U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 17, 2023

Nick Dunlap

Cherry Hills Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. One more match down towards the ultimate goal. Talk us through that match today, the second match.

NICK DUNLAP: I just think it's so cool. The first match I got to play against the best player in the world, and the second match I'm playing against a 2025, and he's not even committed. It's wild to me.

This is my fourth U.S. Amateur and first time making match play, and to end up playing somebody like that, it's awesome. Just the week he's had, making it to the sweet 16 is really, really cool. It'll be fun to watch his future.

Q. Since you just talked so highly about him, his second shot into 11, what did you think of that?

NICK DUNLAP: I mean, I kind of thought he was going to lay up, and he pulled 3-wood and laced it through the trees. I had no idea where it went. I just knew it was on a good line.

Yeah, man, it's 640 yards and he made eagle. It's pretty impressive, and he's 15, 16. It's impressive. He played some good golf.

Q. The conditions, this is the most wind you've had all week. The greens seem like they've started firming up. How happy are you with the solid victory this afternoon?

NICK DUNLAP: Yeah, I played great. I had some sloppy iron swings coming down the stretch. I struck it really solid, and that's kind of my goal on a windy day like today. If you hit it in the middle, the ball is not going to move too much. Played great, hit a lot of fairways, hit some greens, and hit one good wedge coming down the stretch.

Q. Both rounds today, you started really strong, a bit of a mid-round lull and then you finish really strong. How are you able to overcome that mid-round lull both times?

NICK DUNLAP: It was a little frustrating this morning. I gave some holes away on 10 and 11, but Andrew made eagle on 11 and I hit a good one on 12. Like I've told everybody, they're allowed to make eagles, they're allowed to hit good shots, and I just have to fend them off when they do.

Q. You've beat the No. 1 amateur, the last kid from Colorado remaining and the youngest kid remaining. Do you feel like being kind of that giant slayer there's a little bit of a target on your back at this point?

NICK DUNLAP: If there is, there is. I'm just going to try to go do me. Me and my caddie have a good game plan for this place, and it's kind of just to bank on my mid irons and short irons and go from there.

Q. Who is your caddie this week?

NICK DUNLAP: His name is Jeff Curl. He played on the TOUR 13, 14 years. His dad played 200 PGA TOUR events probably. So he's been around. He's seen some good ones. He's a lot of fun, and I trust him. He's good on my bag.

Q. What have you learned -- I know you're a really talented match player, won the North and South earlier this year, but what have you learned about yourself to be able to get to this point?

NICK DUNLAP: A lot, man. I haven't had a match go my way completely. I've been faced with adversity whether it was Gordon early or these two matches kind of mid round I was able to try to halt them. Colorado kid earlier, I felt like the fans were rooting him on too hard.

There's just certain shots where you just have to step up and hit a good one, and I was able to make some putts to keep me in it, and that got me where I am now.

Q. This summer, very successful for you overall. What about your game has been so good to take you to this next level specifically?

NICK DUNLAP: Yeah, I think I've been driving it really well coming into this week. Obviously you don't hit a ton of drivers out here. I think that I haven't played much in the Midwest, and Denver to be exact, but it kind of reminds me a little bit of a northeast golf course where it's a lot of positioning, like irons, 3-woods, whether it's hybrids off the tees or whatever to position it correctly on the green and make sure you don't short-side yourself because the rough is pretty brutal. If you're in the wrong spot you're going to pay the price for it. Yeah, just kind of make sure to leave myself in the right spots on the greens.