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U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 24, 2018

Stewart Hagestad

Charlotte, North Carolina

Q. So lots of things happened there, but talk about the 5th hole, holing out from the fairway.
STEWART HAGESTAD: Yeah, I had a great number kind of going up the hill; it's a tough pin, and I knew I hit a really good wedge shot and it was kind of tracking right on the pin.

I heard it. It hit the pin. I kind of thought that it would hit it and rip off the front. At the time I was 2-up, so it kind of really would've changed the complexity of the match or whatever the expression is.

I hit a great shot, and luckily I guess it probably hit near the bottom and ended up going in. Tore up the cup so they had to cut a new one. They recut it kind of closer to the left side of the green, which is really tough. So I guess I'm sorry to the greens committee and the rest of the guys behind me.

Q. When you got up there, and obviously because it was a blind shot for you...
STEWART HAGESTAD: So there was a guy up by the green. I was immediately just kind of was upset because I figured again I hit the pin. I thought I hit the pin and then ripped off the front. Someone said, I think it's in. A volunteer, like a fore spotter or whatever kind of went up and checked and said, Yeah, it's in. I knew more or less right away.

Q. When you finished up stroke play, probably not your greatest round of the summer.
STEWART HAGESTAD: Yeah, I wasn't wild about it.

Q. What was it like today?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I didn't play that poorly yesterday. I just got off to a really, really bad start. I didn't hit a lot of approach shots close so I didn't have a lot birdie chances.

The greens got really firm and I didn't execute as well as I could have. You know, I could have played better yesterday, but I also could have played worse. When you're 3-over through 3, just doing dumb headed stuff that you usually do.

I righted the ship and was able to I guess get a little momentum coming into today. Yeah, I played well today. Playing Jeff Wilson tomorrow, best-kept secret on the west coast up until like two weeks ago when he won the Senior Am.

Q. Tell us about what you're in for tomorrow.
STEWART HAGESTAD: I am going to have to play really well. I can't really even try to sugarcoat it. Jeff is really good. He hits it long, he chips it. He's been known for short game for forever and he hits it super far. Not even for his age, just like period.

I mean, watching -- with no disrespect to the other guys at the Senior Amateur. You know, we have a lot of friends playing, we were watching it. I mean, the two guys that I really wouldn't want to play met in the finals that week.

Yeah, I don't really know how else to say it. I'm going to have to go out and play really well. I don't know if 8 and 6, it's a great way to win, but it's just as great as winning in 19 holes.

Q. Have you followed Jeff's career at all?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I know him a little bit. I met him a long time ago, and haven't seen him for a while. One of our really close friends at home is a guy named, Don Devoy (ph), is very, very close with Jeff.

I mean, Jeff shot like 129 at Valley Club over Don and John Pate who have played in a handful of USGA events. I mean, Jeff is really model good, so just going to have to play well tomorrow.

Q. Just to clean up your match today, after the eagle you kept the momentum going; birdied 6 and 7.
STEWART HAGESTAD: Yeah, they moved the tees up on 6 and I hit a really great wedge shot in there. I guess I lipped it out, but I hit a great wedge shot and it was a pretty darn near a tap-in.

Q. What was number there since you hit back -- to-back wedges?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Well, I kind of popped it up off the tee. I think I had 45 or something like that.

And then on 7 I hit the fairway and had 3-iron in. I had like 255 or something. I don't remember. It wasn't 3-wood so it was 3-iron. Kind of left it out to the right and made a really nice up and down.

I made some good six-, seven-, eight-footers. He didn't play his best and I played well.

Q. Knowing that, what would you work on the rest of the day to get ready for the match tomorrow?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Going to treat it like -- you know, I've struggled. I just need to find a way to get better, like continue to hit fairways like I did today. I'm going to putt a ton. Not really change anything.

I mean, like Jeff is really good. Can't really take it for granted.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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