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THE 146TH OPEN

July 23, 2017

Alfie Plant

Southport, England

STUART MOFFAT: I'm delighted to be joined by Alfie Plant, the winner of the silver medal in the 146th Open.

Alfie, that was a terrific ovation coming down the 18th for you. Can you tell us what it's like to play in your first Open Championship this week.

ALFIE PLANT: It's been absolutely amazing. It sent shivers down my spine walking up the last. I had my brother walking up beside me, it was a really good feeling.

Q. Congratulations. I understand you carry a Millwall flag in the bag?
ALFIE PLANT: I don't carry a flag, my dad carries that around for me.

Q. Clearly you're a big Millwall fan?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, big Millwall fan, definitely in the household. They're pretty local to me. So, yeah.

Q. You know you're in great company now with Tiger Woods for winning this silver medal. Have you had time to think about what you've achieved?
ALFIE PLANT: No, not at all. I think it's going to take a good week for that to sink in. I think it will sink in a bit letter at the presentation, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Q. The silver medal has been a godsend to some and a poisoned chalice to others. What do you intend to do to make sure that it's the godsend and not the poisoned chalice?
ALFIE PLANT: It's obviously a step for me. I've got a great team around me, so I'm sure they'll advise me to go down the right path. But one week out of my life this year, which has been great, just got to keep improving, keep going forward and hopefully I make the right decisions along the way.

Q. Can you give us a high of the week, a low of the week, if there was one, and maybe funniest moment?
ALFIE PLANT: High of the week has definitely got to be walking down the last. I think every golfer says that. That's one of the best walks in golf. And it certainly is.

The low of the week, the double out there today wasn't that fun. There hasn't been really any lows. I've been on such a high all week, and I've absolutely loved every minute of it.

Q. Can you just tell us whether you have any big plans for turning pro?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, I'll be turning pro in September. Hopefully gonna be picked for Walker Cup in September and try out for tour school after that.

Q. You have your brother walking with you?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, my brother is on the bag, Albert. He was a great help all week.

Q. Can you talk us through the relationship of?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, I'm boss, obviously (laughing), but he's out there to make me laugh, make me smile, keep my mind off things, and he did a great job of that all week.

Q. How big a part does your coach, Warren Wood, play in your success?
ALFIE PLANT: I don't know. He is in here somewhere, so I don't want to make his head too big. I've been working with him for the last six years now. And he's been a great coach, a great mentor, great friend. He's more than a coach to me out there and I couldn't do without him, definitely.

Q. Your dad's obviously sitting right here. What do you think of the T-shirts and all the hashtags, and also what does this supporter section for you rank among the best supporter sections in all athletics?
ALFIE PLANT: Well, you know, as a son at first you get a bit embarrassed. But it's absolutely taken off this week, and hats off to my dad. It's been great. I've been getting so much support. And I think it's really made the tournament great for me.

Q. Couldn't help but notice you've got a hashtag "Do it for Nan" on the flag, as well. I know you have to go to a funeral on Tuesday. How much has your great grandmother been on your mind this week? I know how close you were. And secondly, sort of on a happier note, will you take the silver medal to the den?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, of course, I'm going to take it down there, definitely, if they ask me.

Nan's and grandparents are always on your mind when you lose them. You think about it too much, you're going to start crying out there. I tried to put it to the back of my mind, as best as possible. Every time I looked at the bag, I got a gentle reminder, and she was definitely with me this week.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, not just today, she's been there for 72 holes. So it was a sad loss. It's not going to be a nice day Tuesday, but I've just got to enjoy the time now as best I can.

Q. On a very different tone, if you've been a professional, you'd be cashing a check of around about Â£ 20,000 this week. What sort of thing could you spend that on?
ALFIE PLANT: If you ask my girlfriend, she'd definitely say a ring (laughter). I don't know. I'm really not sure. Some new clothes would be nice or a nice holiday. The list is endless. I'm really unsure.

Q. Without 20,000, that's out of the question, then?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, unfortunately it is, unless she helps Haribo rings (laughter).

Q. You said after you made the cut there was quite a party at the house you were staying in with your friends and family, what's tonight going to be like?
ALFIE PLANT: It's going to be great, but we've all got a drive home. Unless you can give heads up to the police, I think we all have to be pretty sensible out there.

Q. I just wondered how difficult it was not to get caught up in any of the highs, but to learn from the good professionals that you played with this week?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, it was a great week. I've been really lucky to be paired with three great guys, three great caddies. They really looked after us out there. It was a new experience to me and my brother. I couldn't have shot the scores like I did out there without their help, definitely.

Q. Was there anything in particular you learned from any of the guys that you played with?
ALFIE PLANT: A little bit reassurance that I felt like I competed well. I stood next to them and felt comfortable, which means all the hard work and practice that I've put in is really paying off.

Q. Golf nowadays, especially men's pro golf, it's part sport, part big business. On the business side, have you started looking for a management company? Have you appointed one? And finally, how would you describe brand Alfie this week?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, there's probably a lot of discussions that need to be done now with management companies and regarding the business side. I'm sure they're going to start happening thick and fast. I'd like to definitely get something set in stone so that side of it all done. The brand, Team Alfie, whoever I sign with, hopefully they got a good marketing team and they can sort me out. But I feel like I'm something different out there. I'm quite relaxed. Don't mind having a laugh and a joke. Hopefully it can work a little differently.

Q. Can you tell us where you've been staying and how difficult it was on short notice to get accommodations and who have you been staying with?
ALFIE PLANT: We've been staying in Formby. We got a house. It started out with three of us at the start of the week and ended up with 15 of us in there. So all the sofas are being taken. The beds were getting blown up. There's loads of accommodation out there. It's just if you want to pay the money, that's it.

Q. Who are the three of you?
ALFIE PLANT: Four, so me, Bert, my coach, and my dad.

Q. You said at the start of the week that I think you had a selfie done with Lee Westwood. I just wondered if you'd had any nice moments with any of the top players this week or now you've won the silver medal, are they coming up and asking you for a selfie?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, that would be nice, definitely. I think the four guys I played with this week, you know, just chatting to them down the fairways, asking them questions. I think that was enough out there, really. You don't want to try to get into too many people's way around the clubhouse or practicing. They're all there to do a job. They all want to stay focused, definitely.

Q. You are 25, which is pretty late to be turning pro. Was it important for you to get yourself ready rather than just turn, like a lot of the youngsters seem to do these days?
ALFIE PLANT: Yeah, I don't think there is any timeframe out there. You have to go when you're ready and go when you've got some good results behind you. A company that's attracted to you and definitely help you in your journey when you first start pro.

But 25, you know, we've taken our time. I've enjoyed the journey along the way. And I think it's definitely going to be a good journey going forward, hundred percent.

Q. Do you think the extra year, presumably you might thought about it after you won Lytham, do you think the year's experience is going to help you moving forward?
ALFIE PLANT: Hopefully, yeah. Even though I'm 25, I've had a lot of experience over the years. This is definitely going to be right up there. But you go when you're ready. And my time's now. And I can't argue with that, just got to go with it.

Q. Notwithstanding the 20 grand and your girlfriend, how much has this cost you and your family?
ALFIE PLANT: I'm not too sure, really. It's been a split up amongst a few different people. The club's helped me out. Family and friends have all helped me out. Probably better off not knowing actually. I feel a bit bad.

Q. When you get to ask these guys questions you were playing with them, what's an example of something that you ask?
ALFIE PLANT: Definitely about management companies. Any advice going forward, who to speak to, not to speak to, what to look out for. And then, yeah, just other things, finding caddies. Obviously Bert has done a good job, so I'm sure he's going to start out with me. But traveling around, just being in different countries, what do I do to relax and get away from the game. There's a lot of stuff, definitely.

STUART MOFFAT: Thanks for joining us, Alfie. Congratulations again.

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