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THE 148TH OPEN

July 19, 2019

James Sugrue

Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Q. How was your day?
JAMES SUGRUE: Obviously not happy with the finish. Tripled 14. Just on the right up the rough. And no one could find it. And then made bogey on my second.

Obviously I'm not best pleased.

Q. It's hard to say, actually, because that tough stretch could catch other players, from the time for the cut to be made. If you were to make the cut here, you've really settled in, felt really comfortable out there by the looks of things.
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, happy with the way I played, really. I definitely didn't deserve triple on 14. Maybe bogey. But I still can't believe that no one saw that ball.

Yeah, I was happy with the way I played coming in. I had a good chance on 18, just sat on the lip.

Q. You've played like the Amateur champion, apart from one hole. You got yourself together after that triple bogey, that was impressive. You must have been proud of that?
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, I didn't want to chase too much, I knew I needed a birdie, but I didn't want to go mad and attacking pins that can't be attacked. So I was just hoping for a putt to drop and unfortunately it didn't.

Q. If you were to make the weekend and have a chance at the silver medal, what would that mean to you if you could achieve that along with your amateur championship win?
JAMES SUGRUE: That was the goal, really, this week was to get the silver medal and make the cut. But, yeah, a bit disappointed obviously. But that's golf.

Q. You might still make it. Keep smiling and keep optimistic.
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, it's unlikely, as I said. But yeah, I'll keep the optimism.

Q. A tough finish for Darren as well in your group.
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, I think he made triple on his last. He had a swipe in the bunker and it went nowhere and hacked it out and three-putted. I feel for him, I know how he feels.

Q. What do you take from the week? What does it tell you about your game?
JAMES SUGRUE: I didn't even think that I played that great over the last couple of days. Yesterday I didn't hit my irons great. I didn't hit it good on the range this morning. Hit a lovely shot into 1.

It's a strange sport that it doesn't really make sense most of the time if you play bad on the range and you can go out and play out. I was playing lovely up until 14.

Q. You have Walker Cup practice next week?
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, Walker Cup. I'm leaving on Monday morning.

Q. And then back to Lahinch?
JAMES SUGRUE: And then from there back to Lahinch. And we take a week or two off and the U.S. Am. Busy enough schedule.

Shane was saying it was really tough. If you're off the green, he said don't pitch it, just putt it. Sounds like a good test.

Q. Are you happy with how you approached your game mentally?
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, yeah, even things like this, it's kind of new to me. I was fairly happy. And again on the first today it was crazy. And on 18. I was fairly pleased with how I handled myself.

Q. Did you go out and watch Tiger?
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, I watched him for a few holes. He obviously isn't in the best of health. I hope his back does better.

Q. Given that you're outside the world's top 200 in the amateur ranking this day three weeks, what has this experience done on top of what happened at Portmarnock, has it solidified the feeling that you do belong at a much higher level in the game?
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, I suppose. I played with a lot of players this week, they're all great players. I think any top amateur in their days is just as good. Like all of the lads that I play with on the Irish team, they're all just as good. Some even have better aspects of their game than some of the lads out here.

Q. How is that calf?
JAMES SUGRUE: It's okay now. It's not too bad, yeah. I definitely won't be using it as an excuse.

I have antibiotics. I'm taking enough tablets to take down the swelling and get it better, hopefully.

Q. What do you take home from this, what memory? What will stick out in your mind the most?
JAMES SUGRUE: That triple bogey on 14, probably. Honestly that's what I'll be thinking about going home in the car for sure.

Q. You won't remember yesterday morning?
JAMES SUGRUE: No. A triple bogey is a triple bogey. It's tough to make cuts and do well when you make a triple bogey on the back nine. That will be a hard one to forget.

Q. Are you going to stay around until you know for sure?
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah, I might go home tonight, I'm not sure. I think I'm flying out of Cork to Liverpool on Monday. If I am, then I'll go home. If I'm not, I might stay up and watch the golf tomorrow, see Shane and hope he gets it done.

Q. If it goes to plus-3, they'll give you enough time to be there.
JAMES SUGRUE: Yeah. I'm not going to hold my breath. I doubt it unless a tornado comes in the afternoon.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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