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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 14, 2018

Ian Siebers

Pebble Beach, California

Q. Well, Ian, you've got to be really excited. I mean, obviously well into match play here at the U.S. Amateur. How does it feel?
IAN SIEBERS: I mean, it feels great. My goal coming into the week was to make match play. Definitely this round today with a 68 achieved that. It's going to be well up there on the leaderboard, too.

Feels great.

Q. Obviously you feel comfortable on this course to make seven birdies. That's some good playing.
IAN SIEBERS: Yeah, for sure. It's actually kind of funny. My home course back in Seattle is Sahalee Country Club and it's really tight just like this.

So I felt comfortable for sure out here being so tight and so tree lined. Sahalee is actually even a little tighter than this, so, yeah, definitely felt at home.

Q. Were all parts of your game working today?
IAN SIEBERS: Yeah, I would say so. I mean, I was hitting most all the fairways and almost every green; made several putts as well for birdie.

To be able to make seven birdies, definitely all parts of my game were working.

Q. You finished up the front really good, 17, 18. Tell me about those two birdies.
IAN SIEBERS: Yeah, I mean, came off a three-putt at 15, and then I guess I was just kind of not too worried. Just kind of taking it one shot at a time.

Being able to get my putter going on those two holes definitely helped with those birdies.

Q. Yeah. How far was the putt on 17?
IAN SIEBERS: 17 was only about six feet. I hit a good sand wedge in there.

18 was about 12 to 15 feet, so that was when I really started to get the putter rolling.

Q. What did you hit into 18, because that's not an easy hole to birdie?
IAN SIEBERS: Yeah. I think I hit pitching wedge into 18. I crushed my drive. Might have been one of the biggest ones all day and I only had a pitching wedge in, so that helped.

Q. And then you made a third one in a row and you birdied the par-5 1st hole. How do you do that?
IAN SIEBERS: Uh-huh, yeah. I mean, I was just kind of sticking to my game plan hitting driver down the middle and laying up on the second, even though I maybe could have had a chance to get there. I laid up on the second, and then I was able to hit a wedge to about 12 feet past the hole.

Then another 15-footer went in. Just hit a good putt. It was a pretty similar putt to 18, so just was able to get another one to go in.

Q. And if I'm correct, this is your first USGA Championship.
IAN SIEBERS: (Wind interference.)

Q. Where does all this confidence come from?
IAN SIEBERS: Pretty much this is how I've been playing all year. I been shooting a lot of low numbers.

I mean, this tournament, it's bigger, but no different for my game plan or my game. (Indiscernible - wind).

Q. How about playing these two courses? I don't know if you've had the opportunity to play either one before, but was there a little bit of awe in the practice rounds playing these two courses?
IAN SIEBERS: I would say so for sure, especially Pebble Beach. I mean, yeah, I'd never played either course before. The practice round at Pebble, it was just amazing to see the ocean and all the views, especially on that stretch 4 through 10 I think it is.

And then coming down 18 is special, too.

Q. So having played there twice now and you know that now match play will all be at Pebble, how do you feel about playing over there?
IAN SIEBERS: I feel a lot more comfortable. I mean, today has shown me that I can compete with anyone, and if I can just continue to hit fairways, greens, and roll in some more putts at Pebble just like I did here, I feel like I'll be in good shape.

Q. A lot of high school kids when they go back to school they say, This is what I did over the summer for their class project. Is this going to be part of what you tell your junior class when you go back to school?
IAN SIEBERS: Yeah, I would say so. I mean, this is obviously going to be -- however far I make it in match play, it's going to be a big highlight being able to make match play and being probably pretty high seed at the U.S. Am.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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