	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. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 19, 2016

Nick Carlson

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

THE MODERATOR: Semifinalist, Nick Carlson, Mr. Michigan, has made it here defeating Zach Foushee, Scott Gregory, KK Limbhasut, and Dylan Meyer.

Nick, has it sunk in at all? How are you feeling right now?

NICK CARLSON: I'm the calmest I've ever been this week. I'm not really sure what's going on. I'm not sure who is playing golf for me, but it's happening and it's pretty cool.

THE MODERATOR: Going into the rain delay, you're 2-down, and clearly something happened back in the clubhouse. What got into you?

NICK CARLSON: I don't know what happened to me. I was still playing. My caddie and I were just sticking to my game plan. You know, that's what we went out on the 10th tee and did. I hit a great drive. Didn't hit a great second shot but Dylan was in trouble. So I did what I needed to do to put pressure on him.

And then from there on, I kept sticking to my game plan. Unfortunately Dylan kept making mistakes and couldn't recover from them. So I was able to do what I needed to do.

Q. And you certainly did that on 14 where you both find yourself over the green. Walk us through what happens there.
NICK CARLSON: To get my ball to that spot for my second shot was just ridiculously good. I had 204 yards and I could barely see my ball in the rough.

And then to get it somehow up by the green was all we were trying to do, and then it rolled over and I mean, it's okay over there. I drew an amazing lie. It was perfect. Probably the best one I've had all week. And then pumped a 9-iron into the hill. I hit the leaf I was trying to hit and took another hop and just kind of trickled right on down.

Q. And your emotions after that were just something else.
NICK CARLSON: Yeah, that's just the way I play golf, you know. I love being vocal and this tournament brings it out even more than anything. My teammates will tell you how much of a vocal golfer I am.

You know, that's just the way I play.

Q. Not that the gallery was against Dylan, but it was very pro you, pro Michigan. What was that like to feed off during the round?
NICK CARLSON: It was so cool. So cool. I'm so lucky to be able to have that. I think it might get into some other players's minds a little bit, and you know, I can use that as an advantage.

But I love having that and I love feeding off of it.

Q. When you chipped in for the bird, were you thinking make it, or just try to get it up-and-down?
NICK CARLSON: I was honestly just trying to get on the green. Like I said to her, I hit a perfect shot.

Q. Did the lie dictate --
NICK CARLSON: The lie was so perfect that I could hit a 9-iron. Because if there's not rough there and it's fairway, you have to bump it or putt it. And I had to hit a low shot, because there's no way I could stop it on the green if I went high. On 2 when I was long, I could stop it. So I had to bump it and luckily it came out perfect. Hit the club perfect. The grass reacted exactly how I thought and it worked out.

Q. Now I think you had your ad watching a little bit today?
NICK CARLSON: Yes.

Q. What was that like? I hear a rumor that a certain football coach might show up tomorrow?
NICK CARLSON: I don't know if that's true. To see Mr. Manuel out here was incredible. I saw him for the first time after 7, and I kind of hit my caddie. I was like, "That's Warde. That's so cool." We were running around, just enjoying it. Never thought one little golfer could draw out a Michigan ad from doing his paperwork.

Q. How far out were you thinking about this Amateur, being a couple hours from home? And secondly, you play very confidently and have a lot of confidence. Was it even up a notch this week, and if so, where are you pulling that from?
NICK CARLSON: Let's see, when I signed up for my Amateur Qualifier, is when I started thinking about this tournament. I told a lot of people back home that I just wanted to make this tournament so they could possibly come out and see me. It means the world to have high school buddies out here. A buddy of mine that I played golf here a lot has been here all week.

It's just really special to be two hours away from home, 2 1/2. Unfortunately I won't be there next year, but I'll live it up right now.

Q. And where is your confidence from?
NICK CARLSON: I'm really not sure. It's just in my blood. That's how I played golf. That's how I was born. Confident person. My dad's that way. It's just how I am.

Q. Who else do you have with you here this week?
NICK CARLSON: Dad, mom, caddie's dad, two coaches, coach's dad, coach's son, high school buddies have showed up. Old teachers have showed up. I think my superintendent from high school is showing up tomorrow. Some more teachers. The list goes on.

Q. Having all the support has to be a tremendous feeling for you.
NICK CARLSON: Yeah, it's truly amazing. Like I said, I just thought if I can get the 64, they could come out and watch. And a few showed up before that, but I can't even describe it.

Q. What were your expectations entering this week? What were your goals and what were you reasonably expecting of yourself?
NICK CARLSON: Goal one was to make match play and I did that. And I honestly didn't have a real goal after that. I mean, everyone wants to win but you just can't sit there and say I want to win. You have to hold your head pretty level and just hope for the best.

Q. How do you keep it going when now it's get to go this big stage?
NICK CARLSON: I don't know. We'll find out tomorrow morning. That's the best way to say it.

Q. Dylan just told us, we asked what it was like to play against you, and he said, you know, look on the PGA TOUR and you see Jason Day and these guys. Every once in awhile that 200th-ranked player comes out of nowhere. Does it feel like this is your week, the guy coming out of the weeds and taking everybody by storm?
NICK CARLSON: A little bit. I referenced Tin Cup a couple times, just because he's a nobody. I'm kind of a nobody. I'm 1,981 in the world, as my little card would say.

But you know, I'm playing well this week. It's been done before. It's been done in 2014. Gunn Yang wasn't ranked all that high. I'm just playing golf, having fun. Love the golf course.

Q. What's next up for you?
NICK CARLSON: I move into school. So nothing, really, until our first school tournament.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297