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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 23, 2007

Eddie Olson

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

CRAIG SMITH: Eddie, congratulations. I know it's been a long day, but winning matches 2, matches 3, you're a quarter finalist at the U.S. Amateur. That has to sound pretty good, even though it was along day.
EDDIE OLSON: Yeah, it's been, oh, my, I'm exhausted. It was a grind out there today and I'm glad it's over and glad I came out on top.
I just hung in there the whole day. This afternoon it was tough. We both kind of scraped it around, but I just found a way to win. I hung in there all day and fought until the end.
CRAIG SMITH: I think in both of those matches you kind of found something in the reserve tank on the last home stretch.
EDDIE OLSON: I think so, yeah. The front nine today was really sloppy. I think I hit one fairway. I just told myself on the back nine I think I was 2-down after 9. I just kept telling myself to hit fairways and greens.
Because it was getting really difficult out there. The wind was blowing, the course was firming up. And you had to hit the ball in the fairway and on the green if you wanted to make par out there. And that's all I tried to do coming in.
CRAIG SMITH: We talked a lot about other Californians to this point and you're the last man standing. And it must make you feel pretty good. And where does this put you for your expectations prior to coming into the week?
EDDIE OLSON: I came here to do one thing and that's win. And that's what I'm going to try to continue to do. I'm going to continue fighting until the end. And who knows. I'm going to just keep grinding to the end.

Q. Kim had a junior here in '94, and he also, you guys played each other earlier this summer?
EDDIE OLSON: Yeah, at the state amateur.

Q. So do you feel like he had a little bit of an edge coming into this match?
EDDIE OLSON: I think so. But I wanted a little revenge from him. And fortunately I got it. But I knew he was going to be really tough. He was, he's a great player and he's had an 8-0 record on this golf course. And I knew he was going to be a really tough competitor to beat. And my whole game plan this week was fairways and greens.
Because the golf course is so difficult and if you miss a fairway, you're going to struggle to make par. And I was, that was me on the front nine today. And, but like I said, I hung in there, I grinded until the end.
CRAIG SMITH: Your heart must have sunk when you hit the approach shot at 18.
EDDIE OLSON: Yeah, I -- it was, unfortunately, it was perfect yardage and it happens. I just chunked it. And unfortunately he didn't hit a great shot either or fortunately he didn't hit a great shot either. But that's golf.
The nerves were there and I just, I embraced them and I just tried to just stay in the moment and hit the best shot I could. And unfortunately I chunked it. But a win is a win and I'll take it.

Q. What did you hit there?
EDDIE OLSON: On 18 I hit a 9-iron.

Q. Did you play here in the Pacific Coast Amateur last year?
EDDIE OLSON: I did.

Q. And how did you do?
EDDIE OLSON: I think I finished 7th. Actually played better on the Lake Course than I do on the Ocean. I don't know, there's something about the Lake I don't like.

Q. How would you compare conditions between the two?
EDDIE OLSON: Between the two courses?

Q. Between what it played like this year and what it's playing this week?
EDDIE OLSON: Once you grow the rough out and firm up the greens it's a totally different atmosphere, different course. And I knew that's what it was going to be like. And I knew coming in here I needed to hit fairways. And I worked real hard on my driving before I came here and it paid off early on. I didn't hit too many fairways today, but I'm going to work on it and hopefully it will come back tomorrow for me.

Q. Did you have enough tickets for your buddies to come up to watch you play?
EDDIE OLSON: Yeah, I -- he gave me a lot and I knew a lot of friends were going to come up.

Q. But they all got in to see you?
EDDIE OLSON: Yeah. I had enough. Thank you.

Q. What was the yardage on 18?
EDDIE OLSON: I had 140 to the pin.

Q. What were you thinking on the second shot at 17?
EDDIE OLSON: On 17, the second shot? Well the lie was absolutely horrendous. You might as well just put it in 6 inch rough and step on it, that's how bad it was. I didn't want to punch out, because if I did I would have had 220 in. That's no bargain.
So I hit a sand wedge out and just stayed in the rough there and I tried to make bogey from there and fortunately I didn't, but stepping on 18, I all I was thinking was birdie, just get the ball in the fairway and just hit the ball somewhere on the green and make the putt. And didn't do it, but I birdied the first playoff hole, so it's all good now.
CRAIG SMITH: Just for the record, how far was your approach shot to 1 and then how far was your birdie putt?
EDDIE OLSON: On 1, I had 220 to the hole, 200 to the front edge. I hit a 5-iron. I was a little pumped up. I knew it would go a little further. I hit it around 200 yards. Maybe a little over. And caught it really cleanly. And it was just at the center of the green and I knew it was going to be good.
Sihwan hit a great chip there and I knew I had to lag it up there close. And I hit it outside of him and all I was -- I knew I had to make the putt or it was over. And I stepped over it and just told myself, just make it. I've hit this putt a thousand times and I did it.
CRAIG SMITH: So how far was that and then when you were putting it, you felt pretty defensive, you felt you had to make it or you were going to lose.
EDDIE OLSON: Absolutely. He had four feet. Unfortunately, he missed it. That's a tough way to end it, but I knew I had to make it. I felt if I made it he was definitely going to make or I felt if I missed it he was definitely going to make his. So I had about, what was it, eight, nine-footer. Something like that.

Q. The bunker shot at 16, did you feel -- or sorry, yeah, 16, did you feel like you got a little unlucky there, that you were kind of close enough to the back of the bunker that you kind of had to have an abbreviated swing?
EDDIE OLSON: Well, I was in between clubs on my second shot. I think I had 259 to the pin. And I was trying to get it just somewhere left of the hole. And I had to -- I wanted to draw something in there. I thought 3-wood was too much club because I couldn't really cut it because there was trees. And I felt if I hit a good 5-wood, a good high drawing 5-wood it would have been good. Unfortunately, just hit it straight and kind of didn't go as far as I wanted it to.

Q. What about the lie then?
EDDIE OLSON: The lie in the bunker? It was perfect. It was just a tough bunker shot, I didn't have much green to work with, but.

Q. You seem to think that you were trying to decide between driver and a fairway wood off the tee.
EDDIE OLSON: I stepping up there I knew where the pin was and I knew if I can get it somewhere close to the green in two, left of the hole I had all the green in the world to work with. 3-wood took going for the green in two out of play. And I just I felt even if I missed the fairway I still could advance the ball somewhere near where I could have got the ball on the green in two or on in three, so. But it was just a very overwhelming day.
CRAIG SMITH: How well do you know this golf course?
EDDIE OLSON: I've played it about now probably about 10 times. But I feel very comfortable on this golf course. I think it suits my game very well. And it's a very challenging golf course. I love challenging golf courses. I love where par's a great score. And that's what the U.S. Amateur is. And I'm just going to try to continue to make pars. It's done me well so far and I think it will continue to do well.

Q. Scorecard shows an X on the first hole.
EDDIE OLSON: He hit his -- he hit a second shot in there about eight or nine feet. And I hit mine in the bunker. And I was standing out of the bunker and basically hit it a couple feet and barely advanced the ball. And I was in the front bunkers about 50 yards short of the green and hit my fourth shot over the green and he was going to 2-putt from there at worst.

Q. But then going to the extra holes you have to go back to the first hole. Did that kind of creep into your mind as to what happened?
EDDIE OLSON: Well so far this week I haven't done very well on the first hole. I missed the fairway I think almost every day. And I just stepped up there I just told myself, find a way to get this ball in the fairway. Just do whatever you can. And I did and because then I would have had an opportunity to go for the green in two. And that's what I did.
CRAIG SMITH: Are you more mentally tired or physically tired?
EDDIE OLSON: Mentally. It's been such a grind today. Especially the second matches. It's been up-and-down the whole day and it's I'm exhausted and can't wait to get some sleep.

Q. After 16 where you guys got out on a halve there where he looks like maybe his ball hit something, who knows what, on the putt, but did you feel like after 17 you got away with something there, at 17 did you feel like you let him off the hook going into 18?
EDDIE OLSON: Well, after hitting my drive I told myself play like a par-5 and try to make birdie. And I hit it so far left the lie was just, it was so horrendous I didn't want to chip out, because I would have had over 200 yards in and into that green that's so difficult. I took my chances and tried to get it back in the fairway with a wedge, somewhere up there about within 150 yards and didn't do it. And the bogey putt just missed.
But -- I don't know. 18, I'm -- I was a little disappointed after the hole, but and I collected my thoughts and I got right back in the moment and hit a great tee shot and hit a bad second shot as you guys saw, but I feel great. I feel great right now.

Q. Did it help that he put it in the junk off of 1?
EDDIE OLSON: Well, honestly, I wasn't even really focusing on what he was doing. I was just so focused on what I was doing out there and I just I was so in the moment. I wasn't even aware of my surroundings really and I'm so glad it's over now.

Q. You mentioned friends and family how many of them do you think came up and does that give you a little boost when they're rooting for you?
EDDIE OLSON: I'm not sure how many exactly came up. I saw a lot of their faces out there today. But it's definitely great walking in the fairways and seeing all your friends and family. It gives you an extra boost of confidence and especially being from the hometown, it's great. I have a lot of fans, I have a lot of fan support so far and hopefully it continues.
CRAIG SMITH: I don't know how, being from the east coast, how far away is home and is it too far that you're not staying here?
EDDIE OLSON: Yeah, I'm staying at the host hotel. The home is about 1 hour 20, 1 hour 30 away. And obviously I don't want to drive an hour and 30 minutes every morning to get here, so. But, yeah, it's great to be a local kid. And I just feel great right now. I'm just very overwhelmed.
CRAIG SMITH: Get out of here and get some relaxing sleep. Congratulations.
EDDIE OLSON: Appreciate it. Thanks, guys.

End of FastScripts

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