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June 29, 2014
BETHESDA, MARYLAND
Q. Great week, good finish and you qualify for The Open Championship.
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, thank you. That's something I'm looking forward to. I've never played over there before, so it will be a first time experience. I'm pretty happy they changed the system.
Q. How hard was it out there today?
BEN MARTIN: It got tougher every day with the greens firming up, teeing off a little later. I kind of was in a rough patch there the middle of the round so I was very proud of myself to come back and finish it up.
Q. You had a chance to play with Justin Rose, U.S. Open Champion one year removed and currently a co-leader. What did you learn from him out there today?
BEN MARTIN: He's just a great guy, great to play with and really solid game. Just manages his game well and sticks to his strengths and it was fun to watch him play.
Q. What are your overall thoughts?
BEN MARTIN: Overall thoughts, I was very pleased the way I finished. Hitting in the water on 10 and making double-bogey was the turning point. Could have gone south fast there but I was pleased the way I got it back together. Made a big putt on 11 for par from probably 15 feet that kept my day going, and made a few birdies coming in; and then the hole out of the bunker on 17. Seemed like I gave myself a chance on 18; if I had rolled that putt in, I may have had a chance at the playoff. But really happy the way I finished the last eight holes. The putt on 18 was probably 25, 30 feet. But I thought I left it short when I hit it but it kept breaking and kept going and just played a little too much break.
Q. We can watch it on TV and see how tough course might be playing, but could you tell us just how tough the course is?
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, I think it got tougher every day. I think the toughest part is when the rough is up, and too, just the firmness of the greens. There's a lot of pins you can't really go at and you've got to really pay attention to where you're going to be landing your approaches. When you see a winning score that's, whatever it's going to be, 4-under par, 5-under, that's the kind of golf I love to play, because it's challenging and it's fun. Birdies mean a lot.
Q. It looked like it was a montage of bad shots for a while. Did it feel that way to you, like no one could get any kind of momentum going?
BEN MARTIN: I think that's the hardest part of this course is you've got to realize if you're making a few bogeys, everybody else is probably right there with you. So it's just kind of fighting through that adversity and knowing that you are going to make mistakes out here, just because the course is that tough. But if you can throw a few birdies in there and shoot 1- or 2-under par a day around here, you'll win the golf tournament.
Q. Seeing the Claret Jug right there, if you don't win, you at least get to the Open.
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, that was something that crossed my mind throughout the week, a little bit. I tried not to really think about it. I've never played a British Open, British Am, anything. I'm pretty excited to be finally be heading over there. It will be a new experience and learning experience, I'm sure. I've never played any golf over there. I didn't have that on the schedule yesterday, so it's in the schedule now, so that's a good thing.
Q. What did you learn about yourself out there as you continue on your young career?
BEN MARTIN: I think I learned that I'm just having fun out there, and I think whenever I can do that, then I'm going to play well. It's a grind and this course is tough, but just keep it fun and just enjoy the moment.
Q. You have a spot now in The Open Championship. What does that mean to you?
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, that's what I heard. Apparently it's still -- Freddie Jacobson could change that, but it's just icing on the cake this week. I've never played golf across the pond, so it will be a learning experience and something I didn't have on the schedule last week, and to be in there now is just a big plus.
Q. Watching The Open Championship as a youngster, what did that championship mean to you?
BEN MARTIN: Probably my favorite event was the Masters just because I grew up an hour from Augusta, but I always loved to watch The Open Championship, just because the shots that you see guys play, it's not a lot -- you don't get that a lot in the States. So I'm just looking forward to the experience and it will be a learning experience to me the first time.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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