U.S. AMATEUR FOUR-BALL

May 28, 2024

Blades Brown

Jackson Herrington

Philadelphia Cricket Club

Quick Quotes

Q. First match you won a little more comfortably. This one went further. Give me your thoughts on the day overall.

BLADES BROWN: I thought we -- we actually know we didn't really play very solid today. We were out of position a lot, but luckily we had a few good shots coming down the back nine.

Snagged one on 10. That was nice.

Chipped in on 11.

And then birdied 12.

So three in a row right there got us back to 2-up after a short miss on 8.

Today we definitely need to sharpen some edges a little bit. Thought we did well overall.

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Yeah, the start of the day was a lot better. The first match was clearly a lot better. I hit it a little better this morning and then came out the second round and wasn't hitting it very good.

So it was mostly on Blades for most of the day. Then I finally showed up. Started hitting some good shots on the back nine, and then we kind of started to get back to ourselves.

Then obviously started winning some holes there and separated ourselves. It was good.

Q. How much of that was the wind and how much was ya'll's game would you say?

BLADES BROWN: I think the wind definitely played a huge factor, because once you start getting the wind -- like on hole 8 I had a three-footer or two-footer and I backed off three times. Then the wind just kept hitting me and then I missed.

So I think the wind is a huge factor. But it's also mental. Going on to the back nine I'm sure when I chipped in on hole 11 those guys were like, golly.

Yeah, I think just controlling your mind and just playing the golf that you know how to play will definitely take you far.

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Yeah, I would agree. It's definitely mental like he said, but with some of those pins it was tough to really access them and get really close.

You had to accept 15, 20 feet and just try to make a putt. You had to be fine with some holes par.

BLADES BROWN: Par goes a long way.

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Some holes par won. It was just -- out there it was all mental out there.

BLADES BROWN: Yeah.

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Wind definitely played a huge part of it.

Q. You guys talk a lot about the mental factor and you guys are two of the youngest guys out here. Wondering how are you able to have such a good, strong mentality at this young age, especially playing guys pretty much all older than you?

BLADES BROWN: Well, I just know because of my age that I'm going to -- especially in the morning tomorrow my age definitely plays a factor because I'm a lot younger. My body doesn't need to warm up as long as some of these guys do.

But no, I mean, I think that if we just stick to our game plan, you know, should be fun.

JACKSON HERRINGTON: I think it's all just confidence for me. I know I have the shots and I practiced them, so just continue to execute. I just got to do it. Yeah, I think that's really it. Get off to a hot start in the morning.

BLADES BROWN: The biggest thing that we're trying to do is have fun. This is golf. Like this is a -- golf to us is so much fun. Some of these guys I noticed they get really fixed over a shot. At the end of the day it's just golf. You're supposed to have fun.

It's not supposed to be easy but you're supposed to have fun.

Q. How much did you guys know about your opponents going into the day today? Two of them were college kids, the first two guys, and the last two guys...

BLADES BROWN: These guys are Wake Forest, right?

JACKSON HERRINGTON: They were New Mexico State.

Q. Yeah. The first guys were --

BLADES BROWN: I think one of those guys was an assistant coach for Wake Forest.

JACKSON HERRINGTON: I knew more about the second guys because I had our walking scorer yesterday, he DM'd me on Instagram. He was like, hey, these guys are really good with irons, so watch for that.

That's all I really knew. I knew them because they were in front of us yesterday. We saw a little glimpse of them, but we didn't see much of anybody. We just stuck to our own game plan and went from there.

Q. Do you guys know about your opponents tomorrow?

BLADES BROWN: No, uh-uh.

Q. Know who they were?

JACKSON HERRINGTON: No idea.

Q. It's Trey Diehl and Mac Scott.

BLADES BROWN: Never -- no idea.

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Oh, they beat Payne? Payne is an MTSU assistant coach. He is one of our friends.

BLADES BROWN: Yeah, 7:20. Going to be an early one. That ice cream though, whoo.

Q. That's true. It helps you. Very true. And then another question, a little more for you. Being on the junior National Team, Gianna has done great things since the junior, and obviously before and now that she's been established as part of the team. Asterisk won the Four-Ball last week. Then Miles obviously is doing great things as well. How much of that program maybe has helped you in preparation for this or in general in your game? And how much do you think it like, you know, could propel you further?

BLADES BROWN: It's been awesome. To be able to represent a nation, more or less America from where I was born, is incredible. And then to see all of my friends, Gianna, Miles, all these guys doing some amazing things fires me up and gives me fuel to go out and pursue and play really good golf.

Yeah, it's a huge honor to be able to be part of that team. Coach Zambri, the head coach, he has been awesome. Very analytical. Helped me with course management.

Yeah, it's just so awesome being part of that team.

Q. For you, you're committed to Tennessee, right?

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Yes, sir.

Q. How much -- have you got any help? Already been talking to your coach? How has that process helped you maybe going into this summer?

JACKSON HERRINGTON: It's been huge. They've really started helping me with like I can call them on course management stuff, what do I need to do here, because they've been to most courses I play and they give me advice.

It's been huge for me planning my summer. Like I text them, hey, I've got Sunnehanna and Western Junior; which one is better? And they say Sunnehanna or something like that.

But they really wanted me to stack my spring and summer in amateur events. They've played a huge part in that. It's been awesome.

Q. Have you been talking to them this week, to Zambri and your coach in Tennessee?

JACKSON HERRINGTON: I talked to them earlier in the week, but they're kind of letting me stay focused and locked in.

But I text them. They're playing the NCAAs. I've kind of let them have their space and they've let me have mine to stay focused.

I've talked to them a little bit.

Q. Any good advice?

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Yeah, they asked me how the courses were and then stick to my game plan and stuff like that.

But, yeah, it's been -- I've spoke to them a little bit.

BLADES BROWN: Scott Stallings texted me and said, ya'll are some dogs. Keep the birdies rolling.

Q. That's awesome. So you talked to Zambri as well this week?

BLADES BROWN: A little bit, yeah. I think that he actually has like a big game ready thing about the scores, but he's been sending me texts like, hey, good luck. Jackson is a bomber. Just hit the fairway.

I'm his life insurance. I just hit the fairway and Jackson just bombs it 800 yards past me then has wedge in when I have 5-iron in. Kind of unfair, but, yeah, we make it work.

Q. I think Diehl, I heard that he drove a couple greens today or something along those lines, or basically near... wondering has there been anybody you played so far this week that had that similar kind of length?

BLADES BROWN: Uh-uh.

Q. If not, what do you think going into tomorrow, a match like that?

BLADES BROWN: I would love to see a guy hang up with Jackson. I mean, I haven't seen it yet. Only other person is Gordon, Gordon Sargent. I think if he does hit it as far as Jackson it's going to fire Jackson up even more.

Q. You feel the same?

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Yeah, I feel the same. Definitely helps. It's a big advantage because I'll have 8-iron into a par-5 and he'll be hitting 5 or 4-iron into a par-5. Especially with my length, par-3s I'm going to have two, three less clubs. Just things like that.

And like today on 16 I was 49 yards from the green when he was probably, what --

BLADES BROWN: 130.

JACKSON HERRINGTON: Yeah, I still made par, but yea, just a huge advantage to have less club into the green.