THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the interview room. Here we are with Olin Browne, Jr. You went through both stages of qualifying to get here. How much of a grind is that, and at the end of it all, how rewarding is it to have made it through?
OLIN BROWNE JR: It's very rewarding. I actually had to make a 30-footer in regulation to even make it into a playoff at locals. Thinking back over what happened on Monday, that 30-footer that happened to go in was a big deal.
THE MODERATOR: Have you seen the course yet, and if so, what are your thoughts?
OLIN BROWNE JR: I've been here a few days. The course is spectacular. I can't think of a hole that I don't like. It's fun to play. It's hard. It's big. If you hit it in the right places, it's playable. If you hit it in the wrong places, you're going to struggle. Around the greens, around the bunkers is very, very difficult. It's going to be difficult to run the ball up around the greens. You're not going to be able to just hit it willy-nilly. You're going to have to pick your spots and play to proper places.
Q. Your father has played in 12 U.S. Opens. Has he given you any advice?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Oh, yeah. He's been out here with me helping me prepare. I think I've been to almost all of his U.S. Opens, so it's nice to be on this side of the ropes and have him on the outside for once.
But he's helped me a lot, trying to get me to understand just how much the course will change from now to Thursday and then on to the weekend.
So mostly it's been stuff like that, potential pin placements, what to be prepared for.
Q. You played your college golf locally here at Pepperdine. Are you going to have some friends out here this week?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Yeah, I've got a few buddies. My wife's family is from Los Angeles, so it's kind of a home event in that way. We've been staying with them the last few days, and her family is going to be out here supporting.
Yeah, got a lot of buddies.
Q. For those of us who are not familiar with you, can you give the quick synopsis of where you are in your playing journey?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Yeah. You want the whole thing or the short?
Q. Well, you're 32?
OLIN BROWNE JR: 34.
Q. What have you been doing? What are you aspiring to do?
OLIN BROWNE JR: I graduated in 2010.
I played the National Pro Tour in 2012, the Latin American Tour in '13.
I had Korn Ferry status in '14.
From '15 to '18 I played the Canadian Tour, PGA TOUR Canada.
I had Korn Ferry status in '19. Played pretty much a full season out there, and I basically have been doing Mondays, and we have a local Tour called the Minor League Tour in Jupiter, Florida. I've been playing out there for many, many years. It's a very good Tour. They have one-, two-, and three-day events, compete us competitive. I have some buddies. Adam Svensson has played a few; Eric Cole has played a lot out there.
That's where I've been playing predominantly for the last few years outside of Mondays. Played one Korn Ferry event this year in the Bahamas, at the Abaco.
Q. What does it do for you when you see Adam Svensson, players who you've played against and beat in the past, what does it do for you when you see them succeeding at the highest level?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Well, Adam specifically is great because he and I spend a good amount of time together practicing and playing. We play a lot. He's been very, very helpful. If I ever have any questions, he is enthusiastic to help.
Having people like that to play with and learn from, it really can't get any better than that.
Q. Could you tell us a little bit about your game, how it's evolved since you turned pro, and where is it at now, and what are your strengths and what clubs do you feel like you're going to have to rely on this weekend?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Well, I think, to answer the last question first, I think the driver is going to be really important because if you drive it long and straight, you'll be able to access some pins that -- if you're not hitting it in the fairway, you're going to be pitching out to maybe short of the green, maybe only being able to advance it 50 yards, 40 yards at times, which would be very difficult.
As far as my game, I hit it very crooked when I first got out of the school, and I've spent most of my time trying to figure out how to control my ball better.
The older I've gotten, the more I've recognized how important control is. Power is great, but keeping it between the lines is often more important. You want to have a nice balance between the two.
I think this course is going to be a lot of wedges and a lot of long irons and not a lot of in between. I don't think you're going to see a lot of short irons. You're either going to have some kind of an awkward wedge distance, or you're going to be a 4- or 5-iron, maybe a 6-iron into the greens.
Q. What makes you keep signing up for U.S. Open qualifying year after year?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Well, it's a good question. It's really fun. It's really fun to compete. It's really fun to have the opportunity to come play the biggest tournament in American golf.
I think this is the Super Bowl of golf. It's awesome, and it's awesome that they allow people like me the opportunity to play two qualifiers to get here.
That means a lot to me. It gives you a little bit of hope every year that you'll be able to come and play on such a great venue like this.
That's why I keep doing it.
Q. Do you think too many players are exempt?
OLIN BROWNE JR: No. I don't think so.
Q. Why not?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Well, isn't it just top 60 in the world gets in, or is it more than that? No, I think it's an appropriate amount. I played sectionals against -- I guess it would be the 61st through, I don't know, top 100 in the world. Those are the best players in the world.
I think over the course of the year they earned their spot in the field, and no, I think it's an appropriate number.
Q. Forgive the fact that I don't know this and may be able to find it somewhere. Can you give us a sense of your qualifying record since you first started to try? How old were you?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Oh, man, probably not. I think I made it through locals in South Florida one time before this year. It was in a playoff in 2011, '12, 2012 at Admiral's Cove. I think I started qualifying probably 17, 18, 19, somewhere in there.
I missed by one a number of times at locals. I've missed by more than one a few times. It was only the second I've played sectionals, and it was a real thrill to be able to finish off like that.
Q. Since you've started playing have you tried to qualify every year?
OLIN BROWNE JR: For the U.S. Open? Yes, definitely every year since I turned pro, since 2011.
Q. Any idea how many times you've tried to do this?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Probably 15, 16, 17, something like that, ballpark.
Q. Brandt Snedeker was joking that during his long recent layoff with an injury, he realized he was unemployable to do anything else. Have you thought of doing anything else besides being a professional golfer, or is there no Plan B?
OLIN BROWNE JR: It's hard to not have those thoughts sometimes, especially when you're grinding it out on mini-tours and chasing Monday qualifiers. The Monday qualifiers are hard. You shoot a lot of good numbers and you're going home.
I'd be lying if I told you that this is the only thing I've ever considered doing. It's the only thing I want to do. I keep improving, and that's why I keep doing it.
If I wanted to do something else I'd hang them up and go figure out whatever that is, but I haven't gotten there yet.
Q. I believe you have an early tee time for Thursday and a late one for Friday. How does that suit you?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Actually that's the first I've heard that. I'm just happy to have a tee time this week. How about that? I can't wait for the first tee shot. I'm so excited to be here and to be playing and to have the opportunity. I'm really looking forward to it.
Q. What are your expectations for a result here?
OLIN BROWNE JR: I don't have any expectations. A good friend of mine said, don't have any for the week. Just go out and play.
My only real goal is to take on the shot that I have, the shot at hand, execute that to the best of my ability, and move on. Nothing more.
Q. How did you celebrate when you did make it?
OLIN BROWNE JR: You know, I didn't really, actually. I didn't sleep much that night. Got a lot of calls, a lot of text messages. I was in a hotel in Columbus. My caddie and I, who's Zach Snyder, who's caddying for me this week, we went and got Chipotle for dinner and I tried to get some sleep and catch an early flight, which I missed. Slept right through my alarm.
So we hustled to the airport and flew home to my wife and two boys. That was the extent of the celebration.
Q. What do you think this can do for your career?
OLIN BROWNE JR: Well, at the very least, it's a good learning experience. To be out here and to be playing such a spectacular golf course with the best players in the world, you're bound to learn something.
If I can absorb as much information, as much knowledge as possible and soak up as much of the experience of competing this week, I think that'll be my number one priority.
Q. Prior to this, I'm wondering what's the biggest event you've ever played in.
OLIN BROWNE JR: One of the Korn Ferry Tour events, events on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Q. Probably played in front of more people in a practice round here than you did on --
OLIN BROWNE JR: Probably. I played at the Straight Down when I first got out of college and we got paired with Freddy Couples. I was my dad's partner as an amateur. We played with Freddy, and there were a good amount of people there, but outside of that, this is probably the most.
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