Q. How ecstatic are you to be in the quarterfinals?
MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: It's awesome. It's a blessing. I mean, I've put in a lot of hard work this summer, and for it to pay off, it means a lot.
Q. Were your expectations -- were you even thinking or dreaming about something like this?
MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: No. I mean, when I'm on the course, I'm not really thinking about much, just my next shot and what I'm going to do with the next shot. Yeah, I just haven't been thinking much.
Q. Obviously you set goals for yourself; was the U.S. Amateur included in any of your goals?
MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: I mean, honestly, I really don't set goals for myself because I feel like if I achieve one goal then I'll feel like I'll have accomplished something, and I kind of just want to feel like I haven't really accomplished anything just so I can keep playing some good golf.
Q. How about today; have you ever played in a sustained wind like this was today?
MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: I mean, we've played in Hawai'i in a couple of our college tournaments that have some really good winds, but I've never really seen anything like this. Hitting 7-iron from 110, I mean, I'm just not used to that. And then 4-irons from 150, 160. I mean, it's different for sure.
Q. Facing that kind of wind and those kind of obstacles, how did you keep yourself mentally focused today?
MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: I mean, in match play, both players have to play in it. If you hit first and you hit a good shot, it just puts way more pressure on the other guy. That's the good thing about match play.
Q. And today you kind of broke away from him on the back side. I think you had, what, a birdie on 13? Tell me how you did that.
MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: I actually hit my drive pretty far right. I had like 222 to the flag, and the wind was off the left. I hit a 6-iron. It got a good bounce, rolled up there to like 20 feet and two-putted.
Q. And were there any other shots or even winning holes today that you thought were key to the match?
MATTHEW SHARPSTENE: I won 9, and that kind of got me going. Instead of being 1-up with nine to play, 2-up is kind of a different story. That kind of got me going, and I birdied 10, too, which was a pretty good birdie, but he also birdied it. So yeah, it was a good birdie on 10.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports