U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 12, 2021

Michael Thorbjornsen

Oakmont Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So kind of a tough start until you were able to kick it in. What was going on before your run of birdies?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Just, I mean, basically played the same throughout the whole round. Just things started to click those last six holes.

Yeah, I mean, hitting my driver well, striking it well; just couldn't get any putts to drop. Harrison played really good. He was very solid out there, so I knew I needed something to happen those last five, six holes.

And fortunately made some putts, hit some good shots, and here I am now.

Q. Talk about the approach into 14. That was pretty tight.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Yes. Found myself in the first cut, again, which is fine. I'm used to hitting from that stuff now. I saw Harrison pull it a little left on the green. Had maybe 50, 60 feet and I was just thinking, Okay, I can't let up, I can't ask him to three-putt from there. He left it I think 15 feet short and ended up making that for par and forced me to make my five-footer for birdie.

Q. What did you hit in there and how long?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: It was 109, two uphill, a little bit into the wind. Hit a 56 degree wedge.

Q. 16 you just stripped it off the tee on the par-3.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Yeah, honestly, it was a perfect club for that type of shot. I think it was 235 yards, something like that, into the wind. So I was just thinking, Okay, I can hit a stinger, punch 4-iron that I know won't go long.

Yeah, I struck it beautifully. Saw it (indiscernible) at the pin and just never left.

Q. And basically was just two, three feet?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Yeah, probably like six, seven feet. I still had to make it for sure. But, yeah, that was huge after being down three and then that put me to 1-up.

Q. 17 you drove it in the greenside bunker.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Yeah, absolutely striped that drive. It was right at the pin, but Drew and I knew if we wanted to be on the green or in a good place we need to be at least five yards left of that pin.

And then after Harrison hit his shot like 25 feet short I was just thinking, Okay, just get it on the green, two putt, take this to 18. Hit a pretty about bunker shot. Had a lot of spin, but I think on like the second hop it hit the pin. I'm not sure if that --

Q. It did.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: It did help?

Q. But it turned it sideways.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Yeah, so I think I had like 15 feet to 18 feet there. Just why not make that one, too?

Q. When you're 3-down is there ever panic in your mind, especially that late in the match?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Yeah, there can be some panic here and there, but I just knew something was going to happen that would flip the switch. Yeah, I just had to keep believing in myself and stay positive. That was the big thing.

Q. All the good things that have happened to you, especially in the last month, does that help in that moment?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Definitely does. I just get in the zone where I'm so fired up and locked in that all I can see is birdies turning to pars basically, and that's just -- I think I birdied the last five holes coming in, so that's pretty good.

Q. Uh-huh. Can you recall a stretch where you've been that hot? I know you've had a couple good rounds this year, but that run of five holes.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: I would say that run of five holes beats any other stretch of five holes this summer because of how tough this course is. It's Oakmont. You're not really supposed to the that. Obviously taking advantage of the soft greens.

But the Massachusetts Amateur I had two stretches of five birdies in a row that first 18 holes, and it's kind of like -- it feels the same way. Like you birdie one hole, you forget about it; move on to the next.

Then it just so happens they start adding up, and I don't realize until right now that that was five in a row.