U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 21, 2002

Bill Haas

CRAIG SMITH: All right. How about we just start with saving the best for last. Tell me about the 18th hole.

WILLIAM HAAS: 18th hole, I felt good yesterday. I smoked a drive there and hit a 9-iron in. And today I just got up there and I said, "If I hit the fairway". I was putting a lot of pressure on him because it's a tough driving hole. And I just got up there and whacked one and hit a 9-iron in again, and about 10 feet. 15 feet from the hole. And he, unfortunately, got a really bad break. He didn't hit a bad drive at all. It kind of ran left and ended up -- he had the choice of maybe standing in the bunker or standing out of the bunker, real close to the ball. And I think he stood out of the bunker, which 80 percent of the time you're going to shank it; not hit it good. And it happened. I was -- I guess it was good for me him getting a bad break but that was, that's not the way you want to win, I guess.

CRAIG SMITH: You hit nice good shots when you really needed them.

WILLIAM HAAS: Oh, sure. If I would have bogeyed and won the hole -- I guess it's not quite as satisfying as a win. But it leaves a good taste in my mouth for tomorrow.

Q. It's unlikely Donald Ross designed that hole with anybody in mind taking it over, that corner. But did you try that in practice round and know you could do it?

WILLIAM HAAS: Well, in the practice round the wind was really blowing. I don't know if you remember. It was into the wind and I hit it right at the bunkers thinking I could. And it plugged in the lip of it and I said, "if there's no wind" or down wind but which is what it was today. I knew I could carry it. And I think I carried it pretty easily. Probably 70 by it, so. I'm sure it carried at least 20 by it.

Q. So it doesn't bother you if every match gets to the 18th hole?

WILLIAM HAAS: No. It's almost, I think, I could carry it with a 3-wood if it's that wind. So I feel like I could hit anything off that tee and hopefully hit the fairway. But, sure, 18, I would love for all of them to be win 6 and 5. Don't have to worry about the 18th tee shot. I felt pretty good. I had a bad stretch in the middle of the round. Bogeyed three in a row I think and just kind of got off track a little. I held it together, I guess the --

Q. You say you got off-track. I mean, you did have a three up lead.

WILLIAM HAAS: I was three up through five or six, I think. Here we go. Three up through five. Those were all birdies. Well, the first hole, I didn't have to putt. He made five. So but, yeah, it says I had -- I was 3-under through five holes. So I was guess every shot was good. Fairways, greens. And then I guess, number 10, I hit a bad drive there. That started it a little turnaround there. That's the way it goes, I guess.

Q. So you just say you're not going to get panicked about it obviously?

WILLIAM HAAS: No, I still I guess, I went I was one down after number 12. So I was like, well, I'm still only one down. That's not four down with five to go or four down, four to go. At least I have an -- I'm still right there and have a chance. So you kind of changed your mindset before I was trying to get three up, four up, five up and then I was trying to go even better. But when you feel like have you to forced to make birdies you know when you're one down, but never was I panicked, I don't think. I don't think I was anyway.

Q. What did you do this morning since you had an awfully long time to wait?

WILLIAM HAAS: Well I'm sleeping on the pull-out couch and at an Embassy Suites because we have three people staying there. Because I was the youngest, I got the couch. Seniority got me there. So it's not that comfortable. And the hotel's really loud so I've been waking up at the 8:30 every morning. And I was up pretty early and just kind of hung out. Watched TV and stretched and that.

Q. If you could negotiate that with a low score?

WILLIAM HAAS: I could have.

Q. And high score gets the couch?

WILLIAM HAAS: I could, but he's older. I don't care, I usually get there every college golf tournament or every -- I always get the shaft on that deal.

Q. Who are you with?

WILLIAM HAAS: Cortland Lowe and his caddy. And his caddy actually caddied for me. Because he missed it by one yesterday, so. Tonight it will just be me and him so I'll get the bed again.

Q. Was there a point in the match when you said to your self, I'm a Medalist, this shouldn't be happening?

WILLIAM HAAS: When I was in the tournament?

Q. Yeah.

WILLIAM HAAS: No, not at all. Because Lee is an outstanding player. I played with him, he played the Palmer Cup with me. I think he lost in the finals of the Public Links. I mean he's a great player. And he, unfortunately, I think he was, he made a couple bogeys to give me the lead. So it really wasn't like I was lighting it up or anything. And I don't think I'm better than anybody out here just because I'm Medalist. I had two good rounds. I don't take that for granted at all. He's a wonderful, it was wonderful beating him. He's a load off my shoulders because he's a good player.

Q. When did you find out that you were actually playing him?

WILLIAM HAAS: About 20 minutes before I played. I just came here and I went upstairs and was going to get something to eat but it was like an 11 dollar buffet, it's ridiculous. I didn't eat before I played. So I went to the range and he was last one out there. So I said I must be playing him.

(Laughter.)

Q. Good prize for being medalist?

WILLIAM HAAS: Yeah, sure. One of the top-5 guys in the country in college I guess. But that's fine. That's the way match play is. You still only got to beat one guy. It's not like I got to beat the field, so. I want to beat all the best players.

Q. On 7 did you think you hit one club too many?

WILLIAM HAAS: Yeah, I thought it was perfect. I.

Q. Did you hit it over the flag?

WILLIAM HAAS: Yeah, 10 feet behind the hole, one hopped right in the rough. I hit a good chip and a good putt. Didn't go in though. So I made bogey there. Yup. Yeah. That wasn't what I was expecting.

CRAIG SMITH: Is that about it? Thank you.

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