U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 21, 1997

Ryuji Imada

RYUJI IMADA: Yeah, I've been getting off to a good start, making pars and birdies and a couple holes in the beginning, so I've been getting off to a good start. So it's been a good week for me.

RYUJI IMADA: Yeah. Morning round, I got off to a good start. I made a birdie on 2 -- made a birdie on 2 and --

RYUJI IMADA: Or did I -- no, I didn't. That was yesterday. No. Actually, I bogeyed -- I missed like a 2 1/2 foot putt to go even. And then 4, I had a straight up-the-hill about 15 feet, and I made it to go one up -- no, two up. And then 5, I made about another 15-foot to go three up. And then 6, I won with par. So I'm four up now. And 7 -- no, wait a minute. I'm all messed up.

RYUJI IMADA: I was five up after 8.

RYUJI IMADA: Let's see. 8 --

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I played well, solid, and I was really fortunate to win this -- win that first match. He was trying to come back, but I just kept making pars and, you know, and then just played solid, middle of the green, fairways and the middle of the greens, so I played really solid this morning.

RYUJI IMADA: Afternoon. Let's see. Well, Robert bogeyed the first hole. And then I made a bogey on 3. And 4, he bogeys it. And 5, he holes a shot from 120 out from the bunker, so we go back to even. And 8 and 9, made birdies. 10, I won with par. 11, was tied. 12, I bogeyed. I 3-putt it from about 40 feet, I would say. And 13, I was in the middle of the fairway, but I pulled my second shot into the bunker and I bogeyed it. And so we're back to -- I'm one up. On 17 -- no, not 17 -- 14, I hit a 6-iron, just about 25 feet right of the hole, and I was downhill right-to-left, and I made it to go two up. And then on 17, I made a par to win the match.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I birdied 8 from about 130 in the middle of the fairway.

RYUJI IMADA: About 7 feet.

RYUJI IMADA: Yeah, Robert was in trouble, but he knocked it to about 4 feet for par, but I was about 8 feet, and I made mine.

RYUJI IMADA: Yeah.

RYUJI IMADA: 10, well, he was in trouble again, and he hit his second shot into the bunker, and I missed it to the back of the green, and I chipped it up and made a par, and he missed his par putt.

RYUJI IMADA: His putt?

RYUJI IMADA: I would say about 6 feet, 5 1/2, 6 feet.

RYUJI IMADA: Oh, well, I was kind of expecting him to make that putt, so it wasn't that hard, you know. It wasn't that bad, you know, heartbreaking, but my putt was just uphill right-to-left, real easy putt. So I, you know, I knew I could make it.

RYUJI IMADA: About 13 feet.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I really didn't care about that, you know. Robert and I are players, and, you know, he's not playing, so -- and I know Robert real well. We've been friends for a long time, so it was a fun match.

RYUJI IMADA: What is that?

RYUJI IMADA: Oh, yeah. I really didn't -- you know, I really didn't let it get to me at all.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, he was staring some putts, but I just made it on him.

RYUJI IMADA: Oh, yes, it was. I just touched it, and I knew it was going to be fast because I saw it on TV yesterday, and some guys were hitting it from the right side, and it's just so fast, you know, I just sort of just touched it, and it went in.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I've been playing well, so, yes, I was -- I'm expecting myself to be, you know, in this position, to, you know -- I guess to do better. I finished second at Public Links, so that was a good experience for me, and hopefully I can win a few more matches.

RYUJI IMADA: I don't know about better, but I'm playing as good. I'm playing really solid, you know, hitting the ball the way I want to hit it, putting it well. So it -- it's -- I hope it will be a good week for me.

RYUJI IMADA: Yeah, my short game is my strength. I practice a lot, so yeah, it's my strength.

RYUJI IMADA: Right.

RYUJI IMADA: I really can't say anything right now. I don't know what he'll do, but I'm sure he'll be great, you know, whatever he does, whatever he decides to do.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I'm sure I can say that. As he did today, he made, you know, he made great up-and-down on 11, 12, and 16, you know. He was just clutch, you know. He's really good, you know. He's got -- he's got what it takes to be great, you know.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, that's a hard question. That's really true. I didn't know a lot of players from Public Links. But the players I played against, you know, I knew them all. So I would say that the U.S. Amateur is a stronger field than the Public Links and less players. I mean, more players at U.S. Amateur, you know.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, he was -- he was the Vice President of AJGA and I played that Tour for five years, so I knew him real well.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I didn't start talking to him until probably April.

RYUJI IMADA: Oh, I called him.

RYUJI IMADA: Yeah.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I'm interested in going to school, yeah, so --

RYUJI IMADA: Yeah.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I considered going to Florida, but it just didn't work out.

RYUJI IMADA: Yeah, pretty much.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, I really thought about turning pro after high school, but I thought, you know, just when I have the opportunity to go to college, I, you know, might as well take it, you know. And then --

RYUJI IMADA: Really close, yeah.

RYUJI IMADA: No, not to sign anything, but I thought about playing on the mini tours and, you know, turning pro.

RYUJI IMADA: I'd say about a year ago.

RYUJI IMADA: It was just, you know, I talked to a lot of people, and I hear that, you know, college is a great, you know, competition -- college golf is a great competition. And a lot of people say that the college, when they're in college, they have the best, you know, time in their life. So, you know, I thought it would be nice for me to go try to go to college for a little bit.

RYUJI IMADA: Well, my coach, Rich, you know, he and I talk a lot, and he kind of -- he thought that I should go to college instead of turning pro. You know, I'm only 20 years old. I can enjoy my life for a few more years.