THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 23, 2023

Ronan Kleu

Quick Quotes

Q. Congratulations, you're through to the final of The Amateur Championship. You must be delighted.

RONAN KLEU: Oh, of course, yeah. It was a long day on the golf course, as have the last couple days but really looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. It's funny that you should say it's been a long day on the golf course because it's not really been that long for you. I don't think you've had much go past the 15th in the last three matches?

RONAN KLEU: That's correct, yeah. Try to keep them as short as possible to save some energy. All three of them were great competitors and I really enjoyed the matches. Also look forward to tomorrow.

Q. You haven't lost a hole today.

RONAN KLEU: Is that so?

Q. Happy to break that news.

RONAN KLEU: Good stuff. Keep it like that.

Q. That must fill you with confidence heading into the final round.

RONAN KLEU: Yeah, for sure. I think I'm just trying to stick to my game plan honestly. The pins were tucked today, so aim at conservative targets with aggressive swings and let the putter do the heavy lifting. Worked out today and going to do the same tomorrow.

Q. Talk to us about the match this afternoon with TK. Obviously he's quite a highly fancied player. What was it like to play alongside him?

RONAN KLEU: It was great. It's the game of golf. This morning he had a really awesome showing. Shout out to him. I think he shot 7-under and I was well aware of that.

But then this afternoon, I think I just had the momentum go into my favour a couple of times at the beginning, and yeah, great player, fun playing against him.

Q. In match play, you do need a bit of momentum and luck at times but you also need to execute. Is that what you feel happened today?

RONAN KLEU: Yeah, I think that's very different to stroke play. You can react to different shots that they play. But at the end of the day, it's all about sticking to your game plan and then executing like that, yeah.

Q. Not having to have played the full 18 holes in the last three matches, do you feel like that might give you an edge tomorrow when we get to the 36-hole final?

RONAN KLEU: I think a lot of the matches have been marathons. We played a lot of golf. We still have a lot of golf coming up tomorrow, 36 holes but I'd like to think so, yeah.

Q. Looking ahead to tomorrow, do you feel like there might be any sort of nerves or excitement or how do you think you'll be feeling?

RONAN KLEU: I had nerves today, and you just have to harness that into positive energy as much as you can. And tomorrow I think I'll be nervous again at the beginning of the round, but it's all about settling in quickly, and then I think I'll be fine.

Q. There's a huge amount of opportunities on the line for the champion of The Amateur. Is it hard not to start thinking about what could be and just next month you could be down the road at Royal Liverpool?

RONAN KLEU: Yeah, I think there are external factors that go into play with people texting you, etc. I appreciate all the support but I need to stay in the present, execute each shot as it is and take it as it comes.

Q. Yesterday you said that you really admire Ernie Els. What is it in particular about Ernie that you admire so much?

RONAN KLEU: His swing is just so nice and easy. They call him The Big Easy. He has a very intuitive demeanour on the golf course which I like, also, about match play. It's a brisk pace of play, yeah.

Q. Have you met Ernie before?

RONAN KLEU: No. Please come and talk to me, Ernie.

Q. 2003 was the last time a Swiss player was in the final. Raphael De Sousa. Do you know him at all?

RONAN KLEU: I do. Yeah, I played a practise round with him at the DP World Tour event in Switzerland in 2021. Very good player. Very good ball-striker.

Q. Is it a real honour for you to be putting Switzerland back in the final?

RONAN KLEU: Extremely. I'm very excited about it and I also appreciate all the support I get from Swiss golf as a federation and all the support from everyone at home, it's great.

Q. Speaking of support, you of course had one of your teammates out here who went out a bit earlier, and you've got your coach here. Is there anything else that will be cheering you on tomorrow?

RONAN KLEU: I'd like to think so but from a distance. Unless it's a surprise visit, I don't think I'll have anyone else out there tomorrow.