U.S JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 30, 2023

Joshua Bai

Daniel Island Club (Ralston Creek Course)

Quick Quotes

Q. Sum up this week. I know it's got to be really disappointing, but what do you take from it?

JOSHUA BAI: Just try and take the positives. I played really well. It really boosted my confidence going to tournaments in the future. Just helps me know that I can compete at the top level. Just want to say really congratulations to Bryan. He's a great player and even better person.

Q. You came right after him this morning and won the first two holes. Talk about how you won those first two holes.

JOSHUA BAI: Yeah, I'm glad we had that break in between to try and have that momentum switch. It did happen, but Bryan was just so solid. He kept the heat on, and it was tough to keep up.

Q. Let's talk about the second shot at 17; it seemed like you didn't get all of it on the approach to 17?

JOSHUA BAI: A legal heavy, yeah. I just hit a shot I used to hit back home, just into the wind like a low skipper 50-degree. Yeah, a bit unlucky to get it wrong there, but with the pressure and the heat of the moment, it got to me there.

Q. Your decision to take out the fairway wood on the second shot on 18, what went into that decision?

JOSHUA BAI: Bryan is just on. He's not going to make anything less than a par. He could even make birdie, so I thought I just had to give it a shot, try and get on the green, have a putt for Eagle or get it close.

Q. Let's go back to the 14th hole on that 60-degree wedge out of the rough that you hit to 18 inches. What did you see there?

JOSHUA BAI: Yeah, well, on the drive I knew I just didn't want to miss it left. There's plenty of room on the right. I sort of flared it out with the chip. The ball was buried, though, so yeah, I just tried to get it on the green and rolling, and yeah, just rolled out nicely.

Q. The shot on 18, the third shot, were you trying to hit it into the bank?

JOSHUA BAI: I was trying to hit it into the bank. It looked so good the whole way. I thought it was just going to hit the top of the bank and just stop right next to the flag.

Q. You got relief here --

JOSHUA BAI: Yeah, there's a bit of dirt behind it and I knew I had to clip it perfectly, and yeah, just caught it just a touch heavy. Tough shot.

Q. What's it like to play in a match where the momentum changes so much?

JOSHUA BAI: Yeah, it was crazy out there. Almost every single hole one of us won the hole. Just trying to stay focused, just keep doing what I've been doing.

Q. What do you take from this championship in terms of your confidence and where you want to go in the future? Does this take it to another level?

JOSHUA BAI: Yeah. I played really solid the whole week. It's good to know that I can compete at this level. Yeah, I'll be looking forward to trying to play even better in the future.

Q. You'll be back next year, right?

JOSHUA BAI: I'll be back next year, yeah.

Q. In the coming weeks you're going to Spain and then U.S. Amateur?

JOSHUA BAI: Then the U.S. Am, yeah. Looking forward to it.

Q. Tell us about that match that's going to be in Spain. We probably don't know much about that.

JOSHUA BAI: So it's the Asia-Pacific versus Europe, sort of like a Ryder Cup style, 12 men, two rounds of foursomes, two rounds of four-ball, and singles on the last day. Pretty exciting.

Q. Do you know much about Cherry Hills where the Amateur is going to be?

JOSHUA BAI: I just heard the ball goes far there.

Q. That's Colorado.

JOSHUA BAI: It'll be interesting.