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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 18, 2004

Chris Nallen

MAMARONECK, NEW YORK

PETE KOWALSKI: Well, thank you folks for joining us.

Chris, thank you for joining us. Congratulations on your victory. If you could just detail for us how the match went, some of the highlights, where it turned in your favor.

CHRIS NALLEN: I hit it, I played pretty solid today. The first couple of holes I was able to get up-and-down for par, which kind of, you know, first hole I won and then the second hole I won.

The second hole, he was actually in a better position. He was about ten feet above the hole and he ended up 3-putting and I got up-and-down for par. And that really kind of gave me a lift after two.

I think mostly 9, 10, 11 and 12 I was able to birdie and I think that's kind of where the turning point, especially on 9 and 10. I was 4-up after nine, and I hit a really good shot in on 10 to about three or four feet to that back left pin. That pin was pretty tough today.

So, you know, I said if I could just --11 and 12 are not that bad of holes out there, and I hit a good shot in on 11 to about ten feet, 12 feet right below the hole. Had a good look at it and was able to knock that down.

Then 12, I hit another good little pitching wedge from about 111 and was able to just have him give me the putt. I was only about a foot and I half. And he had to make one coming down the hill that was about 25, 30 feet.

I played pretty solid today. I was real happy with it. Getting off, I got off to a little shaky start but my putter kept me in it. I just gained a little bit more confidence. I made some good swings and just tried to repeat them.

PETE KOWALSKI: Is it safe to say that you've been aiming at this event since Oakmont last year, a disappointing finish last year?

CHRIS NALLEN: Definitely. Definitely. This is an event I always look forward to and love to play well at. That was kind of the decision this year after school. I didn't know what I was going to do and whether I was going to turn pro. Having the tournament here, I'm only an hour and a half away from here, my home, so having it here is something special. There's a lot of folks out watching me and supporting me this week. That even makes it better.

Q. Tell us about the four birdies starting with 9 and the distance of the putt and what you hit to it.

CHRIS NALLEN: 9, I had 195 yards in. Hit a really solid 5-iron to about eight feet. He ended up giving me that putt. So, birdie, I don't know if I would have birdied, but it was marked down as a birdie.

Then 10, I hit it to about three feet with a 6-iron, which is probably the best shot I hit all day. And then 11, I made about, like I said, a 10-footer, 12-footer right below the hole.

Then 12, I hit it to about a foot and a half and he gave me that putt.

So obviously, I was hitting it pretty good and getting it close. [] It's so key out here to keep it below the hole. You know, that was my main focus, basically. If you're above the hole out here, it's tough to 2-putt.

Q. How do you feel about the pin placements today, in your opinion?

CHRIS NALLEN: I thought they were pretty fair. There was a couple that were dicey, like 10. But, yeah, they are only going to get harder as the week goes on.

So there are some spots out there that can be pretty deceptive and you've just got to be really careful. It's sometimes better, the old story is, was it Sam Snead that laid up on 3 every day? So, you know, you just takeÃ‚Â -- I was taking less club and just trying to keep it below the hole. Even if I was short 50 feet, rather than being 10 or 12 feet past sometimes is better.

Q. You only lost one hole out there, actually.

CHRIS NALLEN: No. 8.

Q. What does having such a positive first round, a limited amount of stress do for you for the rest of the day and going into tomorrow?

CHRIS NALLEN: It feels good, definitely, to get it over with and keep it going. But, you know, I'm just going to go in with the same attitude tomorrow, try and do the same things and execute the same way.

Obviously I'm thrilled, and that match is over now and I've got to look ahead to the next match.

Q. You talked about the tournament being in your backyard so to speak, but how difficult was it not to turn pro right out?

CHRIS NALLEN: I don't think it was that tough. There's really no rush. Amateur golf is great and I got to do a lot of cool things this summer. I got to go over to Ireland and play at Ballybunion in the Palmer Cup team and a bunch of other tournaments that I've enjoyed playing in the past.

So it wasn't really a tough decision. I talked it over with my coach at Arizona, Coach LaRose, and we thought that that was the best thing for me. I'm happy with the decision.

Q. A few of us have spent some of the week trying to figure out things about Ito. Today obviously was not his best day, but could you just give us your impressions of him?

CHRIS NALLEN: The kid has got a great future. You know, he doesn't hit it all that far right now; obviously, he's 14 years old, and he had a lot of long irons into holes. But he can definitely hit the long irons pretty well.

You know, his putting was a little off today, I think he 3-putted a couple times, and his speed was a little off. He's got a great future and I'm sure it was a great experience for him.

PETE KOWALSKI: Chris, what's the number of times you think you've played Winged Foot; you have some experience here.

CHRIS NALLEN: Four times.

Q. And technically you were 4-under after the 12 holes; is that correct?

PETE KOWALSKI: What we call match-play concessions.

CHRIS NALLEN: Most likely, yeah.

Q. You said you had an 8-footer that he conceded

CHRIS NALLEN: Yeah, 1 and 9. So, yeah about that.

Q. So at worst you're 3-under after 12 and at best 4-under if you make that?

CHRIS NALLEN: Yeah.

Q. Would you characterize this round really as a putter's round for you?

CHRIS NALLEN: No. I hit it pretty well. I was able to put myself in good spots that gave me good looks. I had a lot of pretty straight putts up the hill, but hit it after probably the fourth hole or third hole, I hit it really well. I was swinging at it really well and just felt really comfortable over the ball.

Q. This is a tight golf courses? You've played tight golf courses well.

CHRIS NALLEN: Yeah, in the northeast, that's all we have up here. You go to Arizona and other places, you can kind of spray it here and there.

Q. Is it a difficult mindset to go from two days of stroke-play totally into match-play?

CHRIS NALLEN: Is it a different mindset?

Q. Well, obviously it is a different mindset, but to make that the transition.

CHRIS NALLEN: I think it's a little tough. Obviously, you're just, my goal is to just qualify. Everybody is a good player, and it's just to get under that number.

You don't know who you're going to play in match-play. Sometimes the No. 1, No.Ã‚Â 2 guys that are ranked in the amateur rankings play each other. You play a little different because you're not playing the course as much. You're playing the guy and what he does, and you kind of base some of your shots on his results.

But I've had a lot of experience with match-play, especially last week over in Ireland; we got to play a lot, four matches. You know, I like it.

Q. Before you even took your first swing, the idea of playing a 14-year-old, did that make it a little easier or was there ever a thought running through your head, like, "Geez, what if I lose to a 14-year-old?"

CHRIS NALLEN: Yeah, obviously he's good. He's here. He wouldn't be here if he wasn't good. So I took him the same way that I would take anybody else. I didn't take him lightly, and he's a great player.

Like I said, he's got a great future. But, that does run through your mind a little bit I think, especially when everybody is telling you, guys out there, "Oh, you're playing the 14-year-old, you should be done early. That would suck if you lost to him."

Q. So what do you do the rest of the day now?

CHRIS NALLEN: Grab some lunch, maybe hitÃ‚Â -- well, I don't know. Probably hit a few or just depends on how I feel. Hit some putts, definitely.

Q. You'll beat rush hour no matter what way you go.

CHRIS NALLEN: Well, I'm staying here. I'm not going home. I'm not staying at home for the week. I'm staying at the Crowne Plaza.

PETE KOWALSKI: Chris, congratulations, thanks for joins us.

End of FastScripts.

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