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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJune 17, 2012Michael ThompsonSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Q. Heck of a sandwich. MICHAEL THOMPSON: Peanut butter and jelly. Works every time. Q. Well done out there. Talk about the round. MICHAEL THOMPSON: I was nervous yesterday and I didn't want to be nervous today. I wanted to go out and just have confidence. I missed a lot of fairways yesterday in and that really upset me. So the goal today was just get it in play, if I keep it anywhere near the fairway, I'm usually going to have a good lie. I got off to a great start. I bombed a drive on the first hole and that kind of got my round going. Made a great up‑and‑down. That's probably the best I ever played those first six holes. It was unreal. And I made one mistake on 9, but then got right back to it and made a birdie on 11. Had a good chance on 12. 13, I made a poor swing off the tee, but hit a great chip and then that putt was probably the most important in terms of keeping the momentum. It was five feet and it broke, I don't know, four or five inches. On these greens, that's no easy task. So that kept me going. 14, I played solid. 15, I thought I gave myself a good chance for birdie. And just barely missed it. Obviously, 16 I hit a great shot in there and made putt. 17, same thing. Except I didn't make it. And the only difference there in my coach will laugh when I say this, is we have been working on for me engaging my core when I swing, and that just keeps me over the ball and keeps me focused and it doesn't allow me to waiver, and I forgot to do it on that putt. And I pulled it and as soon as I hit the putt I knew and, I don't know, something to learn from. And then 18, wayward tee shot and I think the lord was watching out for me and kicking that ball back out in the fairway, because that would have been dead over there in the right. But all in all a special day. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Q. You talk about the learning. Just talk about these four round. Take the book end rounds. Those were nice. MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah, I wasn't, obviously wasn't expecting to get off to such a great start the way I did. Then to ‑‑ it was a new experience for me coming in with a three shot lead after the first day is, in any golf tournament, is unbelievable. That means you played fantastic the first round. So that was different and a new experience. I was more nervous then; and I don't know, I just ‑‑ I don't know. I don't know what to say. It was a great tournament. To start it off in such a way and then finish it the same way practically, it just feels amazing. Q. What did your U.S. Amateur experience do for you in terms of walking on to this property and having some good vibes and memories? How did that help you? MICHAEL THOMPSON: I think it helped me a ton. One, because through the U.S. Amateur I learned to love the golf course. I play a fade or at least I try to. That's the shot that I like, and I think this golf course sets up perfect for a fade. Even on holes like 17, it really doesn't come, it's in the that penalizing. I hit it in the right rough today and was able to lay up perfectly and have a little wedge into the green. So it played like a traditional par‑5. But being able to remember those moments during the U.S. Amateur, I made a 50‑footer on 5 for birdie to go 1‑up on Colt in the final match. Just shots like that, it just, I don't know, can't help but make me smile. Any time you're smiling on the golf course is a good thing. Q. Staying at the same house? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah. Q. Same family? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah, it's been a joy staying with them. They have been so gracious to open up their home during such a big week. It's very comfortable, contrary to what people might think with the crowds walking up and down that street or driving, cars driving up and down. It's very quiet. It's a gorgeous view. So I wake up looking out over to San Francisco. It just adds to the memories. Q. Are they in one of the (Indiscernible)? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Yeah, they're halfway down on the left. Q. Talk about the two good round and the middle ones, but how difficult is it to go out and have four quality round par or even? MICHAEL THOMPSON: I knew from the beginning of the week if I can just shoot right around 1‑over every day I would be happy. I didn't expect at all to shoot under par and then to go out and shoot way under par really on a U.S. Open is kind of unbelievable. I'm excited because now I know I can do it. I love USGA events. I honestly have fun during USGA events because they're so challenging. It's easy for me to get prepared mentally. And then, I don't know, I just did really well at going out with a proper mindset and I stayed patient, the chances will come. I know I'm‑‑ I believe in myself and that I'm a great putter, and so if I just get it on the greens, I can give myself a chance to make a lot of birdie and this week I did. Q. Is that the key? Keep it fun? Lee Westwood was talking about it the other day. He said you see lot of long faces out there. He says it's golf, you know. MICHAEL THOMPSON: It is. It's a game. And it's meant to be enjoyed. I think it's very easy for us as professionals to turn it into a job. When you do that, it's hard to succeed because then you're not really understanding the whole I guess process on how to play and what the game's meant for. And we're just fortunate to be on such a stage as this. This is a dream job. I'm thankful for it every day. Q. What's your plan from here? MICHAEL THOMPSON: Well, I'm going to go eat and probably have something to drink and just watch. Just wait and see what happens. There's some holes that can you take advantage of on the back side coming in and I thought the USGA did a great job in the setup in making it fair and giving some accessible pins yet also having some pins like on 18, that's not really accessible, even if you have a wedge in your hand. So anything can happen. If you hit it in the rough, who knows. I'll just go wait and see. Q. Is there anything churning inside of you kind of thinking to yourself this might be enough right now? MICHAEL THOMPSON: There's a little hope, but I don't honestly expect anything. For me, I'm so young in my career I'm just going to take this as a positive experience and build on it and hopefully gain some momentum for the rest of the year. I want to make it all the way through the FedExCup. That's one of my goals. So I think this is a great stepping stone for me. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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