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U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 18, 2019

Lukas Michel

Aurora, Colorado

Q. Coming out of a wild day like that where you do what did in the morning and then take down obviously one of the best amateurs in the world.
LUKAS MICHEL: Yeah, it was obviously a really good day. Played really good in the morning. Played great the front nine against Stewart. Really pleased to get that lead early.

Obviously he chipped away at it. He played pretty well. I made a few mistakes coming home. But then he made his share of mistakes on the last couple holes, so I sort of had to I guess capitalize on that.

Yeah, I was really pleased with the day obviously. Doesn't get any better than two wins, so, yeah, pretty happy.

Q. Just like this morning though, you had the lead, lost it, and had to get it back. How were you able to focus in mentally?
LUKAS MICHEL: Yeah, I was just really, really just focusing on my breathing. Just trying to get away from everything else that's happening. Yeah, just get honed in on what I have to do: hit golf shots.

Yeah, I don't really do any meditation or anything like that, but I figure that's pretty much what I was doing between shots.

Q. When he took the lead at 15 and you came back and won 16, tell me how you won 16.
LUKAS MICHEL: So 16 he took driver down the left fairway. It's a split fairway hole. He took driver down the left. My caddie and I, Will, so Will played in the event. We both sort of agreed that going down the right offered a big advantage coming into that green complex because it slopes so heavily from left to right.

We just Said, Just hit a good shot up the right side, and i nailed it, 3-wood straight down the right. Then we had that weird sort of squally storm come through and sort of change the wind direction on us a bit. Really picked up into, so that made the club selection really tricky. Hit a great 5-iron. Pushed to a touch.

Wasn't trying to aim at the flag, but nestled in there probably like ten feet away and then two-putt to win that hole.

Yeah, 17 Stew just miss-clubbed with that squall I think. Hit 8-iron, puffed up in the wind, went in the hazard, and I was sort of the opposite. I hit 5-iron through the wind, a little bit through the back, but was lucky enough to hit two good putts and walk away with a three.

And, yeah, up the last I just played steady and hit the green in two and Stew had to go for birdie.

Q. What did you hit in here? Obviously that was a pretty good shot.
LUKAS MICHEL: Yeah, 8-iron. Hit it to like 12 feet sort of pin high. Yeah, could kind of hopefully relax and just two-putt for the win.

Q. What does this mean to you to now be playing for a U.S. Amateur championship tomorrow?
LUKAS MICHEL: It's definitely the biggest accomplishment probably I've had in my career so far. I won a decent event back home, the medal play of it. But, yeah, it means a lot obviously. It sort of proves that my game is sort of where it needs to be. I'm really happy with it.

Yeah, I mean, yeah, can't ask for much more.

Q. Obviously this is your first Mid-Am. What were your expectations going into the week? Did you think you could make a deep run?
LUKAS MICHEL: I mean, you look at the world amateur rankings and I think I went in at like 11 or 12 out of the field. But there is a lot of the good guys here. Like there is a lot of guys that have their status back and like that.

So I knew I was sort of I guess in amongst it, but to get to the final, yeah, didn't really expect that. I played great golf. Yeah, so, yeah.

Q. With all the implications that go to if you win tomorrow, what would that mean?
LUKAS MICHEL: I mean, yeah, spot at the U.S. Open and invite to the Masters hopefully. Pros can play their whole life and not get that opportunity. Yeah, I mean, yeah. Nothing gets better than that I don't think.

Q. Have you heard from Curtis Luck or Oliver Goss or any of your friends in Australia? Have they given you any advice?
LUKAS MICHEL: I haven't checked my phone all day. Maybe they've messaged me now. I don't know. I got a lot of advice from friends and family, other good players back home.

As far as I know, not specifically from those guys that have been there and done it.

But, yeah, hopefully they...

Q. They could be on your phone.
LUKAS MICHEL: Could be when I check. We'll see.

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