U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 16, 2022

Hugh Foley

Erin Hills

Quick Quotes

HUGH FOLEY:

Q. Your putter really helped you in this match. Your thoughts on that?

HUGH FOLEY: Yeah, like -- yeah, I have great confidence in my putting.

To be honest, I think I can definitely push a few more. I think in earlier matches I really drained a lot of putts, a lot of feet.

So, yeah, I feel like I can do a little bit of work, maybe just a little bit more trust in lines. When I trust my lines I holed my putts, and that's kind of the old saying, I guess.

Q. You had the lead, but the up and down at 8 from the bunker and the par save at 9 I thought were key to keeping the lead.

HUGH FOLEY: Yeah, that was key, yeah. Frustrating to make silly mistakes in a match. I think I was 3-up playing the par-5. He made a good birdie. I missed that putt. That was fair enough.

To middle of the fairway be putting yourself in trouble was irritating. 8 I did that great up and down and 9, I left that seven feet short.

That was frustrating to do that. Match play is so mental. Got a thousand thoughts going through your mind, I'm out, I'm in, I'm winning, I'm losing.

Bit more consistent now in the afternoon, just a bit more trust in the putter, and I think it's going to be good, yeah.

Q. Then you made the decision to go for the green off the tee on 11.

HUGH FOLEY: Yeah, I felt like the wind was like -- when we got there I said it wasn't reachable. It was 282 carry the bunkers into the wind and the wind kind of was dropping, and I thought, even if it's in the bunker, it's not that hard of a shot. Luckily just missed the bunkers and got up and down.

That was a good putt. Yeah, three good putts probably in three holes, 8, 9, 11, that really set it of.

Q. Was there much in that 14-footer on 11?

HUGH FOLEY: 11 was left edge. It was good one.

Q. Let's talk about getting to the final. Looks like you're going to play your buddy here. What does that mean to you now that you've got through everything and here you are going to be in the final against another Irishman?

HUGH FOLEY: Insane. We been planning this for months and like didn't know what the standard would be like. We heard Stewart Hagestad, No. 7 in the world, we were like, I don't know, will we make the cut, you know? You're traveling all that way and hoping you don't miss the cut.

It's just been unbelievable. Me and Matt have spent every second of the trip together. We flew over together and stayed with Greg Zieman there, came in to watch, and then we stayed with Dan Benedum for the last few days, so we're sharing a house.

It's going to be weird. We've played each other a few times. We had great matches. I know how good a player he is.

36 holes, going to be weird but fun.

Q. How do you keep the blinders on when you know the guy so well next to you?

HUGH FOLEY: It was easier in Ireland, to be honest. When we play in Ireland it's easier. I can kind of -- we probably wouldn't have been joking or speaking much.

Now that we're in America, feels like it's brought us a bit closer together. I don't know. I think we'll just play it in good spirit and just stay really focused rather than -- there won't be any gamesmanship, hopefully just two focused guys rather than two guys having a laugh and joking.

Still serious matter at hand.