U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 16, 2023

Cooper Jones

Cherry Hills Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. I mean, that's a high-quality match. How does it feel to come out of it?

COOPER JONES: It feels great. I don't think it's quite sunk in yet, but it feels great beat a player of his caliber in that way.

Q. And what were you thinking when he's making all those putts to halve the hole? I mean, did it feel like he was ever going to miss?

COOPER JONES: Yeah, no, after watching him all day I was expecting him, like every single one I was like, there is no chance he misses that 12-footer. That's crazy to say. But he's a phenomenal putter. That's why he's one of the best.

Q. When the 30-footer you sank on the 20th hole went in were you thinking, I got this or...

COOPER JONES: No, once again, same as hole 1. I just said, well, glad I pushed it to hole 21.

Q. Where would you rank this win in your young career?

COOPER JONES: I mean, at the top. I mean, first U.S. Am to come out here and win a match like that, it feels great.

Very close to the top.

Q. You good a good job of coming back from being 3-down. How did you do it?

COOPER JONES: Yeah, I mean, I came out swinging pretty good. He gave me a couple holes, and then I letdown and I felt like gave him a few back. Make a great putt on 10 and I was like -- I couldn't think about it. I just had to play great golf.

I figured being at Cherry Hills there's mistakes out there, so I had to play great golf.

Q. And you came right back at him. You won the next two holes. 11 was a birdie. How do you do that one?

COOPER JONES: Not the easy way. Hit it in the left rough. Swung as hard as I could. I had 8-iron left about I think 185 and then hit it to 25 feet, and huge five- to ten-foot breaker slid in there.

Q. And then you finally caught him on 17. How do you make that birdie?

COOPER JONES: Yeah, I mean, I had a good drive. Just barely in the rough, and then I laid up to 85 yards. Overspun a wedge a little to probably 18, 15 feet maybe, and then just had a good read and made the putt.

Q. When you win a match like this and everything it took to win it, what kind of confidence do you gain?

COOPER JONES: Yeah, I mean, I was asked that. Huge confidence. To know that I can make those putts and make up and downs like did I on 1, a lot of confidence.

Q. And then finally, how does Cherry Hills, you obviously won a match today, but how does it suit your play for match play?

COOPER JONES: Yeah, usually, I mean, you got to keep it in the fairway out here. Usually my driver is pretty straight. It's been a struggle this week, but the greens are so pure and I feel like my putting is really good. If you can just keep it in the fairway you can score out here.