THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 17, 2024

Harley Smith

Quick Quotes

Q. Harley, 3-under to start your Amateur Championship campaign. Are you pleased with that performance today?

HARLEY SMITH: Yeah, very happy considering the wind, as well. It was nice to get off to a good start.

Q. What stands out as a highlight?

HARLEY SMITH: Probably my putt on the 10th, the back nine. I hit a shot just on, below the tier. The pin is just on the tier and I had like 30 foot up the hill and holed it.

Q. Did it always look like it was going in?

HARLEY SMITH: It was a little bit firm but luckily the flag was left in. It hit the flag and went in.

Q. Any other highlights?

HARLEY SMITH: The birdie on 11 was quite good because I didn't hit driver. I didn't hit driver on 11, so I hit 2-iron off the tee and hit a really good shot in to like 15 foot and holed it. And then the one on 17, I lipped-out I think for a hole-in-one. So that was quite nice, almost.

Q. A little bit of disappointment to see that one lipout there?

HARLEY SMITH: Yeah, it was like I couldn't really physically see from where the tee box was but it looked very close and it kind of finished left of the hole even though it was right of the hole when it was going around it. It was only four or five foot away.

Q. You're coming to the championship in some nice form you and finished runner-up a couple weeks ago. Does that give the confidence a boost?

HARLEY SMITH: It does help with the confidence a lot. Trying to stick to your own game plan and you can't control what anyone else is doing, so you have to play your own game.