U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 30, 2021

Mark Costanza

Sankaty Head Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So that was quite a run he made winning five of six holes there in the middle of the round.

MARK COSTANZA: Yep.

Q. What were you thinking during that stretch?

MARK COSTANZA: Yeah, you know, it's tough because I knew I had to play really well against Stew, and he played very, very well, really solid, and I did not play well.

That sort of inflates the score a little bit. But you know, kudos to him. He played solid. I mean, I've just got to play better.

Q. When he put that dart in there on 11 to about a foot, were you saying, Is this the way it's going to be all day?

MARK COSTANZA: Yeah. You know, it's sort of like that mindset in match play where you have to assume the other guy is going to do the unthinkable or always hit the really good shot and knock it in there close. Even though that's your mindset, the other guy doesn't always do it, but he seemed to do it today.

Again, good playing by him.

Q. Your up-and-down on 12 seemed to calm you down. I don't know what you were feeling at that point.

MARK COSTANZA: Yeah, it's just getting a hole under my belt was sort of like breaking the ice a little bit. I was just sort of searching for it, and to make that putt was big, and then made a couple big putts, too, down the stretch to kind of keep it there.

Q. You could have cut into the lead even more. The putt on 15 slid low on you.

MARK COSTANZA: Yeah, that was a big one. I wish I had that one back. Hit a really good shot in there. It's just the margin for error is slim when you get to this point, so hopefully they'll drop tomorrow.

Q. The 10-footer that went around part of the hole there on 16, that was a big relief there, too?

MARK COSTANZA: Yeah, it was big. I was right in the middle of the fairway. He put it in the front bunker. You know, I was saying to Meredith, I said, I've just got to make sure I make him make 4 and put it in the middle of the green, and what do I do, I go flag hunting and pull it into the bunker.

But I hit a good putt there and another really good putt on 17.

Q. You have a good two-putt at 18; he makes bogey. Now you're only down five. It's still a big lead, but it's not as bad as it could have been.

MARK COSTANZA: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean, the way that he was playing, and if I don't make a couple of those putts, it could have been seven or eight at the end of the day pretty easily.

To be at five is good based on that last few holes. Just got to get off to a hot start tomorrow.

Q. This is a different kind of final because of the schedule. Usually there's not a split in days between the two 18s. Do you think it may help you as far as stagnating his momentum a little bit, or what's your mindset going into this?

MARK COSTANZA: Yeah, I think Stew is pretty experienced, and I think he's probably been in these situations before and slept on leads and everything like that.

I just hope that tomorrow I can come out with some better game and get after him a little bit earlier.