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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 20, 2016

Nick Carlson

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

THE MODERATOR: We're here with Nick Carlson, who certainly carried the hearts of the crowds around with you today. Unfortunately not the outcome you wanted, but certainly you've got to feel proud of the way you've carried yourself this week.

NICK CARLSON: Yeah, it's been a journey. Curtis is a great player. It was so cool to finish with all those people there, regardless of the outcome. There was just so many people, and it was -- unfortunately it was very pro me, not a whole lot of cheers for Curtis, except for he hit incredible shots all day, so they did cheer for him, but you could tell it was very pro me, and that was kind of cool.

THE MODERATOR: Talk us through coming down to the end, held a 1-up lead going into 18 and things went a little awry on 18.

NICK CARLSON: I had a putt to win it on 17. It would have been cool to make, but my nerves and adrenaline got the best of me, but that's fine. I stood on 18 tee telling my caddie we're going to aim at that blue spruce right there, then we're going to try to cut off of it, and it went dead straight. I hit the blue spruce. Can't get too upset with that. Unfortunately it was right under it, and I had to chip left-handed and didn't hit it far enough. But that wasn't the issue. I drew a good lie, and the club caught a little of the rough, and it went right, unfortunately. Curtis had to make 5 basically, and he kind of knew it, and he did. That was that.

THE MODERATOR: I think all of us watching back here on Facebook were just taken away by those birdies on the second playoff hole.

NICK CARLSON: That was unreal. Unreal.

THE MODERATOR: Tell us about that.

NICK CARLSON: Curtis, when he hit his drive into the bunker, I was just thinking, just hit it left, and if it's in the left rough, that's fine. If it's not, that's even better. I had to hit a good shot, and I did. I mean, I didn't hit it great, but it turned out all right. That's all that matters sometimes in golf. Then Curtis hit just a hell of a shot to get where he was, out of the bunker especially. You know, and that's that. He hit a great putt. If you're going to make a five-foot sliding putt that breaks probably almost a foot, kudos to you. The kid is a player. So that was cool to see.

Q. I guess it's kind of bittersweet to go as far as you went so close to home and everything, and there's so much on the line today. How do you kind of block all that stuff out and just go play golf?
NICK CARLSON: I don't really think I did. Everything was in my head the whole day. I was just trying to have fun. Regardless of the outcome, I told y'all yesterday that in my head I won already. I made it this far, and today was just about having fun and trying to hit good golf shots when it mattered. I think I did that.

Q. You talked about all the pro Michigan people out there. How much pressure was on you because of that that might not have been there if it wasn't so pro Nick?
NICK CARLSON: Maybe a little. Not a whole lot. I think it took some pressure off, to be honest. I was able to stand on that 12th green after Curtis won and just think to myself how amazing it was that they were all there. Someone told me yesterday that their ticket sales were up because of me, and that's pretty incredible to me.

Q. Did you at all think about the Masters and what was at stake?
NICK CARLSON: Are you kidding me? Since the announcement on the first tee that you get an exemption into the U.S. Open and I new Masters came with it, how can you not think about Augusta and those rolling fairways every time you're walking up every fairway? I'm sure Curtis thought of it, too. I mean, it would have been incredible. That's why I get to play again next year and the following year.

Q. What was your reaction to putt he made at No. 10 in the playoff?
NICK CARLSON: So good. So good. The kid is clutch. That's all that matters.

Q. I know it's going to be hard to try to digest it right now, but what do you think you're going to take away from this week and what you accomplished, and what kind of momentum do you think that'll give you going forward?
NICK CARLSON: I was in the top four. Are you kidding me? 7,500 people have tried to get into this tournament through qualifiers and whatnot, and then 312 to start the week, and I have a chance to play off for the third and fourth spot tomorrow? Are you kidding me? That's like the greatest thing ever.

Q. I think we overheard you say on the 10th hole, the first playoff hole, that adrenaline was starting to impact your club selection on your approach shots there.
NICK CARLSON: Yeah.

Q. When did you start to feel your adrenaline, your nerves start to affect your game a little bit?
NICK CARLSON: On the first tee.

Q. Chad was talking about he's been trying to convince you for a long time how good a player you are and get that through to you. Does a week like this get that through to you? Do you feel a new inner belief?
NICK CARLSON: It helps. It helps a lot. I've got amazing coaches and past coaches and teammates that have texted me and just -- they know I belong here, and I've got to tell myself I do, and that's going to give me some confidence to keep going.

Q. I know the match just ended, but if you could just go back to the 9th green and talk about what that was and what happened there?
NICK CARLSON: So Curtis hit his putt. He hit a danged good putt, and it rolled past the hole, and I said good putt to him, and he went and scooped up his ball. I never said it was good. My intent was -- that's what we talked about with the rules official. I'm not going to make him putt a four-inch putt. Luckily with the way the match play rules were, I was able to give him that putt and it wouldn't cost him the hole. He would do the same for me, I'm sure. I'm not the kind of guy that will say, screw you type deal. He deserved to have that putt, so I gave it to him.

Q. It was obvious that could have changed the feelings --
NICK CARLSON: It could have, but it didn't matter.

Q. Walking down the 11th fairway you were talking --
NICK CARLSON: Yeah, it didn't matter. He knew after that what kind of person I was, and that's what mattered to me.

Q. With all the excitement of this week and what was on the line, were you able to get sleep at night?
NICK CARLSON: Yeah. If you asked my caddie, he'll tell you in two seconds that I was snoring like a rock as soon as I put my phone down last night.

Q. Just from the exhaustion?
NICK CARLSON: Yeah.

Q. Your approach shot on 11 you were shaking your head after I hit it. Why were you shaking your head and was it your intention to play it that deep into the green and spin it down?
NICK CARLSON: I don't know where it hit on the green. I don't know what happened. I just know I shoved it about 15 paces I would say. Luckily I was in the fairway to where it could spin, and it was just one of those shots. One of those things this week that I was lucky to have.

Q. Playing with Curtis today, was there something in particular about his game that impressed you?
NICK CARLSON: The kid is just good. He's just good. I mean, he manages mistakes well, and I certainly learned from that today.

THE MODERATOR: It's been quite a run for you. We're so happy for you this week, and I look forward to seeing you next year.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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