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U.S. SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 30, 2017

Sean Knapp

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Q. Pretty much you were out front for most of the match. Had 3-up lead.
SEAN KNAPP: 3-up after three. Dave really played well, you know, through a number of holes. Up until like 13. Kind of gave me 13; 14 is never a give, but he did make bogey there.

That kind of get me back to 3-up. Just felt like I was hitting a lot good putts. Just couldn't get any to go in. With the lead, you know, you're playing a little more defensive.

So I was playing a little more defensive with the lead. That turned into couple bad holes there at 15 and 16. At the end of the day, got lucky. Didn't make putt there at 17, we were going to 18.

Q. Sure. So you were 3-up with three to play and then he wins 16. Does that kind of change things psychologically?
SEAN KNAPP: Absolutely. Make a dumb play. I hit driver off the tee; I should have hit 3-wood and just played safe. Suddenly I'm under the lip of the bunker and I can't really get it out where I want; I make bogey.

If he hit a great shot he might have made birdie anyway, but at the end of the day you want to get that thing closed out and put holes away. We talked about that.

Wasn't the one out of ten, but, hey, listen, sometimes can't always be perfect, you know?

Q. Right. So what sparked that early lead?
SEAN KNAPP: I wanted to be aggressive. I've been in this situation before a number of times in the Mid-Amateur -- final eight I am referring to - the U.S. Amateur.

I've looked back at the times I haven't had success in the round of eight and I've said, You know, you get passive. You say, I'm playing well, and you fail to realize or recognize the opportunity that is afforded you.

As I was saying, you fail to realize the opportunity you're afforded. You don't get these many final eights, and it's easy to say when you're behind or not playing well that, Oh, I've had a good tournament.

The last few times that I got to the final four in the Mid-Am, I think it was 2010 and 2012, I didn't feel that way. I said, I want to take advantage of this opportunity and get to the final four. And, you know, I've never gone further in a USGA event than the final four.

So now, having had the experience of loss twice in the final four, we're going to find out if I have what it takes to get to the final two.

Q. Sure.
SEAN KNAPP: It's just never easy. Just never easy. You can go out and play great and somebody else plays great or you can go out and play bad and they play good.

All week I've tried to not let anything -- I've tried not to get ahead of myself. I know that's a cliche, but it's true. I'm not going to allow it now. I'm certainly gratified that I won that match. I recognize the opportunity ahead of me in the semifinals. I'm going to try to seize it. No hard feelings if I don't. But going to try my darnedest.

Q. You face Dave Ryan or Ken Lee this afternoon. How familiar are you with both?
SEAN KNAPP: You know, I know Dave because he's a former champion. Obviously playing great again this year. That speaks to his pedigree.

I met Ken. I don't know much about him, but I did check some of the scores online. I saw he's lighting it up ever round.

Look, guys, you just don't get guys that are playing bad at this level. Whoever I play, I play. I know, another cliche. But at the end of the day, I just feel comfortable both guys will be able to get it done.

It's not about them. It's about me. Me doing what I can do. If I do that, it'll be a good match.

So that's where we're at.

Q. You've chosen to walk throughout the championship. First opportunity to ride if you wanted to. What is your philosophy behind that?
SEAN KNAPP: I think predominantly I do a lot of walking and carrying at home. Now I'm getting older, but so many of the important days of the year, qualifying for the U.S. Open, Mid-Ams that you make the finals, U.S. Amateur, but then multiple round there of. We could go on and on. A lor of our tournaments in western Pennsylvania, 36 holes.

So you need to I don't want to say train for it, but I do play a lot of the 36 holes; carry my own bag. It's nothing unique. I would've taken a cart if Dave hadn't been so gracious to stay. He didn't fly home. He stayed here with me, so big shoutout him.

So I would've taken a cart eventually because I think it is an advantage. But to answer your question very specifically, my thought on it is I enjoy the pace of what's going on when I'm walking. It allows me to think better.

It's not, Oh, I hit a bad shot, get in the cart, run up to the green. I get a chance to analyze it. I just think it's better for me. Worked so far. Going to keep it going this afternoon.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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