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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPAugust 13, 2018Jacob SolomonPebble Beach, California Q. Jacob, this was like a homecoming for you. JACOB SOLOMON: Yeah, a little bit. Definitely being from the Bay Area and having played down here in a few junior tournaments with NCGA definitely helped me out, having that experience, just knowing the course. But it had been a few years, so to get the practice round under my belt was good. Q. What about this course is it necessary to know to shoot a good score? JACOB SOLOMON: I mean, it's a ball-striking golf course, a lot of placement, and just putting from the right spots on the greens. They had the pins in some pretty tricky spots out there, so I think if you're playing from the fairway and you're able to control the spin on your iron shots, that's really where you make your money. And then putting you've just got to roll it. The greens are so good. Q. Obviously you were an alternate in qualifying and you got the call late last week. How excited were you? JACOB SOLOMON: I was really excited. I never really actually canceled my plans to come out here, so I was going to come out no matter what and put my name on the list, but when they called me and told me someone had withdrawn and I was in, it was really special just because, I mean, for one, it's at Pebble Beach, and it will be my third Am, as well, and probably my final Am. I'm just really happy to be here for sure. Q. How much has playing in two Amateurs before helped you mentally coming into this one? JACOB SOLOMON: Just the nerves. Today on the first tee I felt pretty comfortable. You know, I've never made it to match play. I've been really close. I missed it by one three years ago in 2015 at Olympia, at last year at Riviera I was in the 13-for-8 playoff and missed out on that. I've been close in this event. I want to have some success, but I definitely think it helps. Q. You turned at even and then you birdied 2; tell me about that one. JACOB SOLOMON: Yeah, that was a great birdie on 2. Just a 3-iron down the middle. Had about, I want to say, 31, 32, and it's playing uphill pretty good. Just hit a full 9 just about 15 feet past the pin and rolled the putt perfect dead center. That was a really good birdie. That's a tough hole. Q. And then you birdied the par-5, the 7th? JACOB SOLOMON: Yep, that's right. I bombed that drive. I think I had 218 pin. Just hoisted a 3-iron on the back of the green and got it down in two. Q. How long do you think the eagle putt was? JACOB SOLOMON: About 45, 50 feet, somewhere in that range. But great shot just to put it on that green because it's so tight, and any miss to the right you've got a fast chip and miss left, so I was just pleased to put it on the surface. Q. Having played in Amateurs before, you know this is about getting in the match play. How do you feel you set up now after a good first round? JACOB SOLOMON: Definitely a positive. I think that's the first time I've actually shot an under-par round in the U.S. Am, so -- I've got even or 1-over or something, but to set yourself up on a hard golf course like Spyglass under par the first day, it feels good. But there's still so much work to be done, and I'm not going to take anything for granted. I'm just going to continue to try to push and maybe even make a run at medalist. I don't know what the scores are going to be like, but I definitely want to try to get in the top 10, top 20 would be my goal. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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