U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 19, 1996

Michael Henderson

MICHAEL HENDERSON: Well, I played really well. I played solid. I didn't have any bogeys the whole day. I had four birdies. And I chipped in on 12 and I had a really good drive there. And I hit like a 6-iron in or something like that, just hit a really good shot and bounced about pin high and it went past the pin. The greens are pretty hard. So I bounced just over the green. I was in the fringe, wasn't too tough a chip. And I chipped it in from there. And then 15 I hit a good drive and then I hit a good second shot, and hit a wedge about maybe a foot and a half. Hit a really good wedge from about 75 yards and then made that putt. Probably the turning point of the day was 17. I hit a good tee ball, and then I hit a good wedge from the fairway and it flew over the green, and I had a really tough up-and-down there. And I hit a good chip and made about a 5 footer. And then 18, I had a wedge and I hit a really good drive. And I hit it left and long. And I had one of the toughest chips I've probably ever had, and I hit it about 6 feet, well, maybe 10 feet and then I made that putt. Like when you catch fish.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: I had four birdies, which would be greens regulation. So that's 4. I got up-and-down those two times and then the backside, so I think I had 30 putts, maybe.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: 6 1-putts. I think I had 30 putts.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: My whole game was really good. It got windy this afternoon. I had some good shots out of the fairway that obviously didn't end up where I wanted them to. That's the way golf goes in the wind. But I short-gamed it really good. And I saved myself. I've had rounds where I've made more birdies, obviously. But the short game always saves them. It always helps you keep the birdies. Doesn't cancel them out any.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: No, I didn't. I played No. 3 this past year. We had two seniors playing ahead of me that have graduated, Todd Hence and Lonnie Dayman. And I think Lonnie is actually from Oregon. But Todd is from Washington. So I played 3. I had an average year. I kind of lost my focus. College is so different than high school and junior golf. I lost my focus a little bit. And I became real motivated towards the end of my second semester, started to work really hard on my game. I've been as focused probably as I've been this whole summer. Last year I played the U.S. Amateur in Newport and had a great experience. It's a great tournament. And chipped in on 17 and made about a 15-footer on 18 to get into the playoff and I made par on the first hole. So I was pleased with that. But I kind of got the taste of what it was like to play well in a U.S. Amateur tournament. And maybe get into match play. I've been looking forward to this tournament all summer, just been preparing for it.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: I was medalist in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I shot 67, which was the course record. Rives McBee, Senior Tour player, now, actually held it. And we both hold it now. So I shot 67 and 73 my second round and played well. Me and Josh McCumber both qualified up there.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: No, I'm from Raleigh, North Carolina, originally.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: Right.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: I made it on the bubble. I went into the playoff.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: I'd obviously love to win. I don't expect to. I think I can and I'll work as hard as I can to do it. But you never know what's going to happen in golf, especially match play. But I'm excited to play, and hopefully I'll play well tomorrow and get into match play and play more than one match.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: Yes, I have. I went down to Orlando, Florida with David Ledbetter. I've been down there a couple weeks out of the summer. In fact I was there last week. And spent some time with him. And so I worked really hard actually on my game, starting out in Provo. And they've got some great facilities at BYU that I finally learned to take advantage of, that I wasn't at the beginning of the year.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: I'm 19.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: I've got three more years of eligibility.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: Michael is fine, Mike. It doesn't matter. Whichever you guys like to call me. Nothing bad, though.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: I like it, actually. Tiger is a great player. I'm not into competition as far as if someone else is better than me, then it makes it worse for me. I'm glad actually that I've gotten to play with somebody of his caliber. I think he can be beat at this tournament. But at the same time, I think he's motivated a lot of kids to work harder an their game. Phil Mickelson did it, and Vicki Goetze did it. I'm really glad I've gotten the opportunity to play with him a couple of times and watch him play and seeing that junior golf and college golf and amateur golf can be taken to another level. So hopefully I can take it there the next couple of years.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: Thank you very much.