THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 15, 2022

Joe Harvey

Quick Quotes

Q. Joe, bit of a nail-biter, was it?

JOE HARVEY: Yeah, that was tough, really, coming down the stretch. I started quite well, start of the day I was 3-up early and then give three holes back. Chipped in on 11 for a halve and we both just didn't play well coming in.

And then down the last, I made probably the best four I ever made with bit of luck, hit my drive right. Just missed the gorse, hacked out of the bunker into some more thick stuff. Got it on to 30 feet and rolled it in.

Q. Was that to win on 18?

JOE HARVEY: That was to make him have to hole his birdie putt from about the same distance and fortunately for me he didn't make it.

Q. So you were already 1-up?

JOE HARVEY: Yeah, I hit a good drive down 17. He hit it in the bunker, chipped out and then I hit it to about 15 foot, 2-putt for the win.

Q. Must be nice, especially the challenges the last few years with COVID, nice big field, feels back to normal?

JOE HARVEY: Yeah, big time. Obviously last year and the year before, I thought the events were great. But obviously no fans at Birkdale. There was a few at Nairn. And to come here and see the way it's set up, I turned up, I felt like, wow, I'm at a proper Tour event.

It's nice to have it setup like this once in a while and it's a good field now, 288 players, all international, top-level golfers. So it's good to make the cut and see how far you can go.

Q. You had a great run in 2020, and the invitations that followed, try to go one better?

JOE HARVEY: Yeah, I take a lot of positives from that. I've always been good at match play. On the day I pretty nicely, I just struggle with the flat stick and golf goes like that. I know I've got the ability to go all the way. I know I'm capable of winning this. It's capable of just being one at a time and playing the best you can.

Definitely one of the harder courses are I've ever played. I said to a lot of people, it really, really tests every aspect of your game. Like you've got to hit it good off the tee. Even if you're trying to hit 2-iron, there's still plenty of bunkers at that distance. I'm hitting driver, and if I hit driver straight, it's no problem.

Yeah, the approach play is probably the toughest thing about Lytham. Lots of run-offs, bunkers, and bunkers are so penal green side out there. It's a great test.

Q. You're in the last 32.

JOE HARVEY: Yeah, which is nice, so I think if I remember rightly back at Birkdale, I think I just squeaked by in the first round as well. I think I might have won on 19 and hold a long putt. Use that as a bit of momentum.