U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 16, 2022

Matthew McClean

Erin Hills

Quick Quotes

Q. You were 2-up going into the second 18. That's got to be a pretty good feeling.

MATTHEW McCLEAN: Yeah, it's like nine holes. 2-up through 9 is probably the equivalent of being 1-up through 9, so pretty much look at it as all square. Both played pretty well, though, so just try to play pretty similar tomorrow.

Q. In a usual 36-hole final you have lunch and continue to go out and play, but you have to sleep on it tonight.

MATTHEW McCLEAN: I haven't played a 36-hole final before anyway, so I don't know what it's like to play 36 holes in a final, either. But it sort of feels like probably going into the last round of the stroke play. It's sort to be a similar sort of feeling as that.

Q. Can you talk about your second shot on 12 which started a pretty good run for you; would you say it was the shot of your life?

MATTHEW McCLEAN: One of the shots of my life, yeah, as I said, yeah. I hit a pretty poor drive, didn't go but 206 into the wind, sitting down, so just hit a 7-iron, thought it was good. Luckily it sort of went straight and got somewhere near the hole.

Q. That started that whole run of conceded birdies.

MATTHEW McCLEAN: Yeah, I hit them pretty close, which I would have fancied, but yeah, conceded birdies are nicer, but yeah, it's one of those golf courses you can -- fine line between making a birdie and a bogey. Yeah, I had a good run in the middle and then Hugh played pretty good. He probably wasn't his best stuff at times, and I'm similar, but overall it was a pretty good match.

Q. What's it been like playing a guy who you've spent two weeks rooming together, playing together?

MATTHEW McCLEAN: Yeah, it was good. That's our sort of plan at the start of the week was if we can both play in the final, it's the ideal situation. When it comes down to the competition, then it's sort of like any other match. We're not talking a huge amount about it, but it's all very friendly, of course, and sort of just enjoying the golf.

Q. What's the difference in age and how close are you?

MATTHEW McCLEAN: Yeah, so we play a lot of golf together. We're sort of foursomes partners for Ireland, so played a lot of golf together this year especially, and sort of the more time you spend together, then obviously the better friends you get, but we'll sort of put it on hold to a certain extent.

Q. Will you talk about golf tonight back at the house?

MATTHEW McCLEAN: I don't know. Probably not. We're staying with Dan, who caddying for Hugh. We're staying at Dan's house, so he's there, as well, so we'll see. I assume we probably will talk about it.

As I said, it's basically all square. That's the way I'm looking at it. We both have everything to play for tomorrow, so we'll probably talk a bit about it.

Q. One of this championship's unique benefits is what comes with winning. Do you try not to think about -- if you walk out with this trophy there's a lot of perks that come with it.

MATTHEW McCLEAN: Yeah, you probably try not to think about it at all is the plan, the same with sort of any tournament. You try not to think about anything other than the shot you're playing, which is always easier said than done, but yeah, it's the same as any other tournament with all its perks, but as I said, it's trying just to play each hole, and not think at all in advance.

Q. What happened there, do you just forget that right away? It's out of your mind?

MATTHEW McCLEAN: Yeah, I don't think the pin position was really fair, to be honest. I'm not saying it wasn't my fault. That's the way I'm looking at it. But it's fair; we both played the same pin. But with the wind, downgrain, I wouldn't have put it there myself.

Q. What did you hit into 13, the par-3?

MATTHEW McCLEAN: 13, I hit gap wedge in there. Obviously was a very forward tee but a very, very tight pin. Again, very, very tight. I luckily just kept it on the ledge and Hugh just ran on by and then he had a really tough putt. Worked out in my favor for that one. But yeah, nice gap wedge in there from about 130.

Q. Then 16, how satisfying was it to make the birdie on top of his 30-footer?

MATTHEW McCLEAN: Yeah, it was probably a big point in the match because I missed one on 15 from about 10 feet to go 4. I lost that, then anything could happen the last two holes, so could have easily been all square out there, as well. So yeah, nice to see it go in after he holed that one.

Q. Does the Irish team cover some of your finances to come over here and play?

MATTHEW McCLEAN: So they have like a schedule at the start of the year, and this wasn't on it because it's a Mid-Amateur event. But they have actually given us a bit of funding for this week at the last minute. But again, it wasn't on the original sort of schedule. But yeah, it covers some of the expenses.