U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2021

June 19, 2021

Louis Oosthuizen

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Flash Interview

Q. Louis, 1-under 70. Talk about the eagle and the reaction from the crowd.

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Yeah, I think a year ago that would have been a very boring eagle with a few people going nuts. But that was nice to see everyone back, having fans back, and those reactions don't happen all the time, and it's great to hear the crowds.

Q. How will your experience as a major champion and in majors help you tomorrow?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Look, it will help a bit, but I need to play well. I need to go out -- there's a lot of great players up there that's got a chance of winning this, and I just need to go out and play as good as I can tomorrow.

Q. How many times do you think you putt looking at the hole versus not looking at the hole, like percentage-wise?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Looking at the hole?

Q. Have you ever putted --

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Well, I did in '15 in Chambers Bay I did. I did at the Open on some putts, as well, that same year, and this week actually I stood on the putting green practicing it a bit, and I feel it helps my distance control in my putts a lot better. But I haven't this week on the course looked at the hole yet.

Q. Do you draw a lot of energy from these crowds? You mentioned that being a big factor on 18. Does that help you?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Yeah, I mean, it's great to hear the cheers when you hit good shots, and sometimes not great hearing the boos and the things when you hit a bad one. That's why we play the game, to have reactions like that on 18, and to have people watching us. It's great having the crowd back.

Definitely if you're playing well, you feed off the crowd a lot with energy.

Q. Is there a reason you seem to rally for these major championships, or is that just the way it happens?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: I don't know. For some reason I just play good when the majors come around. I think it's just because tough golf courses I sometimes just focus a little better and play better golf.

Q. Can you take us through the rate of that putt and when you thought it was going in?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: I only thought it was going in when it hit the pin and went in. It looked a little speedy for me, but my caddie said it probably would have gone two, three feet past if it missed. The only thing there is speed on that putt and not thinking about holing it, you just want to get a two-putt down there.

Q. Did you take away or learn anything from Kiawah a month ago?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Yeah, you always -- I mean, those one or two bad little things you did that -- I know on the Saturday at Kiawah I left a few shots out there. I didn't play great. But you know, those are the -- that's the difference between winning and finishing second or third. That's why I never want to get down on myself when you play your round of golf at a major, and if you make a bogey you try and fight back as hard as you can to get a birdie somewhere and just knowing everyone is going to find it tough out there.

Every major to me I learn something more about my game and what to do under the pressure.

Q. How would you compare yourself now going into the final round in position to win a major versus the younger version of yourself?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: I don't know. Definitely a lot more patient than what I was when I was young. I think I was too dumb really when I won the Open to get nervous and to know what was going on. I was playing great golf in 2010, and I love St. Andrews, and the golf and the golf course sort of -- I took a lot of it -- that week had a lot of confidence that week.

Playing it in '15 five years later I was a little bit more cautious around the golf course knowing where you shouldn't go and how to play the course. So you definitely grow playing major championships. The more you play, the more you learn something about how you play in those tournaments.

Q. In terms of your ability to move past maybe near misses over the years, what has that process been like of being at peace with things that don't go your way?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: I mean, look, the two that really hurt was the playoffs. That's so close to winning. I lost to a great golf shot in 2012, and in '15 I probably had an opportunity. I missed a short putt on the 17th in the playoff. Those ones take a little longer to get over.

You know, the other ones, just good weeks and good results. Could have been better but taking more positive out of it than anything else.

Q. You've played in a lot of U.S. Opens. What would you anticipate as far as setup tomorrow?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: I think it's going to be a little tougher today. I think today they pushed the tees up a little on the par-5s, and I do think there was a few pins you can score on. But the greens are definitely firming up. It's not that quick, but that's poa in the afternoons, but it's definitely firming up, so you can expect it tomorrow to be a little bit firmer, I think.

Q. How much do you look at the scoreboard on a day like today compared to a day like tomorrow, third round versus fourth round?

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: No, I always glance at the scoreboard. I like to know what's going on. Whether I play good or bad, I always want to know what's going on. Not that it really changes the way I play, but sometimes you -- sometimes coming down the last few holes, you can see if you need to be a little bit more aggressive or not.

I do like to look at the scoreboards, yeah.