THE 149TH OPEN

July 18, 2021

Sam Horsfield

Mixed Zone

Q. Just a thought on the round today.

SAM HORSFIELD: It wasn't my best golf, but it's something -- it's a day I'll never forget for the rest of my life. To have the crowds back and obviously to be playing with Rory was extremely special.

Q. To be making a first appearance at the Open is a special feeling, isn't it?

SAM HORSFIELD: Yeah, it was an unreal week. I was fifth alternate last week Friday morning in Scotland, and it was going down pretty far. Found out Monday morning I was in. To be playing on Sunday and to have a pretty decent week, it was very special.

Q. What have you learnt about playing in the Open these last four days?

SAM HORSFIELD: I think you've just got to minimize the mistakes. Everyone is so good that a bogey, a double can kill you. Just staying patient out there. It's a long week, 72 holes, and just staying patient.

Q. I just wonder how exciting it's been for your family as well. Obviously, you have a slightly different accent than most of your family from Manchester because you grew up in the states, a lot of your childhood was spent in the states. But have your grandparents been able to follow your progress?

SAM HORSFIELD: Yes. A couple really good family friends came down, and then my aunt, my dad's sister, she was here all week. So that was really special. There was quite a lot of people out there today. So they must have had a great time, and the atmosphere has been unreal, like I said. Walking up 18 there, I got chills. Same on the 1st tee on Thursday.

I told Nick, my caddie, I never, never thought I'd get chills on a golf course, but when they called my name on Thursday morning on the tee and there was quite a lot of people there for an early morning, I got chills running down my body. That was something I'll never forget.

Q. You'll be happy to get back, and I'm sure you will.

SAM HORSFIELD: Yeah, hopefully next year at St Andrews, the home of golf, and hopefully I can play a little better than I did this weekend.

Q. Do you get back to Manchester much? I know you spent the early part of your childhood growing up in Manchester, but you're in Florida now, aren't you?

SAM HORSFIELD: I have an apartment in London here, but I have a bunch of family friends, family in Manchester area. My grandparents still live there, so every chance I get, I go up there -- I was actually there on the way down from Scotland. I drove down, and I was in Manchester, and I got the e-mail I was in. So made the quick drive down here, and yeah, here we are.