	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 19, 2019

Preston Summerhays

Toledo, Ohio

Q. When you're down, what's your mindset?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: My mindset was just kind of keep on playing. I mean, it's just golf. There is going to be highs and lows. He had a good first seven holes, and I just knew that -- I mean, he's human. He was going to make some mistakes. I just tried to stay patient.

Q. Is it different when you get on a roll in match play compared to stroke play because it's a one-on-one?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: Absolutely. I feel like match play is a lot more about momentum, and I feel like as soon as it got from 2-down to all square it was a completely different game. I had all the momentum.

In stroke play it's kind of like you birdie two holes and you're just like, Okay, let's keep it going. In match play I feel like it makes more of an impact.

Q. Coming into this, did you have expectations of making it this far? What were your thought?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: I thought I could do well. My goal was to take it one day at a time. So just get through stroke play, match play, and take it one match at a time.

Q. How much did that win yesterday mean for you with Akshay, winning like you did that way?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: I mean, that one meant a lot. Akshay is a great player. He's No. 1 for a reason.

Yeah, just to be able to play him and win just meant a lot.

Q. Probably feels like a long time ago now.
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: Yeah, seriously. It's been a long day.

Q. How hard has it been to try and not worry about the heat or fatigue and keep in the zone?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: I mean, it's tough. It gets hot. It's hot and humid. I just make sure I drink a bunch of water, eat a couple bars, and I stay pretty focused that way.

Q. How much help has your caddie been?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: I mean, he's a great caddie. He's one of my really good friends, and he just kind of keeps me upbeat and helps me have a good time.

Q. We were talking about your expectations. Did winning the back-to-back Utah Amateurs and playing in national-caliber events -- it's been a really strong process for you the last year or so, right?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: Yeah, absolutely. Felt like I kind of broke out last year with the State Am. Didn't do much before that. Took third at Junior World when I was 13. After the State Am I kind of just broke out and started playing really good golf.

Q. Did you grow a lot between last year and this year?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: Yeah, absolutely. Let's see, I think I've gained about 14 miles an hour club head speed and I've grown about four to five inches.

Q. And weight?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: Weight, I don't know. I might have been like 170; right now I'm 205.

Q. Okay. How much further do you hit it to this year?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: I would say 30 or 40 yards.

Q. Was it hard to adjust to how far you hit your club?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: It actually really is. It is tough. One week I'll be hitting my wedges, like my 60-degree wedge 90 yards; the next week I'll be hitting it 93; couple weeks from then I'll being hitting it 96. It was actually really tough to gauge.

Q. How would you compare Inverness to the other courses you've played in competition?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: I mean, this course is so good. It's a great place to have the U.S. Junior at. Super thick rough, small fairways. I feel like it is a ball-striker's course because the rough is so thick around the greens. You just need to be hitting fairways and greens, and I think that's great for a U.S. Junior course.

Q. Your dad played in four of these. How much did that help you in your preparation and knowing what to expect?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: He's never really talked about the U.S. Junior, but his experience playing on tour, he's taught me so much about the game and how to work my way around a course.

So that was really useful.

Q. Been asked a little bit about Tony Finau. Played with him a little bit?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: Yeah. I've played with him so much. I think I've played with him around one, two hundred times.

Q. Wow. What can you say about just having that opportunity to do that and what kind of guy he is.
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: I mean, he's an amazing guy. He's been one of my mentors and he's really cared about my golf game. Just playing with him really shows me what I need to work on to get to the highest level.

Q. Who else does your dad work with on Tour?
PRESTON SUMMERHAYS: He works with Hunter Mayhan, Wyndham Clark, my uncle Daniel, and that's all I got off the top of my head.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297