THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 21, 2023

John Gough

Quick Quotes

Q. Well done, into the last 32. Delighted with your day's efforts?

JOHN GOUGH: Absolutely. Match play is always hard, so we had a good match out there. It was back and forth. I started off slow. He started off fast. We managed to get it back and that's way it goes. You're always in it until end. Nice to get it done now and go get dinner and get ready for tomorrow.

Q. The match-play specialist continues his work. What is it you love about this format?

JOHN GOUGH: I just find it, when you play stroke play, you don't have to play everyone in the tournament. So you might only be one of 287 players, but you're also playing the golf course.

When you're playing match play, there's just one other score you have to worry about. So as long as you manage to keep up with that and be here, I find it almost -- in a sense, it's easier because you don't have to sign a scorecard at the end or anything. It's just how the day went.

Q. You say easier, but I know you had a bit of a battle just to get here today?

JOHN GOUGH: Yeah, definitely, the stroke play always seems -- it's never easy to get through the stroke play in a field this big and with the golfers that are here. To get through to the stroke play is a feat in itself, and then when you head to the match play, it's just everyone is under the gun.

Q. What's your experience around here and knowledge of Hillside?

JOHN GOUGH: My brother played the British Masters here, and unfortunately for him missing the cut but fortunately for me he is on the bag in the match play. So I think together we kind of know what to do from planning it in the week, but then also, I think we'll be a decent team to beat.

Q. Great result last year, semifinals. What did you draw from those experiences?

JOHN GOUGH: Obviously it's great to get to the semifinals last year and have such a good stretch but then as we were saying about match play, this year is a completely new year. There's system a lot of great golfers here, and we have to just play every day as it comes, so it's almost like a clean slate and go for it again.

Q. And just lastly, last 32, does your Walker Cup hopes no harm?

JOHN GOUGH: Yeah, but going to focus on this week first and as I've always said, let my golf do the talking and it should take care of itself.