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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 29, 2009

Ben Martin

TULSA, OKLAHOMA

THE MODERATOR: Like to welcome Ben Martin into the interview area, 5 and 4 winner over Charlie Holland. Ben, you're a finalist at the US Amateur. How does that feel?
BEN MARTIN: I could get used to it. I guess I have to. But just got one more match to go, so hopefully I can get it done tomorrow.
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Ben.

Q. Did you expect such an easy match today? When you look at the score, Charlie wasn't exactly on.
BEN MARTIN: I watched Charlie's interview yesterday talking about how his matches have all been close and so have mine, so I kind of expected going into the day it was a good possibility we could go to 18.
But just played solid. He struggled a little bit, and ended up closing it out early.

Q. Okay, you're in the Masters next year. What's your thoughts on that? You said you and your dad have been going since '96.
BEN MARTIN: I think that's right.

Q. Now you're gonna be inside the ropes. Is your dad gonna caddie for you there?
BEN MARTIN: I don't think it's really sunk in yet that I'll be playing in Augusta. He would probably be too nervous to caddie there I would bet after his mix up out there yesterday. I know he was too nervous to caddie in the Open this past year. Maybe I can get him on the bag for a practice round or something.

Q. Yesterday you worked on your game afterwards. What was it about your game that you needed to work on?
BEN MARTIN: Short game was struggling a little bit yesterday, so I worked on that for about an hour. Then just kind of out there hitting a few balls. Just trying to improve my swing. Nothing specific. Just getting some confidence out there and seeing the ball going where I wanted it to.

Q. How different did you feel your game was today compared to yesterday? I know you've had some good rounds earlier this week. Yesterday was a little bit more of a struggle.
BEN MARTIN: It was night and day. Yesterday I couldn't seem to find much, but I settled in there probably at 2 or 3. Kept hitting greens and hitting quality shots, and just got easier as the day went on.

Q. You're in the finals, but do you feel fortunate just to survive this stretch? I mean, you could have gone down in the first round. In fact, you went extra holes.
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, I went extra holes with Tyson, and then went extra holes in the next match, too. I don't think you can really look back on those things, because a putt here and a putt there and I think anybody could probably be in this position.
Gonna try to keep looking forward. Got one match left to go. Gonna keep my head down and keep playing hard.

Q. Also the day you won your first extra-hole play in match play was your 22nd birthday. What did you do for your birthday that night?
BEN MARTIN: Let's see, it's been a while, three days or so. I think we just went and had a little Italian dinner with my teammate Phillip Mollica and his parents and celebrated our victory.

Q. First of all, was there any point in the match where you thought you had him? You know, you're 4, 5 up. I mean, any point that you felt, Well, this is mine?
BEN MARTIN: Not really, because I knew Charlie's been playing the back ni one well. You know, I was 5-up at the turn, but I knew I had to keep going, keep grinding. He birdied No. 10 and got it up to 4 down for him.
And then I had a birdie on 11, so I was just trying to taking take it one hole at a time and keep going.

Q. Charlie admitted that he was struggling a little bit out there. Do you play off that when you're opponent is struggling knowing that you might have some sort of advantage?
BEN MARTIN: I try to just play my game. Pars are great out here. But, you know, if they're in a little bit of trouble you definitely play a little more conservative. Maybe definitely middle of the green.
Trying to think of any holes out there where I did that today. I can't think of one.
Mainly just played my game and keep my head down and concentrate on what I'm doing.

Q. Your dad came by earlier today and said that your mom had some difficulties getting here. Can you tell us what the story is behind that?
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, she decided to fly out yesterday afternoon. I think there were some storms and her flight was delayed out of South Carolina. Then there were storms in Houston. She had to go to Beaumont, Texas, and finally got to Houston and missed her connecting flight up here to Tulsa today.
She spent the night last night in Houston and just got up here this morning. I don't know what time she got here. I saw her on No. 8, I think. I don't know if she got her before that or not.

Q. You said that you noticed some comments from Charlie yesterday and you had seen that he played well on the back nine. Did you do some scouting on him at all?
BEN MARTIN: A little bit. I watched everybody's interview yesterday online, but especially paid attention to his because I knew we would be playing each other today.

Q. Have you scouted either of the guys you could play tomorrow?
BEN MARTIN: Not yet. Just trying to think about one match at a time and trying to focus on the next guy.

Q. Would you just take me through the last hole and the up-and-down from the bunker that you made?
BEN MARTIN: Yeah. Charlie hit a little right off the tee. The pin was right today. Wasn't a lot of green to work with. I was just trying to hit it in the middle of the green and pulled it in the bunker.
Bunker play has been so-so this week. I hold one out in stroke play on the last hole, but other than that, it hasn't been great.
Just trying to get it close after he was 20 feet away. I figured he would most likely make a 4. Got it down there probably 12 or 15 feet, and just like any other putt, just snuck it in.

Q. Did you think about, or do you try to defer from thinking about, what you have gotten yourself into with your placement in the U.S. Amateur final?
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, it was popping into my head every now and then. Try to throw it in the back of my mind and keep playing golf.

Q. With the Masters and the U.S. Open, you have the exemption. Did you think you'll stay an amateur, or are you gonna think about that?
BEN MARTIN: Definitely for the Masters I'll still be playing college golf next spring. Right now, I played in the Open this past year. It was awesome. I'd say I'll probably stay amateur through the summer to play in those again.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Ben, best of luck tomorrow.
BEN MARTIN: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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