	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 23, 2016

Noah Goodwin

Ooltewah, Tennessee

Q. No player was up more than two the entire day. Talk about the tightness, the intensity of it.
NOAH GOODWIN: I couldn't have lost to a better player. He pushed me and challenged me every single shot today. I played my ass off today; I played great.

You know, I got beat by a better player today. In the end, that's what it's all about. This tournament is just about finding the best player this week.

Q. Seemed like it was just a couple mistakes out there today in the second. Shot into 15 and the 3-putt here at 17.
NOAH GOODWIN: Yeah, the shot into 15 I thought I hit it really good. Just put a little too much curve on it with the wind. Just kind of got some amplified.

3-putt here, I couldn't really stop that putt at all. The harder part about it was the putt straight up the hill coming back that kind of just broke across the hole. That one was the real kind of heartbreaker for me.

Q. What was the club on 15 and how far?
NOAH GOODWIN: I had about 190, and I tried to hit like a low 6-iron in there. Just a little bit of draw and just overdrew.

Q. What did you learn about yourself this week? These matches are not easy to win; 36-hole final; long day. What did you find out about your game this week?
NOAH GOODWIN: I learned that I can play with the best players in the world. I kind of already knew that, but it's always nice to just have more experience doing it and everything.

I learned a lot about my game over the last few days. You know, my wedges were great this week, and that was one the things that kept me going the entire time.

Need to polish up my irons a little bit more though, and I can do that ever on the period of time and just get back into it for the next few tournaments I have.

Q. Obviously the U.S. Am is coming up in a couple weeks. How much do you think playing this week will help you when you go to Oakland Hills and play another really big time monster-type golf course?
NOAH GOODWIN: It'll help a lot, especially just the aspect of making pars and birdies out here. Then just the aspect of you have to make it to match play and anything can happen from there. Just take it one shot at a time when I'm out there and see what happens.

Q. Can you talk about the Honors course in general and as a match play venue.
NOAH GOODWIN: It's amazing. Everything is so pristine here. The course is just absolutely phenomenal. For match play it's absolutely awesome. They can do so many things with different holes out here to make it interesting.

And, you know, it's just a perfect match play course out here.

Q. You have some nice exemptions. Amateur you're already in, but you'll also be exempt from local qualifying for next year's Open as well. Probably been to sectional qualifying for the...
NOAH GOODWIN: I went to sectionals this year and didn't play very well, but I learned a lot. You know, just being able to for sure go back there next year and have another shot at it just means a lot to me.

Q. It'll be in Dallas, I believe. I think it was between Dallas and Houston.
NOAH GOODWIN: Yes, sir, it will. Yeah, I can figure out where the site will be and get a few extra practice rounds in.

Q. Do USGA events ask just a little bit more of your game? Talking to the Tim Jackson onces, the great mid-amateur, and he said his short game really improved the more of these events he played in because it just required it.
NOAH GOODWIN: Oh, of course, especially where they put pins out here. If you short side yourself you have to be very creative on how you play shots out here.

I felt like I did that very well this week. My short game, I was very happy with it the entire week, including today. I just feel like more than anything it just challenges your mental game. It's a mental grind for 36 holes for three days in a row, and you just have to keep grinding and never lose sight of what's ahead.

Q. At your age you'll have two more chances at this championship, next year and the following year.
NOAH GOODWIN: Yes, that definitely means, a lot especially going to have a chance atmosphere Baltusrol.

Q. Yeah. Ever played there?
NOAH GOODWIN: No, sir.

Q. But you want to.
NOAH GOODWIN: Yes, sir.

Q. Crazy what you've done at your age. We were just talking about how gotten so good so young. What's been the key to as well as you've played so quickly in life?
NOAH GOODWIN: I would have to say one aspect of it was I was always very, very small growing up, so I never really had it easy in like the little junior tournaments. It was always a grind for me out there. I learned how to just make pars out there, and whenever you have a birdie to take that opportunity and just jump on it.

I would say that comes a lot into my game play nowadays to where I'm just able to make a lot of pars, but if I need to I can turn it up and make birdie putts and everything.

The part about players getting younger, I also feel like with technology you're able to hit it farther and everything. Better coaching, a better understanding of golf. More people have a better understanding of the golf swing, and more people have access to world-class teachers, especially kids at our age and everything.

I feel like all those factors play a part.

Q. Hear from Cameron at all last night?
NOAH GOODWIN: Two nights ago I did. Texted a little bit and he just told me to take it one shot at a time. I'm a champion before I even step out there, and just to keep that mindset. It really helped me through all my matches.

Q. The first rain delay seemed like it hurt your momentum. Did you feel that way when you went back out there?
NOAH GOODWIN: Not at all. I made a great putt to tie the hole on the Par 3.

You know, like I said, I didn't feel like I hit the 6-iron that bad that went into the water. Just Cameron and I talked about it as an anomaly shot. Probably wouldn't happen again.

Then made another par out there. I felt like I played fine out of the weather delay. Nobody could've seen Min Woo coming out and making three birdies in a row, or three out of the last four birdies in a row.

But that's just match play. I mean, he played great and did what he had to do, and he was clutch coming down the stretch.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297