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NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL CHAMPIONSHIP

September 27, 2015

Andrew Loupe

Columbus, Ohio

Q. Great playing today. Pressure-packed situation. How did you come out on top today?
ANDREW LOUPE: Minimized mistakes. I thought I did a really good job of that all week. I think that was key.

I think I had three bogeys today, but that's so easy to do out here, man. I just thought that my ball striking has been coming around for the last couple months and I've been chipping away at it.

It showed this week. Didn't make any doubles. You know, that's really good out here. Thought Wayne did a great job keeping us in the present. I got a little uptight there on the back nine and he did a good job of loosening me up and keeping everything loosy-goosy a little bit.

I knew what I had on the line. Just kept telling myself to take it on this week. Embrace it and take it on, that was kind of our motto all week.

Q. The putt on 18, you left yourself not very much of a putt, but what was going through your mind? The leaderboard is right there. You can see you have a two-shot lead.
ANDREW LOUPE: Right. You have so many fast putts out here, and then finally I got one that was probably one of the slowest on the course just because it's so far back up that hill.

I kind of know my tendencies, and personally right before I hit the putt my tendency in a situation like that is to not hit it hard enough.

So I said, Go ahead and hit this thing. You're not going to run it five feet by. I hit it two and a half feet maybe, something like that. Maybe I hit it a little harder than I should have, but just felt good it tap that thing in.

Q. What does it feel like to get your first win at this level?
ANDREW LOUPE: Great. (Laughter.) It's been a long time since I've won, and I guess I've got to cherish these moments. It's hard to win in golf. But I always believed. Been telling myself a long time that I could do this.

To be honest, this course stood out to me. I thought that it was probably my best chance to get one just because you can use length as an advantage a little bit out here.

It reminds me of my home course a little bit. It's different type grass and more trees out here, but it's long. Greens are very undulated. So I kind of knew, you know, go in there ready, geared up, that we could take one down. Fortunately he was able to do that.

Q. Can you talk a little more about your length? Didn't get to see a lot holes this week, but did see you take on the corner every day on 18. Talk about that advantage of being able to do something like that and hit like a little flip wedge in?
ANDREW LOUPE: It feels really good to be able to get those opportunities to take advantage of length. I took driver out of the bag the last two weeks. Literally didn't even have one in the bag.

Felt great to put it back in this week. Holes like 10 where you can take it over the bunker or 18, cut the corner, if you're able to hit a good drive on 14 you can flip that hole around into a birdie hole.

That definitely played a key role. Few more wedges into some greens, slipping a couple long par 4s around where you have gap wedge or pitching wedge into them.

You know, I knew that I would have to do that this week.

Q. Talk about when your last win was on any stage.
ANDREW LOUPE: I won a Hooter's Tour event January of 2013. That sound right? No, '12. I don't know. Been too long, so this feels awesome.

I'm just really happy and grateful.

Q. I was looking at your record this year, one top 10, so coming in, I mean, this is a pretty good turnaround for a guy who was kind of up and down this year.
ANDREW LOUPE: Yeah. I kept telling myself, I'm better than that. I felt like I was underachieving a little bit. Tough to get in a rhythm in that category.

You don't know if you're going to play or not and then you Monday qualify and then -- you know what I mean? It is difficult. Guys did have success in it.

But Auburn was a big week for me this summer. I hit the ball great there. I really just think my self-belief went up a notch.

Maybe some good course management this week. Hit the ball well. Didn't feel as if I putted great, but the last two days I putted solid. I didn't throw any away.

Man, I just want to keep it going.

Q. Good win.
ANDREW LOUPE: Thank you.

Q. I think 198th or something FedEx.
ANDREW LOUPE: Snuck in.

Q. Yeah. That's some pressure. Is there any thought of playing out here a little more?
ANDREW LOUPE: Before the year?

Q. Yeah.
ANDREW LOUPE: Like in January? Yes. There was thought of that. I decided not to go do the South American events. I stayed here and chased a few Mondays. Really felt like I was playing solid. Missed a couple Mondays by one; missed one in a playoff; Monday'd in; didn't succeed. I told myself in the beginning of the year I thought maybe I could get 12 or 13 starts if I could Monday into a couple. Get a spot at the Zurich hopefully, and there's 15 or 16 right there.

That's the route I took. It wasn't looking very good. I was able to play well in Auburn to get myself here, and grateful the dice rolled out the right way. Just a happy moment.

Q. You kind of have to enjoy the pressure. You know what's on the line or you're in the wrong business, something like that, if you don't enjoy it.
ANDREW LOUPE: Yes, yes, you are. I'm guilty of it. I've been in situations like this and you're telling yourself to take it on, but I didn't truly take it on.

This whole week really I just ironed it into my head: Take it on. That's all you can do. Take it on as much as you can. I was nervous all week, stressed out a little bit, but I did my best it absolutely embrace it.

This is really fun. Even when you're struggling, you just got to keep going. I don't know, man. I guess I embraced it.

Q. Your dad's birthday, right?
ANDREW LOUPE: It is.

Q. Couple years ago, I don't know, five, how many years ago, cancer struggle.
ANDREW LOUPE: Six. I was in college and he was diagnosed with stage four melanoma in his liver. You get that phone call and they tell you 3% chance, and what's 3% to you? You know what I mean?

I'm sure he was watching on TV. He's such a cool dude. He's so genuine, loyal, kindhearted. He's a caretaker. Introduced me to the game. He's a man. You know what I mean? He's a great dude, and I'm so glad that he was able to see this.

Q. Just to clarify, you didn't put driver in your bag the previous two weeks because you weren't going to use it or need it on those courses?
ANDREW LOUPE: Couple reasons. They all kind of tie in together. There were only a few holes on those last couple at my length where it's an advantage. Honestly, half of them it's just a temptation sitting there. It's like a decision on every tee. Then when you choose one over the other, if it doesn't go well, Ah, I made the wrong decision.

If I just take it out it just clears my head. I threw a 3-iron in, which I actually ended up playing this week. I thought I played solid Fort Wayne. Just had one bad hole. And then last week just couldn't get it going.

But I don't know about next week. Maybe I'll have it in the bag; maybe I won't. It's another precision course, so...

Q. Talked your caddie keeping things loosy-goosy, I guess. Any examples? Things he said? Was he cracking you up or what?
ANDREW LOUPE: Yes. It's just kind of -- that's just how he is. He works extremely hard. You can ask any caddie. He's out here all the time walking the course, rolling balls, pin locations.

He's growing every day as a caddie. Doing a great job. He did a great job today. We both need to improve, but I feel like we're chipping away. We're chipping away at the mistakes.

Every time one of us makes one we're very immediate about it, vocal. I think that's the only way you can address things. We'll talk about it after the round.

But he cracked a couple jokes out there. I don't really think I should explain, but he's a great dude. I'm happy for him, too. You know.

Q. Quick question: I've heard from a few guys, and Jonathan Randolph said it again today, you're just a freak athlete. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened. When you were not playing as well, were guys encouraging you, guys like John Peterson, your good friends out here on tour, to keep it going?
ANDREW LOUPE: Yes, they did. I do have several good friends out here, you know. They were really supportive. They're doing their thing at the same time, too. John has reached out; several other guys, Lovemark.

I can't name 'em all. I'm going to leave somebody out. That was very nice. You know, Randolph being there at the end, that was pretty special, too. I see Hubbard hanging around. He played phenomenal today. I think he shot 67. That's huge for him. Happy for him.

There he is. I'm going to get you a beer. Yeah, just awesome stuff.

Q. Wyndham when you missed the cut there, there was any aspect of monitoring the Money List?
ANDREW LOUPE: Just little slight story behind that. Roberto Castro -- I think he made a bunker shot on the last hole to give myself a better chance of getting into here.

Like that's just how it -- so I text him and said, I owe you a beer. Bought him one at the beginning of the week. We went and had dinner. He met me on the green today and he goes, I think you owe me a little bit more than one now.

Yeah, he can drink free for a while. Call me whenever.

Q. Dinner this week or earlier in the final?
ANDREW LOUPE: Friday night.

Q. Good mojo then for the weekend.
ANDREW LOUPE: Sure was.

Q. Talk about now you're in a good spot to try to chase the No.1 spot on the finals Money List and get fully exempt into the PLAYERS. Is that a goal at all?
ANDREW LOUPE: It is. It's a goal. I'll enjoy this tonight. I'll fly over there tomorrow and probably rest, maybe get a little work out in in the afternoon.

But I want to do this again. It is a goal of mine. I believe that it's in my hands. I've had success out there before, and I'm going to do my best to have success again.

Q. Nice to not have to go into it with the same situation as two years ago, needing to get a top 6?
ANDREW LOUPE: I think it's going to be way nicer. We'll see. I think maybe the stress levels will go down a little bit. Might get a little more sleep. I don't know. Still working on the whole sleep thing. I'm not really that good at it.

But I'm looking forward to it. Smiley and I'll be splitting a house. I got my trainer coming down. Wayne will be in there. Got a little house on the beach. Going to be fun. Looking forward to it.

Q. Where did you have dinner?
ANDREW LOUPE: Bakersfield. Great tacos. I could probably eat about six right now. I'm starving.

Thank you all.

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