U.S. SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 30, 2023

Jody Fanagan

Martis Camp Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Congratulations, a 19-hole win. Just a roller coaster of a match. What are your emotions right now going into a final?

JODY FANAGAN: I don't know, very exciting. On this course, you're never done. I played great in the first nine, ten holes and I was 4-up, but you know the match is not over. A lot of golf to be played, and Bob is a really great player.

I hit a few bad shots on the back nine but hung in there at the end.

Long day, two matches today, so it was a long day, but looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. You've played Bob before. You've played in the Concession Cup, you lost that match. What did that experience teach you that helped you reverse the script today?

JODY FANAGAN: Yeah, you get no easy matches. The guys are really strong. We played Bob in Spain last November and Bob got the better of me that day.

I was certainly up for it.

But it teaches you that if you play your game, you're good enough. I didn't play my game that day, but today I was better. It was a great match but just got over the line.

Q. Tell us about your game a little bit. What do you feel about this course suits your strengths?

JODY FANAGAN: I think nobody is going to hit 18 greens in regulation. You need to chip and putt well. I've always been a reasonably good chipper and putter and short game.

You hope to hit as many fairways as you can because if you're in the rough here, you're really struggling. That's a key part. So when I drive it well or hit the tee shots well, I go well.

Then try to save myself a few up-and-downs. But hopefully hole a few putts at vital times tomorrow.

Q. Throughout the week you've been playing a lot of golf on this course. How would you assess the conditions, and how do you expect them to be tomorrow?

JODY FANAGAN: Oh, Martis Camp is majestic. It's hard, it's tough, it's beautiful, in great condition. I expect it to be the exact same California weather. It's just been perfect every day, six days in a row. I expect the same tomorrow, but I've just got to bring my game.

Q. Lastly, this is a fun little bit about your opponent tomorrow. Todd White, Walker Cupper much like yourself. You played in the '90s, Todd as recently as 2013. How interesting is that to you? Is that something that's -- are you a superstitious guy? Does the winner tomorrow win the Walker Cup? How does that measure for you?

JODY FANAGAN: Wow. Walker Cup, I think I need a very good memory to remember back in 1995. But Todd is obviously more recent, but I don't know Todd, but I'm looking forward to playing with Todd tomorrow.

As we're playing tomorrow, the Walker Cup is about to start in St Andrews I think in a couple of days, so I'll be keeping an eye on that on the weekend.

It's one-on-one, play Todd. I just have to look after my own game. That's what I'm looking forward to.

Q. The Walker Cup, as a young man, what did that experience contribute to your golfing life?

JODY FANAGAN: Well, you know, I was a career amateur, so it's the peak of an amateur's career. I was never going to turn pro. It wasn't on my radar. To get selected and to play and to win and to contribute positively, dream come true for me.

It's a great experience for the amateur guys, and I'm sure they'll have a great weekend at St Andrews on the weekend.

Q. I heard some guy named Tiger on that American team was pretty good, too, right?

JODY FANAGAN: He was pretty special all right, yeah. It was his first time playing links and he probably struggled a little bit in the tough weather in Wales back in 1995, but you could see that he had all the attributes. He was class.

Q. You were 4-up going to the 12th tee. What's going through your mind?

JODY FANAGAN: Well, genuinely, you know how tough this course is. One or two average shots, you're in the rough, and you can't make par, and the guy goes on a stretch of par, par, par, birdie, birdie, and I was lucky -- it's tough. You know it's tough, and you assume nothing.

Q. On the 19th you hit a pretty poor drive and he gives you a break, doesn't reach the green with a wedge.

JODY FANAGAN: Well, I knew -- he was actually not as good. He was in the right rough, and it wasn't that great. So I wasn't going right blocked by the trees, so I did sneak it down the left a little bit. That's my play all week is hit a rescue down the left and hit it on the green and see where it takes me.

Q. Obviously he didn't get up-and-down, you didn't get up-and-down --

JODY FANAGAN: It's really tough; you can't miss it left there, and he missed it left.

Q. Do you like this first hole? You birdied it in the morning.

JODY FANAGAN: We both did. We both did. So yeah, yeah, it's a good hole.

Q. First USGA championship and you're in a final, how about that? One for one.

JODY FANAGAN: Yeah, came here for the experience and playing with the best amateurs, and this is a marvelous place, Martis Camp. It's just a pleasure.

Q. You've got some perks by making the final: Senior Open next year at Newport, U.S. Amateur next year at Hazeltine, and if you want to you can play the Mid-Am in a couple weeks. I know you've got other obligations --

JODY FANAGAN: I do. I do.

Q. But if you win it you actually get another year. You're in the Senior Open next year. You could play with Padraig.

JODY FANAGAN: Oh, I'd embarrass myself. Looking forward to it.