U.S Junior Amateur Championship

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Bandon, Oregon, USA

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Luke Clanton

Quick Quotes


Q. You had to work hard for this one. How did you do it?

LUKE CLANTON: I didn't get a lead until hole 11. Won three in a row, 9, 10, 11. He was playing super solid. I really couldn't win a lot out there. It was good. He was playing well. He made a lot of putts, I missed a lot of putts. All in all, he won 12 after hitting it to like three feet on that par-3, and he missed it, and I missed my four-footer. So it was like kind of a swing of emotions. All in all, just played really solid golf coming in and he made a few mistakes.

Q. Tell me about how you closed it out because you had birdies at 16 and 17.

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, so 16, I hit it to like three feet, so I hit it really good. I hit it down the middle, 2-iron, green-side and chipped it to about three feet, and he made a hiccup going long, so I kind of had it and just tapped in the three-footer.

17 was pretty funny. I hit -- the second shot I knew he pulled a little left off the green, so kind of knew if I just got on the green I would win. But I hit it and it was right at it. I club twirled it and it went to about two feet. I kind of knew it was going to be done. He didn't give it to me, but he had a chance and he just missed it. I was pretty happy.

Q. You said you had some respect for you, especially the way he came out of the gate. What was he doing so well?

LUKE CLANTON: He matched my energy to a T. It was awesome. I have major respect for him. He is going to do some great things in college for sure. I'd love to tell him that in person. I don't know where he is now.

It was cool. I've never seen anyone kind of match my energy before out there. Coming in he just made a few mistakes. I wish it would have gone to 18 to be honest. It was too good of a match not to.

Q. You were in this position before. Is it even better the second time around?

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, it's good. I'm not worried about it. Still got to take it one shot at a time no matter who I'm playing. Same thing for me; I've been playing well this summer, so I know my game is there. I know everything is there. I putted well today, hit it well, so whatever happens happens.

Q. Having gone through this all before, does that make you confident?

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, it makes me know what to do kind of for nights and realize it's going to be long days and not short ones. Hopefully tomorrow I just get up early and get my thing done and go to the next one.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
123230-1-1002 2022-07-29 01:27:00 GMT

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