U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 24, 2006

Ryan Yip

PETE KOWALSKI: You continued some good play, you had some fun this summer with your semifinals at the Canadian Am and now you're making a dent in the match play field like you did at Merion last year. Tell us how it went out there today?

RYAN YIP: I played really solid today. I just didn't make any bogeys, that was the big difference. If you don't make any bogeys on this golf course, you're playing really well. Stuck to my game plan, tried to hit as many fairways and greens as possible without making any mistakes.

PETE KOWALSKI: Did your experience lasted year at Merion, probably a surprise to some folks but not to you, help you?

RYAN YIP: Yeah, the quarterfinals last year, that was really fun and I learned a lot from that. I kind of know now what it takes to get to the next stage and hopefully just keep playing the way I have and keep advancing.

PETE KOWALSKI: Tell us, a 6 & 5 victory, but tell us where it started to turn your way. What happened?

RYAN YIP: I think the biggest turn was on 9. I made probably a 40 foot birdie putt, I knew if I just kind of lagged it down there and got it close it would be tough for him to beat me on the hole and it happened to fall in. I think that's where it really turned.

Q. What is it about the big stage that brings out the best in you?

RYAN YIP: There's a long way to go yet but I just think, I really enjoy match play. I know if I can make it to match play, I'll do quite well. I just make a lot of birdies, but sometimes in stroke play, I'll make double here and there, and in match play, it doesn't really matter.

Q. Talk about playing somebody who has had some success at the USGA level.

RYAN YIP: Really to be honest, I didn't really know what he'd done. It just dawned on me when I was walking down 10 fairway, I was like, I think this kid won the U.S. Junior. Coming from Canada, sometimes I don't pay attention to that. I just played real solid I guess.

Q. With Kevin's father (Bob Tway) on the bag, is there an intimidation factor, is that relevant?

RYAN YIP: It's a big help. Obviously he's a major champion. I thought about it going into the round but once I got out there and I hit a real solid shot on 1, made birdie there, I was just like, here we go, just get out there and I didn't really think about it after that.

Q. Are you assuming you're a candidate for the World Amateur, would you go?

RYAN YIP: I don't know, it's up to Canada. I've love to go. But again, it's up to Canada, it's not up to me.

PETE KOWALSKI: Do you feel like even with your quarterfinals status from last year, that feather under your cap, do you feel like you're still under the radar here?

RYAN YIP: I would say so, yeah. I didn't play well in college this year and had a tough time and lately I've been playing a lot better. I've played well this summer. It's starting to show in my game and finally it's starting to click, so hopefully just keep on playing well.

Q. Was there something that went wrong?

RYAN YIP: Golf is a funny game. Sometimes you've just got to fight your way back. I've been working real hard on my game and it's been starting to payoff lately.

PETE KOWALSKI: You look at the bracket, your next match, would be Billy Horschel.

RYAN YIP: I don't really know who he is. I only know he shot 60. So he's a great player, you shoot 60. So hopefully, I have no idea what to expect. Hopefully go out there and play my own game and not worry with what he's doing because I can control myself.

Q. And you've just graduated?

RYAN YIP: I've got two classes left but I'm done. So I'm going to go and finish my degree and hopefully turn pro after that.

Q. So you're going back this fall?

RYAN YIP: Yeah.

Q. What did you learn last year?

RYAN YIP: What I learned last year is once you get into match play, it doesn't matter who the person is, what he's done in the past. You've just got to hit one shot at's time. I know everyone says that, but it's so true, so true, in match play especially. You've just got to feed off the momentum.

I learned last year that you've just got to stay really focused. There's a lot of people out there at times and you've just got to stay really focused and not let anything distract you.

Q. How did the golf course play today, obviously with the rain it's different from first round qualifying?

RYAN YIP: Well, it's really different. It's like night and day. I mean, a lot of wedges are spinning back now where they didn't before. I'd say it's playing a little bit longer, but yet I think it's playing easier because you can hold the ball on the green. You don't have to worry about running it through the green.

Q. Is that an advantage in match play where you can be a little more aggressive?

RYAN YIP: Yeah, I like being aggressive, so I just fire at the pins and hopefully it stays around the hole and doesn't spin back.

The big concern now is spinning it back too much, whereas before you're worried about it bouncing over. Now you're worried about spinning it back. So that's the big difference with the course.

PETE KOWALSKI: Is the golf course difficulty such that you think par can win matches?

RYAN YIP: I don't think so anymore. I mean, the players are just too good nowadays where you go out there and shoot par, you might get run over. I mean, look what happened today. I played well and he probably shot maybe 1 over. I think I was 3 under. Just the players are too good. I mean, he's capable of making four birdies in a row out there, so that was in the back of my head the whole time.

So I had to keep going after it. That's what a lot of the players, great players can do at any time; anyone can make four birdies in a row real easy and it can change the match real fast.

Q. Inaudible?

RYAN YIP: If they want my help, I'll give them my help. I don't know what's going on yet. So hopefully I'll be around them, I lived with the guys.

Q. How many Kent State guys are in the field?

RYAN YIP: John Hahn is coming there. Ben Moser and myself. And then Doug Hassle went there many years ago. So just the French kid, Boucher, and Ben Moser. There's three of us. I don't think there's anyone left beside me.

End of FastScripts.