U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 11, 2021

Michael Thorbjornsen

Oakmont Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So probably a little disappointed on the last hole because that was the difference between sharing medalist possibly.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Uh-huh.

Q. What happened on 18?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Just unfortunate series of events. On my tee ball just before making contact I see this little white moth flying toward my ball. That may or may not have distracted me, but I definitely noticed it.

Maybe I was paying a little bit too much attention to that instead of the ball. Blocked my drive a little right. Started leaking toward the bunker. I was thinking I could have got a pitching wedge out, advanced the ball a little bit so I would have a small like flip wedge in.

Hit the lip, so my ball just barely got out of the bunker. I had 190 uphill into the wind and hit 6-iron, not really thinking about catching any fliers because the lie wasn't great.

Right as I hit it I saw the ball flight and I just knew that needed to sit down. Saw it land, carry the green. Kind of saw to roll up the cart path. I wasn't sure like what the whole deal was, if that's out of bounds or whatever.

Drew and I, my caddie, we were just waiting from Washington I hit my shot not knowing if I should hit another one or not.

Came up here, hit a poor chip; solid two-putt, 6. I mean, whether you're finishing first here or 64th, doesn't matter. Everything resets. That is our mindset on the week.

I mean, I'm playing well. I had a good back nine so just hopefully keep that going in the afternoon.

Q. Talk about that back nine. I wouldn't say you were leaking oil but you were over par and then you turned it up a notch on the back.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Yeah, I was 2-over through nine. I just three-putted hole nine. I been playing solid today and yesterday. Some of my putts haven't really been dropping, but made a good maybe 15-footer on 11.

I think I missed a 10-footer on 10 for birdie.

Made a good maybe 20-footer for eagle on the next.

Putting started to work out a little more.

Q. What did you hit in on 12 and how long?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: On 12 I had 5-iron, I think it was like 242. Yeah, 20 feet for birdie from beyond the pin which was nice, uphill putt.

Then stuck it on two holes later to like one foot on 14.

I could have birdied 15 if I -- I nuked a drive. I had 100 yards in. Just really didn't commit on the wedge shot.

Drove the green on 17 which was nice. Pretty straightforward two-putt birdie there.

And then you know what happened on 18.

Q. Yeah. So overall mindset now going into match play?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Feeling good. You got to understand that this course is -- you're never going to have an easy par out there. You're always going to be grinding.

I mean, I was 2-over through nine feeling fine. I mean, obviously wasn't playing -- the score wasn't that great, but I'm playing the same back nine and almost shot 5-under.

So, yeah, just understand that the birdies will come here and there and some bogeys will happen as well. Just got to stay level headed.