U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 1, 2024

Billy Andrade

Newport Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Billy, now that it's complete, almost complete, just what was the entire experience like for you?

BILLY ANDRADE: Simply amazing. Just everything that I imagined would happen happened. It was just an unbelievable course, setting, Rhode Island, Newport. It just makes me feel very proud to be a Rhode Islander for sure.

Q. What was the emotion like yesterday? Walking up on 18, you hear the horn, thinking okay we got one hole to go. Now obviously got to play tomorrow. So what were you thinking?

BILLY ANDRADE: This is our life. This is what we do. This is -- you see a storm coming in, you knew it was coming in the afternoon. We had fog delays in the morning. So we knew it would be lucky for us to finish.

I think everybody kind of knew that. It is what it is. You just have to -- when they tell you you stop, you stop. When they tell you to go back out there you go back out there and you got to be ready to go.

So I was a little nervous this tent here. What happens if Lightning hits the top of that tent. I think somebody over there, they had to evacuate over there. I was thinking maybe I should go in this clubhouse.

No, it is what it is. You have to wait to out. Sad that we couldn't finish yesterday on Sunday, but going to be a hell of a finish coming down the stretch with this opposite wind today.

Q. You come back and birdie the last hole. Under par.

BILLY ANDRADE: No, no, I par'd it. Couldn't even get to the green in two.

18, driver, 3-wood, 30 yards short of the green. Hell of an up and down, made a hell of he a putt. Very excited that I par'd the last.

Q. How hopeful are you that something like this returns to Newport?

BILLY ANDRADE: I think this golf course stacked up great. I think that -- I haven't heard one complaint from one player. That's odd. Usually somebody that's not happy.

I think it would be awesome to come back here. I know that the Senior Open dates, looks like they're out for maybe four, five years down the road, so I think would be great to come back here. I think everyone had a wonderful time.

Q. For you and Brett, Brad, this game has brought you to places all over the world and this week it brings you back home. Kind of poetic in a way.

BILLY ANDRADE: It's pretty cool. At 60 years old, I've been doing this my whole adult life, and to have a tournament like this at this stage of my career is real special.

Q. What's next? This week are you staying here?

BILLY ANDRADE: It's High Holy week in Bristol. We have the 4th of July parade and 300,000 cronies coming in from all over.

So we have cookouts and stuff, family, and then we go to Akron for the senior players. So that's our next tournament.

Then I'm not going to the British Senior. My niece is getting married in Newport. It's just unbelievable.

So I got three weeks here at home until we go out west.