THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 22, 2024

Jacob Skov Olesen

Quick Quotes

Q. Congratulations, you are our 129th Amateur Champion. Can you tell us how you're feeling?

JACOB SKOV OLESEN: Pretty good. Pretty damn good. I can now finally say I'm tired. Couldn't say that the other days. You don't want to seem like you're out of energy, and not that I am out of energy. But definitely it's been a long couple days but some really good days, so I feel really happy. I feel really proud and honoured. So yeah.

Q. Can you tell us what it means to be the first Danish Champion?

JACOB SKOV OLESEN: Yeah, that's pretty awesome. I haven't really gotten to think about that. But I guess that's something I'll have forever, which is super cool. Hope it can inspire someone else from Denmark to win next year or maybe some other years in the future.

But yeah, it's an honour, and I'm really proud to be the first Danish winner.

Q. I've asked you a couple of times, do you start to dare to dream about the prizes on offer. They are yours now. Are you thinking about The Open? It's only in a couple weeks.

JACOB SKOV OLESEN: I've thought about it all day, all night. Not too much. Not trying to think about it too much. I will say on 15, the last putt there, I was thinking, two putts from 15 feet and you get to play The Open and the Masters and the U.S. Open if I choose to stay amateur for so long. That was probably the first time I really allowed myself to think about it.

Yeah, it's so awesome. It's so cool. It's what you dream of since you were a kid, to get to play those and play those courses and play against those fields. So yeah, it's really cool.

Q. Can you talk to us about the match? From the outside watching it, it did look like you were in control for the post part but he did give you a few little scares there.

JACOB SKOV OLESEN: Yeah, I felt pretty in control. I got up 3-up a couple times, but I seemed to just throw it all away, throw the 3-up away right away. You know, there's a big mental difference between 2 and 3, I feel.

So I really wanted to come out strong to kind of take it away from being there tipping, and managed to do really well in the start of the second round and kind of put some distance to where you start thinking more about tying some holes and kind of just trying to drag the match on. Like I said earlier, as well, when he won 9 and 10, I told myself, I told my caddie, let's just get a tie on the next hole just to kind of stop the bleeding and stop his momentum a little bit and get the match closer.

Yeah, we did that well. I felt I was in control. Got down really early on but three holes later, I was up and didn't look way from there.

Q. Can you tell us about your hole-out from the bunker, and then when he eagles, what was going through your mind?

JACOB SKOV OLESEN: Yeah, I know. It was a pretty straightforward putt he had. But you know, I still just figured, give it a try from the bunker and at least put the pressure on.

I hit it way too hard. It had so much speed on, but it caught the pin and went in, and I kind of, you know, at least there's a chance for tying the hole there.

But he made the putt. It was a really, really good eagle.

Q. Is there any other kind of moment that really stands out that when you think back to this match, you're going to be like, oh, yeah, I really remember that shot or that hole?

JACOB SKOV OLESEN: I think the par putt on 14 in the first round, I just lost 13 after probably the worst shot of the day, my second shot. I had a long, tough one there for par just to halve the hole and stay 2-up. I managed to just sneak it in.

I think that one was really important and not let him get the 1, and I think it never got to 1.

That stands out right now. I thought about that already; that that felt pretty key to keep it at 2 and not let him try and go on a run.

Q. Congratulations. We look forward to seeing you at The Open.

JACOB SKOV OLESEN: Thank you.