THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 18, 2022

Aldrich Potgieter

Quick Quotes

Q. How good does that feel?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Yeah, really amazing. I can't really -- there's no feeling like having felt this good before, yeah. The words can't even come out of my mind.

Q. The way you played this morning, is that some of the best golf you've played in your young career?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Yeah, on this golf course, going bogey-free on the first 18 was even shocking for me. I played really well. Yeah, everything worked out well.

Q. You were 66 this morning. When you had breakfast this morning, would you believe you'd shoot 66?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: No. I didn't even know after the round I shot 66. Yeah, golf was good and I just kept my head down and kept going.

Q. Did you expect the comeback to come, as it proved?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Yeah, I knew Sam was going to do better than he did this morning. He didn't play too well, but I knew he was going to come out strong. He's not going to give up. I just have to play steady and just keep my lead.

Q. When he gets back two with four to play, you're on 17, did you feel a bit of tension, a bit of stress? You found a few bunkers, as well.

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Yeah, on hole 14, I hit it on the bunker on the right, and it was kind of a shock because I found like five of them today, this afternoon, and found another one now. And I was like, just get the ball out, try and make your best score on the hole.

And then on 13, I hit a pretty good shot into the green and just had to chip out for the win, and I took the opportunity.

Q. Given what's to come now, how excited are you for St Andrews next month?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Yeah, really excited. Still don't know if I want to go back home first or stay, so plan that coming forward.

Q. And a few other exemptions; Augusta?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Yeah.

Q. What do you know of St Andrews as a venue?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Well, played there last week and it was really amazing, and I think the course is going to get in better shape. So really looking forward to that.

Q. And what was it like to have some support out there, obviously a lot for Sam, but you had the South African support as well.

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Yeah, with Christiaan Maas on the bag as well, he really helped me as well. Especially on that 18 holes, we both just knew exactly what do and we did it.

The second 18, he kept me in play and just kept my head down and keep moving.

Q. Using the 2-iron a lot today, was that a key today?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: Yeah, hitting in the fairway puts a lot of pressure on your opponent. And especially when you're not comfortable with the driver, you can hit the two higher straight down the middle of the fairway.

Q. You said it's your first time in the U.K. Did you believe this could happen?

ALDRICH POTGIETER: No, not at all. The beginning of the week, I just tried to make the cut, make the match play and went from there.