HUNTSVILLE CHAMPIONSHIP

May 1, 2022

Harrison Endycott

Press Conference

Q. Harrison, just speak to the emotion that you sort of showed you us in the interview couple minutes ago and why this is such a big moment for you.

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: I mean, it's just a long journey to get here, and we dealt with a lot of real hardships, our family. Sadly I lost my mum to cancer in 2012, and sadly last week I just lost my grandmother, too.

The timing of this win is just really special, and, yeah, what a great place to do it as well. I love coming here. I remember first time I was here was last year and I loved it.

Yeah, it's just super special to be able to do that. Hits home a little bit because not being able to do it in front of my friends and family, but, yeah, no, I'm very blessed to be able to get it done this week.

Q. And you talked about you think about your mom quite a bit as you play. Was she on your mind as you were coming down the closing stretch?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: Yeah, she's always, and same as my grandmother. Sadly, life just is cruel. You know, you just got to embrace like great moments.

I've had a lot of disappointments in my life and this is definitely not a disappointment.

I'm just kind of just a bit shellshocked right now. I'm just trying to figure out kind of how to eat humble pie a little bit right now.

We've still got a golf tournament to get ready for next week, and I'm really looking forward playing in Nashville next week, and Knoxville. So two Tennessees are great.

So, yeah, like I said, it's just a really, really emotional win for me.

Q. You said your coaches back in Australia were a big part of pulling you through that tough stretch of your life. Have they called you yet and what was the phone call like with them last night?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: Yeah, I mean, like I said to you yesterday, the phone call was exactly the same as I predicted it. Coach was like, oh, yeah, go play golf tomorrow, sleep well, bye. You know, which was really good.

But I'll have a good chat tonight. You know, they've sacrificed a lot to me and also Gary Stone at Nano Bubble Technologies. He's invested in me and he's put a lot behind me.

And Sonny Antonio. He is actually my amateur partner in the BMW, at Sunshine Designs. I really want to really thank those two a lot.

You know, also Ping and Titleist. They've been with me since I was a kid, so, yeah, it's just so many people I got thank. Just so much support. Really, really -- just really proud of myself this week.

Q. Was there any point in time where you felt uncomfortable today as maybe the lead shrank or just at any point?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: Yeah, I mean, like Ben and Quade are great golfers. Ben is so experienced. I just didn't want to give him anything today. To be honest with you, I gave him a little bit today. I gave both the guys a little bit of a look, and the group in front.

I wasn't playing bad; I just wasn't getting it going. Couple bogeys early and just -- but wasn't anything different. Got a bit of a bad break on 8.

You know, bit of a bad break too on 9. I got two in a row. Just kind of how the ball bobbled a little bit and bounced around. But I just hung in there and just did what I had to do. Made a couple good putts coming in.

Made a great bogey on 17. Not very often we get to say we make a good bogey, but I made a great bogey on 17.

Nice to make birdie on the last.

Q. Was it harder playing with a five-shot lead than you thought it was?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: Absolutely, yes. Sometimes it's easier to chase. I can't remember what the gap was at the -- I won an amateur event after the Porter Cup where I was -- I think I was like four back going into the back six and got it done.

Sometimes that's easier than having a five-shot lead or six-shot lead. I think might have got to seven at some point today. I don't know. I thought I was around there.

You know, it turns into a bit steery golf, and you just got to try to back out of that and go like, I got to play like it's a Friday, Saturday, Thursday.

Got to keep hitting my shots and try to make putts. These guys aren't going to come at me any time soon. Well, sorry, they're going to come at me hard in a quick period of time, you know.

So that's why I feel very proud of myself this week, just being able to do that.

Q. Did you say anything to Quade after 4, escaping a par there?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: Oh, yeah, that was the wedge shot I've ever hit in my life. I can't believe it. And then I fly the thing left. I was like, what am I doing, and they just found my ball.

That was -- you know, just to make par there, that was just a bad swing. I just accept that. I just hit a bad shot.

Quade was up there looking for my golf ball and found it like literally probably on the buzzer, so I got lucky there. So thanks, bud.

But, yeah, if we didn't find that and I make a number there, you know, shrink that lead and guys coming are at you harder.

Yeah, it was -- I took some -- as much as I got some bad breaks this week, I got some very good ones, too. I'm just thinking about that. (Laughter.)

Q. And then 14's birdie going in, your reaction right after it went in, when you're walking off the green? I mean, what was it like? Just relief?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: It was like finally I made a putt. I just, again, like I hit I think five putts today through 11 where I thought I jagged it straight in the center of the jaws.

I couldn't have rolled it over a more perfect spot. I'm a spot putter. I like to roll the ball over certain particular spots on the green.

Yeah, there was like four or five putts where I couldn't have been more perfect where I rolled it and didn't really even touch the hole.

You know, I did that exactly on 14 and I was like -- kind of like, finally I made a putt. It did exactly what I thought it would do.

So, yeah.

Q. Was that the most nerve wracking, especially because Ben had made four in a row going into that hole and you only had a three-shot lead?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: Yes and no. Like obviously I was aware of it, but I kind of knew I had my chances coming up, too.

I knew I had a look at 14.

15 is about the tee shot, the second shot.

And 16 I knew I was going to have a look.

17 I thought I was going to have a look until I hit the tee shot.

And then 18 where that pin was today, I knew if I get in positions off the tee I'm going to have a look.

So I definitely felt like I could rally some birdies in.

I mean, same time, I'm backing both of those boys to do the same thing. So, you know, it just kind of fell in my hands this week and it was just my turn.

I mean, they're seriously good golfers, and I think we are not going to see -- there is a lot of guys at the top of the leaderboard we're not going to see -- we're going to see a lot of. Sorry, that's what I'm trying to say.

We're going to see a lot at the top of the leaderboard. They're seriously good players.

Q. Did you allow yourself to enjoy the walk? Did you know you had won? When did you know that --

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: When that ball went in on the last.

Q. Oh, okay.

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: Yeah. Look, you do -- I've done my work this week. Like it's just another putt, but it's not done until you make that putt, scorecard is in.

But it was an amazing atmosphere for my first professional win, so...

Q. You spoke earlier this week about the grind and where you were standing on the points list. If the projection holds I think you will be in 11th from 103rd. How much does that help you out?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: I can't add up that high. I mean, yeah, I mean, that helps me a lot. Just great to have a winner's category out here. You know, you set your mindset a little different now, you know.

Like I said, I really want to get on the PGA Tour and it's now putting in that hard work to try to do everything I can to get to that point.

We've still got a long time of the season left. I got a lot of hard work to do. Not going to be partying too hard tonight. I've got a golf tournament to get ready for next week. So I'm just going to relax, have a beer, and just chill.

Yeah, I got to get back to work tomorrow, and then the same the next week.

So, yeah, that's kind of the mindset now. It's just, you know, trying to -- try to contend best chance I can every single week now.

It's great. Now I can schedule a little bit as well. I can plan my schedule. Yeah, just a lot of great things. Really happy.

Q. You had Brad, a local guy, on the bag. How did that contribute to this week for you?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: Oh, it was so helpful. Brad was great. Just little things. Like we made a lot of putts this week, too, that I read the opposite and he said, no, it's going to go this way, and I trusted him and made the putts.

Yeah, Brad seriously, seriously did a great job. You know, there is no really words. I'm super thankful of him. He worked so hard for me this week and he just worked smart, too. I'm just super privileged of that and very lucky.

I don't know, I would like to get to you work for me next week, mate, but I don't know. I don't know if you can get out of work. No, we'll see.

But, yeah, no, he did a great job. Very proud of him. Yeah, just, again, like I said, super privileged.

Q. Is it standard for you to have a local caddie every week?

HARRISON ENDYCOTT: No, not really.