U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 16, 2023

Nick Dunlap

Cherry Hills Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Just talk us through that match. Obviously a lot of anticipation out there, and you pulled it out.

NICK DUNLAP: I'm spent, man. I think this was a match that I lot of people wanted to see. Obviously he's the No. 1 player in the world for a reason. He's a hell of a player. Wasn't expecting any gifts from him. Just kind of throwing punches all day long and see who could withstand them at the end.

Q. Could you feel the anticipation?

NICK DUNLAP: Oh, yeah.

Q. Were there a lot of people out there, and what did that feel like?

NICK DUNLAP: It's everything that you would kind of imagine. A lot of people on the first tee, entire pond was surrounded on 17. It's just cool. This is why I practice is to go head-to-head with somebody like Gordon. It's an honor, and like I said, it's why I do what I do.

Q. He had you for 1-up for most of the front nine and I think things flipped on 10. Do you feel like that's when momentum really swung?

NICK DUNLAP: I do. I thought maybe if I could get the tee, and he put a lot of pressure on me on the front with some of his 390-yard drives, but I thought if I could get the tee and maybe start applying some pressure of my own that maybe I could flip the momentum in my favor.

Q. We know how strong of a summer you've had. Did that feel like a round of 64 match or did it feel like a championship match?

NICK DUNLAP: No, man. My caddie Jeff did a great job keeping me in there. I got frustrated a couple times, didn't show it, and hats off to him. He kept me in the match early when things were going south. Yeah, just was able to keep it tight until the birdie on 10 and everything kind of changed from there.

Q. I know you mentioned everyone around 17. Did you look around and see how many people were actually following you?

NICK DUNLAP: 17 was fun. Jeff, when we were walking down 1, he's like, man, just take a look back and just embrace this. I didn't even see it. I couldn't feel my hands. It was kind of on 17 when I was finally able to look up, like man, this is pretty cool, especially at a place like this and in the match we were in. It was pretty neat.

Q. What's the plan tonight to recharge?

NICK DUNLAP: Yeah, like I said, that took a lot out of me. I'm going to go get some food, relax, make a couple phone calls, putt for maybe 20 minutes and head back to the hotel and relax.

Actually me and a couple of the reps may go whack it around in some putt-putt. That sounds kind of fun, release some tension a little bit.

Q. You've got the hometown kid Conner Jones tomorrow.

NICK DUNLAP: Sweet.

Q. What do you think those crowds will be like?

NICK DUNLAP: Probably about the same. We had a lot of people out there today, so we'll see.

Q. I know you and Gordon have gotten to know each other this past week, knew each other pretty well before that even. Were you guys talking at all out there or were you guys both locked in?

NICK DUNLAP: A little. I just think, at least from my end, I don't know about him, there's maybe a mutual respect of game between us two, growing up in the same hometown. I think we've always been pushed against each other, and it wasn't until three or four days ago where it got a little bit closer, and like I said, I've got a lot of respect for him and looking forward to teaming up with him in about three, four weeks.