U.S. AMATEUR FOUR-BALL

May 23, 2023

Aaron Du

Sampson-Yunhe Zheng

Kiawah Island Club (Cassique)

Quick Quotes

Q. Well, looks like the disappointment of not making it to Nationals, this is a pretty good second prize, semifinals of a national championship.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Yeah.

Q. You guys are I think 29-under par, something like that.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Oh, really?

Q. Since stroke play. You guys been making a lot of birdies. Even in these tough conditions today I think you were 10-under par today, two matches.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: I didn't know that. Yeah, I think, yeah, I mean, we were talking a lot on the golf course, but just keep foot on the gas, don't back down.

Just keep playing like how we been playing. Obviously we played this course pretty well in stroke play, so we know where to hit the ball and where to give ourself the best chances, so we did that pretty well today.

Q. You guys have not, I don't believe, played 17 or 18 in match play.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Not yet.

Q. What does that say about how well you're playing?

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Yeah, for tomorrow, I mean, we're still going to go over the course on the way here. Like look at the pins and we're still going to go over strategy for every single hole out here and prepare for a long battle.

AARON DU: Yeah.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: So, yeah.

Q. You guys are used to playing 36 holes in college. A lot of your tournaments are double rounds. Did that have any factor for you guys, that you're used to it?

AARON DU: Yeah.

Q. Did it have any factor? Today is obviously a long day, two rounds.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Yeah, I would definitely say so. We had three or four 36-hole days this season, and it definitely prepares us well. Compared to like our other competitors I feel like we're definitely more ready.

Q. You guys are two wins away from winning this thing. Has it crossed your mind yet? Are you guys just such in the zone that that part of the equation doesn't factor in?

AARON DU: Yeah. I mean, we are just taking one shot at a time.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Yeah.

AARON DU: The next shot and the next shot only. We don't like let or mind wander into the future. It's just next shot, and right now it's go to the range and get the --

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Get ready for tomorrow.

Q. You guys I think missed Nationals by three strokes. Finished sixth.

PLAYER: Yeah.

Q. Was there any type of motivation knowing you came here, I want to kind of do something to kind of get that sting out of my body?

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Yeah, definitely. I think all of us who played at the regionals felt like they could have shot so much better. That includes us.

You know, I think personally, like we're out here to like try to prove something. You know, just for tomorrow I think we're just going to try our best to stay in the present.

We know if we play our normal game, how we usually play, we'll have a good chance of winning.

Q. Had you qualified for Nationals would you have come here?

AARON DU: I think so.

Q. Was the coach amicable to you guys playing this week, even though you have to fly back to Arizona pretty quickly?

AARON DU: Yeah.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Our coach -- it's something that crossed my mind because Wednesday evening we would have to leave.

But thinking of how people on the tour, you know, play week to week, it's also a good preparation for that.

Q. Sure.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: A lot of people play before a major, like before the Masters, and it's something we have to get used to for sure.

Q. Yeah. Do you think about the prize at the end and the perks that come with this, a spot in the amateur?

AARON DU: That would be very awesome.

Q. Have you guys played the U.S. Am?

AARON DU: Yeah.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: I have. (Indiscernible.)

Q. Oh, during the COVID?

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Yeah.

Q. So you didn't have to qualify; it was basically off your ranking.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Yeah.

AARON DU: Throughout that year it was COVID, but, yeah.

Q. And obviously with the Amateur it would be a big deal for you guys not having to qualify.

AARON DU: Yeah.

Q. You guys are exempt in this event for at least two more years.

AARON DU: Yeah.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: That's awesome.

Q. If you win you get ten years. You guys might not be around to spend all the ten years. Congratulations guys and good luck tomorrow.

SAMPSON-YUNHE ZHENG: Thank you, sir.

AARON DU: Thank you.

Q. Get some rest.

Fastscripts by ASAP Sports...