U.S JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 28, 2022

Preston Stout

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Quick Quotes

Q. First of all, tell me how excited you are to be in the quarterfinals.

PRESTON STOUT: Really excited, yeah. I came here wanting to go all the way, so just a couple more matches and we'll be there. But yeah, it's been really fun so far.

Q. I know you did really well in your state championship the last couple of years. Has that helped propel you to this point?

PRESTON STOUT: For sure, yeah, especially Texas 6A golf. There's a lot of good competition. Yeah, and it's always windy in Texas and super windy out here, too, so yeah, that helps for sure.

Q. You got off to a great start today; tell me about that front nine. Not that the match was over as we found out later, but you were up seven at the turn.

PRESTON STOUT: Yeah, I was just hitting it really well and I was able to make a few putts, so I was just playing really well.

On the back nine, the putter just went cold, had two or three three-putts in a row, but I got to close it out.

Q. Was that a true eagle at the 9th hole?

PRESTON STOUT: Yes, it was.

Q. Tell me what you hit.

PRESTON STOUT: I hit driver down the right side like just in the rough, and then I caught a little flier with 5-iron, hit that to like 25 feet and made that down the hill.

Q. What was the yardage on the 5-iron?

PRESTON STOUT: 255, 260, somewhere in there. Yeah, it was downwind, though.

Q. Was there any nerves at all, even on the back when the lead started going down?

PRESTON STOUT: A little bit maybe on 16 where I knew I had to step up and hit a few shots because it got a little close. But yeah, I knew I just had to tie one hole. I was fairly comfortable. Yeah, but a little nervy there.

Q. With the wind and being from Texas, tell me how much that helps you in these conditions.

PRESTON STOUT: Yeah, a lot. You have to learn how to flight the ball and hit it low in Texas. It's a little firmer out here, so you can just hit a lot of low shots and just have them run up on the green. Yeah, it definitely helps a lot.

Q. Do you get a chance to play a lot of links style courses in Texas?

PRESTON STOUT: There's a few around Dallas, Trinity Forest is one of them. I get out there a good bit. I got out there a lot before coming here just to prep for that. There's a few others, but it's mostly more tree-lined courses. Yeah, there's a few.

Q. To this point, would you say this is the best you've played or the best result you've had in this kind of a level of championship?

PRESTON STOUT: It's definitely up there for sure, yeah. This fields all the best kids in the country. To make it to the quarterfinals, yeah, it's a good feeling for sure.