U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 16, 2022

Luke Gutschewski

The Ridgewood Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. First time at the U.S. Amateur and you're going to go to match play. How does that feel?

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: It feels good. Kind of the goal the first two days is just to get through. I didn't really know what it was going to take. I was just kind of guessing. I figured play my game and I'll be fine. That's kind of where it's gotten me.

Obviously the goal, you can't win if you don't make match play, right? It's just another step along the way.

Q. Last year you were in the Junior Amateur; you didn't make match play. Did you learn something going through that experience that helped you this time around?

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: Yeah, I mean, I think it being a USGA event, I think I kind of got used to the whole production. It's a little bit bigger than what I play in back at home, two days of practice rounds, that whole thing, trying to get used to that stuff. I had seen a lot of that stuff before, so I think more than anything that was probably the biggest thing, just getting used to the whole production of a tournament where you're getting here a little bit earlier, getting a little bit more accustomed to the golf course and that sort of thing.

Q. What have you liked about these two courses so far, and what did you find out about Ridgewood that's going to help you in match play?

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: Yeah, I'll be anxious to see how it's set up. I think the tees will be a little different, obviously different pins and that sort of thing. But I think more than anything, just kind of -- it's just golf. Rough is long, you can't really advance it in the rough. But it rewards good shots and punishes bad shots more than anything. So I think more than anything just keep doing what I'm doing.

Q. Everyone has talked about obviously your father this week, but what has he maybe imparted you on this week that's helping you this week, mental or physical?

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: Like probably just about everything I know about golf.

Yeah, it would be kind of unfair to him to say he's only helped me with one part of my golfing experience. He kind of has been everything I know about golf, with the exception of me going to college and playing with my college coaches and that stuff.

But yeah, it's kind of indescribable to say what he's helped me with.

Q. Are there one or two key things that maybe you can take from all your years of learning from him that are going to help you in the next couple of days?

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: Just his patience and his even-keeledness on the golf course. You never know if he's 7-under or 7-over when he plays. He keeps the same patience and manner all the time. I think in match play that would be really important. No reason to get too up or too down, just kind of stay the course.

Q. Let's talk about this round a little bit. I know they were off a little bit on scoring, but maybe a couple of the key birdies from today's round.

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: Yeah, I birdied 12, that was my third hole of the day. I had just made a bogey on 11 before that and really didn't hit any bad shots on 11, just kind of got unlucky with the wind. It was nice to get one on 12, kind of steady the ship a little bit because things started going south, you never know what can happen, tough golf course, that whole thing.

Yeah, I think the birdie on 12 was a really nice stabilizer more than anything.

Q. How did you do it?

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: I just hit it in the fairway, laid it up to a nice wedge number, hit it to about probably 10 feet, made the putt, which is always nice to get a working man's birdie.

Q. At any point in the round did you know that you were even in the hunt for medalist?

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: Not really. I figured with how tough it was playing, I was 1-under when I made the turn, I figured I'd have a chance. Yeah, it would have been really cool to get that. I'm assuming it's not going to happen.

I just tried to keep focused on playing good golf because somebody could have shot 4- or 5-under today and easily run away with it, so just keep on playing how I was playing, and however it worked out, it worked out.

Q. Last question, your style heading into match play, do you play against the course or are you going to look at your opponent a little bit? How do you think you're going to play?

LUKE GUTSCHEWSKI: Yeah, I mean, for the most part you just want to play against yourself. Challenge yourself to do the best you can on every shot, but there are situations in match play, if your opponent hits it in trouble, that sort of thing, where you might have to change your strategy a little bit.

But to be completely honest, I'm just going to go play my game and see what happens.