THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome the reigning U.S. Amateur Champion, Sam Bennett to the interview room here at the 2023 Memorial Tournament Presented By Workday. Sam, after a very successful and decorated amateur career making your first start as a professional TOUR here on the PGA TOUR. Can we get an opening comment about what that means to you.
SAM BENNETT: Yeah, I'm excited. College was great, it was fun. But now I'm ready to take my game to the next level and I got a good opportunity here at The Memorial here this week to get started. I got this and then RBC next week and then U.S. Open. So nice little three-week stretch to start my professional career off.
THE MODERATOR: And you've obviously had a couple of chances to play in the Masters and a couple of PGA TOUR events to this point. How have those experiences helped you kind of prepare yourself for your professional career?
SAM BENNETT: Yeah, I think I'm ready to get off the gates. I made the cut last year at the U.S. Open. Same with the Masters. Then played multiple PGA TOUR events in school. So I think I'm experienced and I'm ready to get off to a good start of the.
THE MODERATOR: All right, we'll take some questions.
Q. What did you learn from playing in a final group at the Masters on Saturday?
SAM BENNETT: Yeah, that was awesome. That was a great experience. I wasn't nervous. I really wasn't. Like I said, I'm experienced, but it definitely helped to see what those guys do daily. I just learned that I need to play my game and my good golf's good enough to compete.
Q. Have you had a chance to meet Mr. Nicklaus yet?
SAM BENNETT: I have not. Nor have I had a milkshake yet.
Q. What flavor are you going to have?
SAM BENNETT: I don't know. Probably just vanilla.
Q. How do you think things have changed with the PGA TOUR U and that opportunity to get guaranteed starts?
SAM BENNETT: Yeah, that's incredible what PGA TOUR U has done for college golfers. In the past you could be the best college golfer and not be guaranteed anything coming out the gate. So Ludvig got 1, now he has temporary membership and then 2 through 5 we get unlimited starts this year and next. So it's definitely helping the college game in every aspect.
Q. Have you been writing any letters to tournament directors yet?
SAM BENNETT: My agent has.
Q. One of the things that amateurs who are turning or new pros have to sort of get over is the "awe" factor. Do you feel like you maybe are already over that, having jumped into the deep end with both feet as it were?
SAM BENNETT: Yeah, it's crazy how everything's unfolded from trying to win my first college event to losing that. And then missing, I mean, not being able to barely get my ball up on the tee in my first start at the Valero like two years ago. To shooting 85 at the Arnold Palmer two years ago. Then to finally play on the weekend at the U.S. Open. And then be in the final group in the Masters. I've been, I felt like I'm experienced, like I said, and, yeah, I mean it's cool, but I'm ready to do this for a living now. I mean, it's cool, but this is right where I want to be.
Q. Your college isn't that far in your rearview mirror. How closely have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the NCAAs?
SAM BENNETT: Yeah, I mean I watched all the matches yesterday. I saw Florida close it off in extras. And Georgia Tech. Yeah, it's cool. Congrats to Fred Biondi. I was happy, he won. He's a great guy. Yeah, I pay attention. I've been paying attention to it all week.
Q. And then my final question, how many of those milkshakes do you think you can put away in a week?
SAM BENNETT: I don't know. I mean, probably one a day. I mean, I don't eat much, as you can tell or nothing like that. So, I don't know, we'll see.
Q. Might be part of your training regimen.
SAM BENNETT: Yeah.
Q. Did you get asked everything you wanted, Sam?
SAM BENNETT: Fine with me.
THE MODERATOR: You didn't have anything else you wanted to say?
SAM BENNETT: No.
THE MODERATOR: All right. Well, thank you very much for your time and best of luck this week and through the rest of your professional career.
SAM BENNETT: Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports