U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2020

September 17, 2020

Davis Thompson

Winged Foot Golf Club

Flash Interview

Q. Davis Thompson, 1-under 69. Davis, can you walk us through your round today?

DAVIS THOMPSON: I got off to a great start. I hit a lot of fairways coming out of the gate, which kind of gave me a lot of comfort at the start. Then I just missed a few fairways coming in and had to hack it out and try to get up and down. Unfortunately, I didn't.

But a great start. That was kind of one of my main goals coming into this championship, just get off to a good start and not get behind the 8 ball. I'm excited about the rest of the tournament.

Q. Three birdies in a row. Can you talk us through those?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, so 6, I hit -- I pulled my tee shot, but I was able to stay in the first cut, which was a good break. I wedged it up there to about five feet.

Let's see. 7, I wasn't really trying to hit it at the flag, but I pulled a touch and hit it six, seven feet behind the flag, and I made it. I hit a really good tee shot on 8, and that just kind of gave me the green light to hit it at the middle of the green. I know it all funnels left when it gets on the green. Had about a ten-footer downhill and just ease it on in there.

Q. Davis, what was your expectations coming in? Obviously, you played in the U.S. Amateur last month. You've been in the Western Amateur and got pretty far there. What were your expectations coming into this?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, just compete, just do the best that I can. I'm not oblivious to the fact this is my first Major Championship. I'm going to be nervous, but that's part of it. Just compete my tail off, just stay in my routine, just not make it bigger than it is. Just try to play golf like I do every day.

Q. Is there a moment where you kind of pinch yourself when you're looking around and seeing maybe some of the guys you've idolized your entire golf life?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, the first guy I think I saw was Rory. That was pretty cool. Growing up, I was around -- I was growing up and getting really serious about golf when he was winning all of his majors. So I kind of looked up to him. I'm just very thankful to be here.

Q. Were there any nerves on the 1st tee, or were you ready for this?

DAVIS THOMPSON: There were a little bit, obviously, just to get the round going. I was comfortable. I mean, I play a lot of golf with Harris and Brendon, just them being Georgia guys. So that was a comfortable pairing.

Yeah, I was a little nervous, but once I hit that first tee shot, I think I was ready to roll.

Q. Your dad mentioned a tough lie on 15 that you drew off your tee shot, but that sort of showed that you were ready for the challenge a little bit, that you pulled that one off.

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I was worried that the rough would kind of catch the hosel, and I tried to chop down on it a little bit, and I just caught it and tugged it left. At that point, I'm just trying to not make 6. I just gave myself a 10, 12-footer -- me and my dad, that was our goal with that shot, and I was able to make the putt. That was a good momentum booster for sure.

Q. Was there any point that you tried to -- obviously, without the fans here, it's a different U.S. Open experience, but was there any point that you felt during the round, you know, just trying to avoid being in the moment and not just thinking about a score?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Yeah, it's definitely weird without fans. I mean, I know this is a Major Championship, but it kind of has a feel to any amateur tournament that I play in just because there's no fans. It was just comfortable for me today, having a great pairing and then just not really having any fans. It just felt like a normal golf tournament to me.

Q. Even before the 1st tee, getting here this week, coming in and seeing the clubhouse and realizing, you're here, this is it, this is happening. What were those moments like of realizing where you are and what you're doing?

DAVIS THOMPSON: When I knew I got in, it didn't really hit me. When I walked in on Monday, it kind of hit me like this is actually happening, like for real. But I prepared for this tournament as best I could. I'm just excited about rounds 2, 3, and 4.

Q. And when you got going and you realized your scoring and things like that, how do you stay, I don't know, collected and not have that thought of this is the U.S. Open and I'm 4 under right now?

DAVIS THOMPSON: Just keep everything physical, not emotional. Just stay through my routines and just keep doing what I'm doing. Just take it one quality shot at a time, one hole at a time, and not thinking about the future or 18, but staying in the moment.