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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 29, 2009

Byeong-Hun An

TULSA, OKLAHOMA

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome Byeong An to the interview area, 3-2 winner over Bhavik Patel and a finalist in the U.S. Amateur. How does it feel to hear those words?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Feels awesome, like yesterday. Every match, I mean, doesn't matter if it's a semifinals, it feels awesome to win. I'm excited for next year.
THE MODERATOR: Tell us a little bit your play today and also about your expectations for next year.
BYEONG-HUN AN: Um, first of all, I didn't think I played that well. I mean, we both made a lot of mistakes. You know, I shanked it on 11 in the trees on the right. My irons weren't that good, but my up-and-downs were pretty good compared to yesterday.
Again, my putting was not better, but it was the same, okay? Yeah, so pretty good. A lot of putts.
THE MODERATOR: Sounds like it. I liked it. Questions.

Q. How hard was it for you to focus today given what was at stake and probably the thought of playing in Augusta creeping in your mind?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, started last night creeping into my mind and I couldn't sleep. (Laughter.) Yeah, everyone is dreaming about that, playing Augusta. I couldn't sleep last night, but my dad kept telling me just to calm down and get some good sleep and play well tomorrow on every shot.
Yeah, it's really hard to focus when a lot people are watching. All I have to do is just get a towel and scrub my hands to take the sweat out and not shaking like on 11. I forget to do it. That's why I shanked it.
THE MODERATOR: You forgot to wipe your hands?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, exactly. It was dumb and I shanked it. Yeah, just people were making me like really, like, nervous and pressuring me. A lot people watching.

Q. (No microphone.)
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, definitely, yeah.

Q. You came back from that, and probably the match turned with the shot at 13. What did you have for yardage?
BYEONG-HUN AN: On 13?

Q. Yeah.
BYEONG-HUN AN: Par-5? No, par-3. Oh, okay, par-5. Yeah, I had a 96, was it.

Q. Pitching wedge?
BYEONG-HUN AN: No, lob wedge trying to keep it below it. Turned out I didn't have as much spin as I normally do and it worked perfectly.

Q. Did you feel like at that point that was the switch for you?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, I needed that one. Because I always hit it on the right side of the green. It's a pretty hard pitch, but I think I had to make a birdie and I had to make a birdie that hole just to switch it back.
I didn't have much holes left. 13, no, 14 is a par-3 and five holes left. So I had to make that birdie on that hole.

Q. How close were you?
BYEONG-HUN AN: To the pin, 96 yards. Hit it about maybe two feet.

Q. I know par is your favorite...
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, that's right.

Q. With that said though, when you were finally one-down did you just still just think par was the way to go, or did you start to get a little more aggressive?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, I had to get aggressive, like I said. I had to make a birdie there. I couldn't just hit it on the green and make a two-putt. So I had to hit that one like really close and aggressive make it really close from the back, yeah.

Q. After that shot it was back to your pars?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, back to my par again. Yeah, like par-3s, yeah. But then No. 15, yeah, I needed that one, too. Hit it left, but I hit it on the green, middle of the green, and somehow it rolled back down and I had a birdie chance. Par was good enough for that hole.

Q. (No microphone.)
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, my first round wasn't good and my second shot had a bad lie. I still wanted to get it over the green, so I had to get it all the way clear to the front. I practiced out there before and just hard to stop it.
So, yeah, I did pretty good. Got lucky. I hit a bad, too, par putt.

Q. How far?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Maybe like nine feet.

Q. You said you were excited about next year.
BYEONG-HUN AN: Oh, yeah, Augusta, yeah.

Q. In order to prepare for this tournament next year, you have to prepare for tomorrow. What are you gonna do tonight?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Get some good sleep, yeah. (Laughter.)

Q. (No microphone.)
BYEONG-HUN AN: No, not right now.

Q. When you see you can make a birdie on a par-5, do you think maybe you will change a little bit knowing you can be a little bit more aggressive, or is it you still just want to stick to your game plan no matter what? I mean, when you play a player like Ben Martin tomorrow you're gonna have to be a little aggressive. After seeing that you can make birdies, will you go for some more?
BYEONG-HUN AN: It depends. If I have a chance, more than likely. If I think I can make a birdie, I will definitely go aggressively. But just depends on him. If he goes first and hits a good shot -- yeah, it depends on him because it's match play. Yeah, depends on him.

Q. Would you say this is the biggest match of your career to date?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Definitely.

Q. How does it feel?
BYEONG-HUN AN: It feels awesome. Feels really good.

Q. Did you feel inside your body any differently than the last big match you played?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah.

Q. Did you feel a little more adrenaline or pressure, or was it the same?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Yeah, started on No. 15. Yeah, had a little pressure on me. Three or four holes left. Yeah, I just wanted to finish, like, the match early.
But, yeah, like yesterday and day before I was up by like two or three, but they're all the good players so just let him go.

Q. What's the biggest win of your career before this week?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Before this week?

Q. Yeah. What's the biggest tournament win that you've had in your career so far?
BYEONG-HUN AN: The one I won or played?

Q. Won, actual victory.
BYEONG-HUN AN: Oh, no, no. It was like five years ago in (indiscernible) That's the only win I got. Yeah, never won after that.

Q. (No microphone.)
BYEONG-HUN AN: No. Nothing.

Q. (No microphone.)
BYEONG-HUN AN: No. Oh, yeah, I won the qualifier, U.S. Am qualifier.

Q. What was the AJGA event that you won?
BYEONG-HUN AN: Oh, it was a -- yeah, back then it was called Nike All-Stars. Yeah, in California, yeah, in 2005 -- 2006. 2005. It was a long time ago.

Q. Given that you haven't won in five years and everybody has been talking about Yang's victory in the PGA, what is your response to that?
BYEONG-HUN AN: I mean, nobody hasn't won, a Korean or Asian, in a major. I mean, he gave us a lot chance, like possibilities to win in the next -- like Asian golfers, so I think it helps everyone, Asian and Korean golfers. Yeah.

Q. Given that fact, last year Danny Lee won. Even though he was born in Korea, his citizenship is New Zealand. If you win tomorrow, you've be both the youngest amateur winner ever, and the first Korean golfer ever to win. What that mean for you?
BYEONG-HUN AN: It would be great. (Laughter.) Yeah, I mean, it would feel great to win for my country, too, just because it's the first time and I'm the youngest.
It would be awesome if I win, yeah. Like I say, it would be awesome to win.
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations.
BYEONG-HUN AN: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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