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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 14, 2014

Gunn Yang

JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA

PETE KOWALSKI: Another of four 2014 U.S. Amateur quarterfinalists, Gunn Yang from Korea. He plays his college golf at San Diego State and he was a winner on the 18th hole over Ollie Schniederjans from Georgia Tech, ranked No. 1. You're a U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist and you beat a guy who is ranked No. 1 in the world in the U.S. Amateur, that's got to be a pretty good accomplishment in your mind.

GUNN YANG: I mean, this is my first one actually, first USGA event, and I was just trying to execute every shot, every hole and then it worked out. Yeah, I fit in on the 18th hole and everything paid off, really.

PETE KOWALSKI: And there's a lot of people, I'm sure that were supporting him, and not too many supporting you. How do you keep your focus?

GUNN YANG: Well, I mean, it's always good to have a crowd cheering you and stuff, but sometimes it can be a negative influence I think. So I mean, I was just trying to focus my game, and, you know, I mean, I did my best I guess.

PETE KOWALSKI: This is your first USGA Championship and you made the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur, that has to rank highly of things you've done in golf.

GUNN YANG: Yes, this is actually my first major amateur event, and then I'm already in the quarterfinals. So, yeah.

PETE KOWALSKI: And you've got the good news, you don't have to qualify for next year.

GUNN YANG: I'm happy about that, yeah.

Q. Probably the most up-and-down match of the day, 2-down, 2-up, go back to 1-down and you get back to 1-up. How did the emotions flow throughout the course of the round?
GUNN YANG: I wasn't really like mad just because of like one shot. I mean, sometimes I got frustrated because I lost a hole, but I was just trying to focus on my game. There were like plenty of holes to go, and I'm like, I can do this, I can do this. Then on the last three holes, I made three birdies to win over Ollie, so that was pretty cool.

Q. Can you walk through the three birdies for us? What did you hit in and how long were the putts?
GUNN YANG: On the 16th hole, I hit my driver and I hit into the right bunker, the far side, and then that was about 132 -- actual distance to the pin including the (indiscernible) was around 142. Hit a soft pitching wedge from the bunker and it was about four feet away from the hole, and I made the putt. The 17th hole, it was about 142 again, soft pitching wedge again. It was about eight feet away and made the putt. Next hole, I hit driver, and it was about 190 -- yeah, 190 away. I didn't want to hit 7-iron -- I mean, that's my 7-iron distance but I didn't want to hit it. So just in case; I hit a 6-iron, gripped it down just soft and it was perfect distance, and I made a 2-putt on that hole.

Q. You were second to play there and Ollie had already hit it over the green on 18. Was there any thought to wedge it down there?
GUNN YANG: No, it was only 190 away. It's stupid, laying up and trying to make a birdie on that hole. I mean, I don't go like really passive way of playing golf. I'm kind of an aggressive player also. I did what I wanted to do and it showed up.

Q. You talked about this being the biggest championship you've played in. What was the biggest one before this?
GUNN YANG: College event, team golf with Korea, but I came like 72nd and that was it really.

Q. Do you have a lot of experience in match play?
GUNN YANG: Well, I've played lots of match play back in Australia. It's called Pennants. I've played Division I golf for Kingswood Golf Club. All of the Australian national teams were playing and representing for the other clubs. I mean, it helped a lot, definitely.

Q. Talking to Ollie Schniederjans earlier, he said -- who is that guy, he must be the No. 1 player in the world. Do you feel like the top player in the world after a day like this?
GUNN YANG: I mean, it's just one day. I mean, I was just trying to play my game. Obviously Ollie is No. 1 in the world and his game is just solid. I mean, first four holes, he knocked it down like, I don't know, like six feet, seven feet and he made all the putts. I'm like, wow, this is how the No. 1 player in the amateur golf plays. But what I normally do is whenever someone putts the ball next to the hole or has like lots of birdie chances, that kind of motivates me, so I can also leave myself an opportunity to make birdies more.

Q. Do you look back on this day and say, this is as good as I can play, especially down the stretch?
GUNN YANG: Oh, yeah, I mean, this is like the -- this match was maybe the best match I've ever played so far. I was excited, also. I was smiling on the course, because he hit so many good shots, also. So it was a real interesting match.

PETE KOWALSKI: With this being your first USGA event, and you've had such great success so far, how do you look at tomorrow? It's a new page.

GUNN YANG: Just try to play my game, again, like this is golf. I mean, if it was like basketball or soccer, it's against an opponent, as in playing one ball and playing against each other. But this is two guys playing two balls and they are playing their own ball. I mean, it's all on how we play, how I play.

PETE KOWALSKI: You must be having fun.

GUNN YANG: Oh, yeah (laughing). I've never done this.

Q. You mentioned that this was an interesting match. Where was the turning point do you think where you were able to get the momentum coming? Was it down the closing stretch or in the middle of the match?
GUNN YANG: On the 9th hole -- actually, 7,8 and 9, those holes I won, I think -- yes, I won those three holes. And I made like a 30-footer birdie on the seventh hole and Ollie missed his 20-footer for birdie. That was a turning point. And Ollie hit his 3-wood way right on the 8th hole, and I struck my drive down in the middle of the fairway. He made bogey and I made an easy par. The next hole, I hit driver and Ollie hit his 3-wood into the bunker on the right side. I made birdie on that hole, and again, he missed the putt, he made par. So I mean, my match turned to 1-up at that point. And then down the stretch on the last three holes, I made all three birdies to win against him. I mean, I was losing actually on the 15th hole. I made bogey and he made a brilliant par, and I was 1-down and three to go. Obviously it's nerve-wracking. I showed the best of my ability to play against him.

Q. Certainly the biggest crowds of the week following your group. Ollie spoke earlier about the fact that he kind of felt like it was a little bit like the guys that were playing with Tiger because everybody was pulling for him. He would hole a putt and they would start walking away before you had a chance to putt. Did you sense that at all or did you sense that he sort of felt the pressure because everybody was pulling for him?
GUNN YANG: I'm not quite sure. I mean, I'm not Ollie. I was just trying to focus on my game. I mean, crowds didn't really bother me. Even on the 18th hole, I think there was like hundreds of people behind me, so I couldn't really feel it because I was trying to concentrate on my game and just trying to go for it and just try to execute another shot.

Q. You've got a club member who is caddying for you this week. How much has he helped you and how much do you draw from his experience?
GUNN YANG: Obviously it's good to have someone who knows all the local knowledge, you know, like how the green works, especially, and like where to put the ball in play and stuff. Sometimes I couldn't do it but he was like, okay, we can do this. But I mean, he's a great man and he motivates me to play well. I mean, he's telling so many good stuff to me, even if I make a bad shot. He's the man.

Q. Your caddie's name?
GUNN YANG: His name is Richard Rice.

Q. After the way he played the first four holes, was there any concern you had that he was playing that well, or did you think you could still hang in with him?
GUNN YANG: To be honest, I mean, that's the time when I first realized, wow, this guy is No. 1 in the world, you know. Like he was like sticking his ball right next to the hole, like three, four in a row I think. Yeah, I mean, that kind of bothered me, but after snapped his 3-wood or driver on the 5th hole, that's the time when I kind of like, oh, I've got to focus on my game again, because he can make a mistake. Just got to focus on my game and turn the game around.

Q. Two of the shots you hit, you hit a couple of great fairway shots, shots out of fairway bunkers, especially No. 2. How difficult was that shot?
GUNN YANG: Yes, both holes I made birdies out of bunkers. On the second hole I had like 240 -- no, 230, actually. 230 out and I hit 4-iron. I mean, I was just trying to hit a cut and it showed, and then I just made a putt really. That's all I could do. And then 16th hole, same thing. I was just trying to go for the pin this time because I'm an aggressive player, and, you know -- I mean, I was 1-down before coming on to the 16th hole. So I was like, no, I've got to do something to change this game around. That paid off. Pitching wedge paid off on the 16th hole.

PETE KOWALSKI: Well done, appreciate it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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