U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 13, 2021

Matthew Sharpstene

Oakmont Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So first of all, how is it waiting all night to finish up a match that's so tight like this?

MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: Yeah, it was a little frustrating, but this stuff happens. It's just golf.

You know, you just got to say to yourself, Just how you're playing the other hole, you just got to keep being confident and keep chugging along.

Q. Do you lay awake thinking about the next shot?

MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: After yesterday I had a match go to 18 and then my second match went to 18 as well, so I didn't have any trouble sleeping.

Q. Tell me about that 19th hole, the 10th hole at Oakmont, and how you played it.

MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: Yeah, usually if it's firm it can be a 4- or 3-iron that gets all the way down there, but after last night, you know, it rained a lot, so course is softened up, and hit a 3-wood just down there -- I had 130 yards in.

Second shot played a little downhill so hit a --

Q. What club?

MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: 50-degree.

Q. Uh-huh.

MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: Then my opponent, he hit it like 50 feet left of the flag, so I was like, Well, it's time to be aggressive.

I hit it and it was going right at it. Just hit it a good ten, twelve feet and rolled it in.

Q. What kind of putt was it? Was there much break to it?

MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: Yeah, that green, it's -- the flag was tucked kind of on the right side. I was right in line with it and it broke probably a good foot.

I was lucky because I had a similar putt in my first match and I made it as well, so I knew that it was going to break a bunch.

Q. Last question: We know what happened last year at Bandon. Does this make it feel like it's routine for you, getting this far?

MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: Yeah.

Q. How does that help you?

MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: No, it's definitely a lot of help. Last year not many people knew who I was, and making that run definitely helped. You know, having that experience definitely helps this year. With cameras and being on TV, for amateurs you don't really experience what that much. So just kind of soaking it all in this, have fun with it and just keep playing my game.