third different major title.

Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen came into the 72nd hole hole tied with Nordqvist but suffered a heart-breaking double-bogey on the taxing 18th that included a shocking shank from a greenside bunker.

Georgia Hall, the 2018 AIG champion, set the early clubhouse mark of 11 under after a final-round 67 that included two eagles. She finished runner-up alongside Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom (68) and American Lizette Salas (69).

Scottish amateur Louise Duncan, the 2021 R&A Women’s Amateur champion, shot 72 and tied for 10th, delighting the hearty local crowds in her major debut. It marked the best finish by an amateur since Michelle Wie and Louise Stahle both placed in the top 10 in 2005.

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Sunday chaos at Carnoustie? A packed leaderboard of stars like Anna Nordqvist, Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda set to deliver

Sunday at Carnoustie could be an absolute free-for-all dripping with drama.

Sunday at Carnoustie could be an absolute free-for-all dripping with drama. Last month at the Amundi Evian Championship, Minjee Lee overcame a major record-tying seven-shot deficit to win her first major.

The board at the AIG Women’s British Open has 39 players who are at or within seven shots of leaders Anna Nordqvist and Nanna Koertz Madsen at 9 under. Both are looking to play their way onto the European Solheim Cup team.

Nordqvist carded a championship-best, bogey-free 7-under 65 in Round 3 to put herself in prime position for a third major title. With husband Kevin McAlpine, a native of Dundee, only 20 minutes away, Sweden’s Nordqvist is somewhat of a quasi-local.

“I played here on December 26 a couple years ago,” said Nordqvist. “We were back for Christmas and it was awesome. We played on summer greens, so maybe two or three greens and a little mat and that’s how I grew up playing. It’s such a good venue and I really enjoy coming back here.”

Leona Maguire, who happens to be four back, believes that anyone at or within five shots has a chance on Sunday. That list of 26 includes the likes of Lizette Salas (-8), Lexi Thompson (-7), Ariya Jutanugarn (-6), Moriya Jutanugarn (-6), Nelly Korda (-6), Brooke Henderson (-6), Yealimi Noh (-6), Sei Young Kim (-6) Georgia Hall (-6) and Patty Tavatanakit (-6).

Speaking of local connections, Lexi Thompson, who used to have McAlpine on the bag, has local caddie Paul Drummond keeping her loose inside the ropes.

“I’m very grateful to have Paul on the bag,” said Thompson, “and he’s been giving me great lines and bounces around the green which I would never play for.”

American rookie Yealimi Noh had it to 10 under at one point on a wet Saturday before she closed her round with bogey, bogey, double-bogey on the last three holes.

The last nine LPGA major winners have been first-timers. Madelene Sagstrom, Koertz Madsen, Salas, Noh and amateur Louise Duncan are among those looking to keep the streak alive.

Scotland’s Duncan, 21, is only two back in her major debut. A 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th green Saturday in front of a packed grandstand has been the highlight of her week.

“I had 155 yards, hit a 6-iron,” Duncan said of her play up the last. “Flushed it, as well, which was nice. That was ideal, really because my previous hole, I hit a horrendous iron shot. So it was nice to hit that pretty close and felt like I was due a putt from the last.”

AIG Women's Open - Day Three
Louise Duncan reacts as she finishes her round at the 18th hole during Day Three of the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 21, 2021 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Duncan still has two years left of schoolwork at Stirling University. Next week she’ll represent Great Britain and Ireland at the Curtis Cup in Wales.

Nordqvist finished tied for seventh at the 2011 British Open at Carnoustie, the only other time the women have played the British Open at the famed links venue. She had her mental coach caddying for her back then and remembers teeing off at 6:15 a.m. that year alongside Caroline Masson and Sophia Popov, who was an amateur at the time. The trio had a laugh about the memory this week.

“I think it’s a ball-striker’s golf course because you have to challenge a few bunkers out there or you’re going to stand with really long clubs,” she said. “In links golf in general, when my game is on, I feel like I’m pretty consistent and my misses are not too big. Just love playing links golf for a while because it’s so different from what we play in the U.S. every week.”

Salas, who is playing her fifth week in Europe, said the Women’s British requires a different type of mental toughness and that she slept 11 hours on Friday night.

“Been really focusing on changing my attitude as far as focusing on the positive,” said Salas, who came close at this event in 2019 when she finished runner up. “Really just trying to peak at the right time.”

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WATCH: Lydia Ko’s fabulous bunker shot from her knees at Carnoustie – ‘at least don’t face-plant’

Lydia Ko pulled off some spectacular shots on Friday at Carnoustie, including one doozie out of the bunker from her knees at the par-4 ninth.

Lydia Ko pulled off some spectacular shots on Friday at Carnoustie, including one doozie out of the bunker from her knees at the par-4 ninth.

When did Ko learn to hit from her knees? Today, she said, after putting the finishing touches on a 1-under 71 at the AIG Women’s British Open.

“I actually had multiple times where I was like, I could do with being left-handed for a few of these shots,” said Ko. “The sand is pretty fluffy, so the ball settles down after it hits a bank or rolls in.

“It’s not easy, but for both of those times, I said, OK, don’t make a fool of yourself and like keep – all of your core exercises are right for this moment. Keep that core tight and at least don’t face-plant.”

Ko missed a boatload of fairways to begin the second round and looked like she might be missing the weekend as well after making the turn in 38. But a solid tee shot on the 11th hole led to the first of three birdies over the next four holes. She’s currently in a share of 32nd, six strokes back of leaders Georgia Hall and Mina Harigae.

“I think because my contact was good, I wasn’t getting too frustrated about it,” Ko said of the early portion of her round.

“I just focused on my keys and put a swing on it, and for me, I think if I hit a committed shot, I think that’s all I can do, and if the ball goes left or right, I can’t do much about it. So yeah, I didn’t really think about something new that made it turn around.”

Ko has had put together a string of special rounds on Sunday this year, including a 62 at the ANA Inspiration, a 65 en route to bronze at the Olympics and a 63 last week at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open that led to a share of second.

“I don’t think you can take yourself out of it, especially around a golf course like this,” said Ko, who said she had never been so excited to come to the British Open as she was this week.

“If you felt confident with a putter and you are hitting it somewhat, pretty solid, you’ve got a good chance. Minjee (Lee) showed that you can be quite a few shots back and be able to be the one lifting the trophy on the end of Sunday.

Ko, of course, is referring to Lee’s recent victory at the Amundi Evian Championship, where she came from seven back to win in a playoff.

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Americans are making big Solheim Cup moves at Carnoustie. Can Mina Harigae nab first win and clinch spot?

The AIG Women’s British Open is the final qualifying event before picks are made for next month’s Solheim Cup.

Last week, American Ryann O’Toole won for the first time in her 228th start on tour. Now, a winless Mina Harigae co-leads with Georgia Hall at the AIG Women’s British Open in her 243rd LPGA start.

Could either of them make the U.S. Solheim Cup team?

Harigae currently ranks 13th on the U.S. Solheim Cup points list and a victory this week could bump her into the top seven, which automatically qualifies. O’Toole would need something special over the weekend to get into the conversation. She opened with a 1-under 71.

The AIG is the final qualifying event before picks are made for the Sept. 4-6 event at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

“I’m a much better golfer the last 12 months,” said Harigae. “I’ve been playing well. So I just feel like I’m in a good place.”

Harigae won several events on the Cactus Tour in 2020 during the LPGA’s 166-day break during the pandemic and rediscovered something crucial in her time on the Arizona-based mini tour: the joy of competing.

The change in mindset came in part thanks to Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, who practices at the same club as Harigae – Superstition Mountain – and shares the same fitness instructor.

“She said she honestly just loves to compete,” Harigae told Golfweek last year. “She loves the competition. She doesn’t care whether it’s for $1,000, $2,000, $5 or $1 million. All she wants to do is compete with people.

“That’s when I realized my mindset the last few years – I haven’t even been thinking about that. It was more of, I need to be out here to make money or I need to keep my card.”

Harigae carried the momentum over to the LPGA when the tour resumed last July.

Rookie Yealimi Noh currently sits in a share of fifth, two shots back, at 5 under. After recently contending at the Amundi Evian Championship and posting a top 10 at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, Noh, No. 29 in the world, should be on the short list when it comes to who U.S. captain Pat Hurst is watching.

Noh said she’s been successful at keeping the Solheim Cup out of her mind on the course in recent weeks.

“Of course it’s a goal of mine to be on the Solheim Cup,” said Noh, “and it has since I turned pro, and especially the beginning of this year and just always keeping it there but not focusing too much on it, because it’s better to just focus on the golf.

“Actually, I don’t think about it like when I’m playing. You would think like every – especially towards the end of the week, you’d be like, ‘Oh, one more birdie or whatever and I’m closer,’ but you really don’t.”

GOLF-LPGA-BRITAIN-OPEN-WOMEN
Yealimi Noh lines up her second putt shot on the 18th green during round two on the second day of the 45th AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie, Scotland on August 20, 2021. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Lizette Salas, who finished runner-up to Nelly Korda at the KPMG Women’s PGA, currently holds one of two spots off the Rolex Rankings list for Solheim. She’s currently 25th in the world.

Salas said she put a new putter into play this week and is using a greens book.

“It’s a Ping putter and honestly I went into the truck this week and I just needed to look at something different,” said Salas. “I’ve been out here for six weeks and I needed a change. It’s a different hosel. It’s more toe-hang putter and sets up really well and I’m obviously making a few putts out there. So yeah, that’s the new toy.”

Salas opened up at the KPMG last June about her recent mental health struggles when she contemplated retiring from the tour. Since the KPMG, Salas’ best finish has been a T-25 at the Evian.

“You know, a lot happened that week, a lot of good things,” said Salas. “I think it also changed my expectations of myself … honestly I have not been performing or putting as well as I did that week which has really been frustrating. So it’s been a lot of mixed emotions. My swing, my ball-striking’s been on point. It’s just the putts haven’t been dropping.

“So for me that’s kind of been like it hurts a little bit to know that I could still hit the shots but I can’t finish the job. Honestly, I probably should have taken a break after KPMG. I kind of pushed myself a little too much physically and mentally to continue competing, but you know, this is all a learning experience. Now I know like what my body and my mind can take or my mental game can take. You know, we are just trying to have some fun and finish on a good note this week.”

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Former champ Georgia Hall shares early lead at calm Carnoustie, with big hitters chasing

Georgia Hall doubled the 15th but managed to hold on to maintain a share of the lead.

There’s never a good time for a double-bogey on the scorecard, but it’s especially troublesome late in the day at Carnoustie, where the closing stretch is a brute. England’s Georgia Hall doubled the 15th hole at the fame links layout but managed to hold on with pars coming in to maintain a share of the lead at the AIG Women’s British Open with American Mina Harigae.

Hall’s 3-under 69 puts her at 7 under for the tournament with Harigae, who while winless on tour, is playing the best golf of her LPGA career right now. Harigae shot 67.

“A couple of times I got lucky with the bounces,” said Harigae, “skirting a couple bunkers. But overall, I putted really well today.”

Calm conditions once again led to plenty of red numbers at Carnoustie, though players felt there were tougher hole locations in Round 2.

“I think it’s all saving it for tomorrow,” said Hall, the 2018 AIG Women’s British Open champion, of a blustery weekend.

Sei Young Kim and Lizette Salas sit one shot back at 6 under. Ireland’s Leona Maguire put up a smooth bogey-free 67, giving one last good impression before Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew makes her six picks.

“Carnoustie is a proper golf course,” said the rookie Maguire. “Doesn’t really matter what the weather is. There’s tee shots out there you just have to stand up and hit a really good shot and for the most part I’ve done that over the last two days, stayed out of all the fairway bunkers there which was key, and yeah, you just have to pick your shots and execute really well.”

Louis Duncan, the 21-year-old Scottish Amateur, held steady at 3 under after a second-round 73. The 2021 R&A Women’s British Amateur champion played alongside Hall in the first two rounds. She’ll represent Great Britain and Ireland later this month in the Curtis Cup.

“I think she’s a lot like me,” said Hall. “Quite quiet, just lets her golf do the talking. She’s a very natural golfer. She just goes up and hits it, which I think is a lot like me, too. She’s an amazing talent and it was really nice to play with her.”

Dame Laura Davies bogeyed the last to shoot 70 and move to even par the tournament, currently inside the cut line in a share of 42nd. The 57-year-old World Golf Hall of Famer carded seven birdies on the day.

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AIG Women’s British Open: Lexi Thompson contending early at Carnoustie with local caddie

Thompson has a little local knowledge on the bag this week and is two shots back early on.

After Lexi Thompson flew home from the Toyko Olympics, the next morning she was out grinding on the range. It was like that for the next five days until she flew to Scotland. Thompson said it’s probably the hardest she’s ever worked on her game.

“I probably practiced five to six hours a day out on the golf course for those four or five days,” said Thompson, “and training twice a day.”

The 11-time winner opened with a 3-under 69 and sits two back of leaders Nelly Korda, Madelene Sagstrom and Sei Young Kim at the AIG Women’s British Open in her Carnoustie debut. Thompson, who has one major title to her credit, last won on the LGPA in June 2019 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

She made headlines in Tokyo when her caddie, Jack Fulghum, had to put down the bag on the 15th hole due the extreme heat. She has a local caddie, Paul Drummond, on the bag this week. Thompson said Fulghum is doing better now and wished him well. She also confirmed that they have parted ways.

Drummond caddies regularly at Carnoustie and Thompson credited him for being a big help this week.

“Just the local knowledge, especially for me, I don’t play over here a ton, only really once a year,” she said. “So knowing the local knowledge of the golf course, the bounces, where to miss if you need to, it helps out tremendously and makes you a lot more free over certain shots.”

Last June at The Olympic Club, Thompson, with Fulghum on the bag, held a five-shot cushion walking off the 18thgreen at the U.S. Women’s Open on Sunday but stumbled mightily down the stretch, playing the last seven holes in 5 over.

Needing a par on the last hole to get into a playoff, her second shot with a gap wedge from the fairway came up painfully short and into a front greenside bunker. She then left a 10-foot putt for par shockingly short and watched as Nasa Hataoka and eventual champion Yuka Saso squared off in extra holes without her.

Later that month at the KPMG Women’s PGA, Scott Thompson said his daughter had 120 yards to the pin on the 18th hole at Olympic and 114 to clear the bunker (yardage adjusted to account for the uphill slope).

“They were trying to win the golf tournament,” he said, “so they took an exact number, a 115-yard club. Obviously in San Francisco the ball goes a little short, or maybe they got the wind a little off, it was left-to-right wind, and the ball came up like a foot short. You know what? It happens. That’s the story.

“They could’ve hit it long and two-putted and got into a playoff, but they went for the win. … I commended the caddie for doing what he did.”

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Olympic gold medalist Nelly Korda now co-leads at AIG Women’s British Open, LPGA’s final major of the year

Nelly Korda, fresh off of a gold medal performance in Tokyo, managed to carry that momentum all the way to Scotland.

Nelly Korda, fresh off of a gold medal performance in Tokyo, managed to carry that momentum all the way to Scotland where she holds a share of the early lead with Madelene Sagstrom at the AIG Women’s British Open.

Korda carded eight birdies, including on the difficult finishing holes, en route to a 5-under 67 at famed Carnoustie, where the women are playing for just the second time.

“The wind kept calm, and I took advantage of it,” Korda said.

With the last nine majors having been won by first-time major winners, Korda, 23, looks to put a stamp of dominance on the LPGA by claiming her second of the year. She took command of the KPMG Women’s PGA at Atlanta Athletic Club, winning by three, to climb to World No. 1 for the first time. She has won three times on tour this season, along with winning Olympic gold.

Olympics: Golf-Women
Nelly Korda bites her gold medal of the women’s golf event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe, Japan. (Photo by Andy Wong/Associated Press)

Like many players, it took some time for Korda to feel confident with links golf. She missed the cut in 2017 at Kingsbarns in her maiden British Open appearance and then tied for 14th at Royal Troon last year. On Wednesday at Carnoustie, Korda said a brief conversation with former Women’s British Open winner Karen Stupples helped solidify her strategy to do what it took to avoid Carnoustie’s penalizing bunkers.

“Today it was fine, because it wasn’t so windy, so you can be aggressive,” said Korda. “But when the wind gets obviously stronger, just taking that 4-iron and giving yourself, I don’t know another 4-iron in, because it’s easier to make an up-and-down from the greens than to pitch out from the bunker and then having 170 in and again.”

Korda admitted to being tired after a whirlwind six weeks on the road and said she’d be happy to have one week at home in her own bed before the Solheim Cup.

“You strive to be in this position,” she said, “but you kind of know that you have a target on your back.”

To that end, Korda said she’s trying go about her business on the golf course “like a little girl,” enjoying herself in the chilly Scottish temps.

Korda, who last competed at the Olympics and had last week off, didn’t meet with media for a pre-tournament press conference. After Round 1, she was asked if that was a psychological decision.

“No, I’ve had a long couple of weeks,” she said, “it was the day of my pro-am. And I was just really tired. So I tried to just, I wasn’t really hitting well. I tried to just go to the range and try to prepare for the next four days. Sometimes you just got to give your body a break.”

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5 things to watch for at the AIG Women’s British: A Cinderella returns, Solheim Cup drama and a ‘Car-nasty finish’

The fifth and final LPGA major of 2021 is at Carnoustie in Scotland. Here’s a primer to get you ready.

Not a single shot has been struck in the fifth and final major of the year yet, but the tournament is already buzzing after the AIG Women’s British Open announced a purse increase of $1.3 million to $5.8 million, making it the largest prize in women’s golf.

What’s more, in 2022 the purse will increase by another $1 million to $6.8 million when the event moves to Muirfield for the first time.

“We believe that this action to make changes sends a strong signal that more needs to be done,” said Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, “and I believe can be done, by everyone involved in our sport.”

On that high note, here are five things to look for this week at the Women’s British Open.

AIG Women’s British Open sets new benchmark for women’s golf with $5.8M purse and more to come

The AIG Women’s British Open has raised the bar substantially for women’s golf with a new record prize fund.

The AIG Women’s British Open has raised the bar substantially for women’s golf with a new record prize fund. This year’s purse will increase by $1.3 million to $5.8 million, with the winner receiving $870,000. But it doesn’t stop there: In 2022, the purse will increase by another $1 million to $6.8 million when the event moves to Muirfield for the first time.

Since the AIG and R&A first partnered in 2018, the championship’s purse will more than double by 2022.

This week’s AIG Women’s British Open is being held for only the second time, and the first time in 10 years, at famed Carnoustie. The money coupled with a strong rotation of courses marks a substantial turnaround since the R&A stepped in to run the event.

“We believe that this action to make changes sends a strong signal that more needs to be done,” said Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, “and I believe can be done, by everyone involved in our sport.”

When asked if he thought the gap between the men’s and women’s Opens could one day be closed, Slumbers said he’s a glass-half-full guy.

“I think we’ve closed a huge gap over these few years, so I look at that as a positive,” he said. “I think the direction of travel is here. But I remain consistently of the view that we need to build the financial wherewithal of women’s professional golf, particularly in our championship.”

Peter Zaffino, President and Chief Executive Officer of AIG, said that in addition to sponsorship of the championship aligning with their values, the global nature of the event is important to the company.

“We talk about pay equity and highlighting the achievements of women and making sure that those core values are done with our actions,” said Zaffino, “but also the global nature of golf, of women’s golf, and seeing the representation from all over the world which represents our clients and stakeholders in our business.

“It’s really exciting to see the progress that’s been made and the optimism that we both share for the future.”

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