Q. U.S. Junior Amateur champion. What does that mean to you to be a USGA champion? Tell us in words?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I don't really have words right now. It's pretty surreal. Pretty unbelievable to call myself a U.S. Junior champion. To have my name next to all the legends that have won this including Tiger's and so many more is so special.
Q. A lot of pretty good names on there. Tiger Woods, it's now the name of his trophy.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: It's unbelievable. Is this the first year it's the Tiger Woods trophy? Yeah, I'm honored to win the Tiger Woods Trophy for the first year. It's awesome.
Q. You think about few weeks ago, you're first alternate for your qualifying site. Then the guy goes and wins the Alabama State junior and puts you in the field. Might not have been in had he not won. Has this sunk in yet? Is that surreal, that a few weeks ago you weren't even sure -- you probably would've come to be with your brother, but now you're in the field with him?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yeah, I owe Rawlin Sutter a special thanks. I'm sure I'll text him later and probably give him a call. Yeah, it was pretty surreal. Actually he was at the qualifier that we all played in, drove in the middle of the night, no sleep, and then won the Junior Championship four days later. Pretty unreal stuff from the kid.
No, it hasn't really sunk in. I knew I had kind of a 50/50 chance. Didn't really expect have much, so to be here now as a U.S. Junior champion still hasn't sunk in.
Q. 2047 in the world. You played a guy who is No. 7 in the world today. Beat him 5&6. I mean, what was last night like when you go in knowing you're facing Miles, you know his reputation, you're coming in as an underdog? Did you feel like okay I'll just go out; it's a free roll?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I knew what I was going up against. I knew he wasn't just going to give it to me. I was going to go out to earn it and stuff.
I told my caddie, my brother, just like I played really well and I feel confident we can win if we get off to a fast start. The other matches I had won got off to fast starts on the front nine, and I did the same thing versus Miles.
So I had the same positive vibes going into the match, and then I said the same thing, pedal down going into the second 18. Then we had a great start again.
So I think getting the momentum started early, you know, made me have confidence in my game and have confidence that I can win.
Q. How much did your confidence improve as the rounds went on? Knocked out Brayden Jones, who also was a co-medalist in the third round. Where was your confidence starting in match play, and where was it by the time you got to today's final?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yeah, I mean, going into match play I was just happy that I made match play and I didn't have to play in a playoff that morning. But after every match, I was like, you know, okay, we're getting closer. I'm starting to figure out this golf course now. Played it for a week straight.
So sounds silly to say, but I knew the ins and outs. As the matches went on I felt confidence that no matter what situation, we can go out there and win. You know, everything just goes in match play. Anything can happen at any time. Doesn't matter how much you're up. Doesn't matter how much you're down. Anything can happen.
So I just kind of had that mindset and I would let nothing bother me, and that was my key to success this week.
Q. Yeah, because you were 3-up early and you lost all of it and he took the lead; then you got it back. Tell me your mindset as he's making his late run and now he's starting to gain a lot of momentum. What did you do to reset?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yeah, my brother just told me to remain calm, take deep breaths, slow down the walk a little bit, go back into your process.
Because, yeah, I was 3-up and suddenly I was 1-down. The entire day had flipped and I felt like the world was spinning.
But this year especially, and again, in this tournament, I've shown some real resilience being down and out early and bringing it back to contend.
So it's not a situation I prefer to be in, but it's a situation I'm used to. I was able to do it again versus Miles.
Q. You don't play a lot of match play events, but you did play one earlier this year and you were a semifinalist.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yeah.
Q. Did that run prepare you for this? Obviously it's a grind every day. You got to play one match at a time. It's a new event, almost like a new competition every time you step to the next round. Did that help you?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Absolutely. Everything was the same as it was at Bethpage, except I had to carry my own bag there. It was nice having a caddie for all rounds of match play, even though I'm exhausted now. Yeah, it was nice.
But, yeah, Bethpage, another northern course, another great courses up here. It's got similar style of play, demanding off the tee, demanding on greens. So I would say, yeah, absolutely prepared me for a deep one. I guess so.
Q. This championship brings a lot of perks. One, you're in the Amateur next month; you get the amateur next year; and you get to play in a U.S. Open in Pebble Beach. I don't know if you ever tried for the U.S. Open, but who is the guy you want to play a practice round with at Pebble Beach come that first Monday or Sunday?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Oh, man, I think like Rickie Fowler. That would be so cool. Or like a Max Homa. Those are kind of the guys that I like right now. Obviously if I got paired with Rory that would just be unbelievable.
And that still hasn't really sunk in yet, but it's just the way things worked. The fact that I get to play in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach next year, I remember watching Gary Woodland win his back a few years ago.
Q. '19, yeah.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yeah. It's just unbelievable that it's going back there and I get to be part of that field.
Q. Ever been out to California?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Been out to California; never been to Pebble, or that -- is it Monterey area?
Q. Monterey, yes.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yes, never been out there. Not yet.
Q. I'm sure you've seen it a number of times on television.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yes, sir.
Q. Any particular hole that intrigues you there?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I mean, 18 is always a beast. It's always windy. Usually into the wind. Even though it's a par-5.
And it's so scenic out there. I've seen Pebble on TV a million times from the 18th tee like you said, so I know what the holes look like. There is that one par-3, that's one of their signature holes.
Yeah, I can't wait until next June. It's going to be unbelievable.
Q. Where do you play in Virginia? I guess they had some kind of a watch party today.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yeah, back home in Moseley, Virginia. It's a suburb Richmond, kind of in the Chesterfield area. We are about 20 minutes from Richmond.
Yeah, apparently they had a watch --
Q. What's the name of the course?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Magnolia Green Golf Club.
Q. Is it private or is it...
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I think it's semi-private.
Q. Have you ever played out of Kinloch?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I actually did and I did actually pretty well out there.
Q. Okay. Do you know some of the champions from Virginia, like Vinny Giles or Lanny?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yes, sir, I do.
Q. Have you met them or...
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: No, no, sir, never got the chance.
Q. Going to play Merion next, another great course.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yes, sir.
Q. You said you failed to get out of your final qualifier for that.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I did.
Q. You're full of second chances. Second chance to play here and now second chance to play the U.S. Amateur.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yes, sir. I'm thankful for the second chances. I was really bummed that I missed the qualifier because I really wanted to be in both USGA championships for the Junior Am and the U.S. Amateur. It's going to be special coming back up to PA to play in another USGA Championship and I'm so stoked for it.
Q. I know you were asked this yesterday, but to have your brother on the bag, he's obviously a good player; qualified to get here. How many shots you think he saved you this week around this course, and what does he do for you not just from a physical standpoint, but from a mental standpoint?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yeah, I would say he saved -- I don't have a specific number of shots, but definitely saved a ton. He keeps me in check. When I come to a decision really quickly he's there to kind of slow it down, make sure like, hey, is this the right club, right number, are we judging the wind right.
So there is a lot of talks on the golf course, which keeps it light. We're able to lock in when it's time to be serious, but when it's time to just kind of take it easy just for a second just to have a normal conversation, he can do that.
So I would say it was the best having him on the bag and he helped me a lot this week.
Q. You guys had a pretty good embrace on the last hole. What did you say to each other?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I think he just said he was proud of me. I think I just was thanking him over and over again for being on the bag and being there for me physically and mentally.
I understand he knows as a competitor, he just wants to be in this situation as well. Even though he got to see me win one he wants to win one even more.
Q. Sure.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: So I just thanked him a million times over for being on the bag and being there.
Q. Tell me about your recruiting process at Liberty. How many schools were after you in high school? Obviously this comes now you already signed with Liberty, but any big schools after you?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yeah, sophomore, when it was time to be recruited, sophomore summer, it was kind of slow. I hadn't played particularly well. Actually not at all. I didn't play well at all.
The schools firing out at the start were not great. I was hoping for a little bit more.
And then junior season I started to turn things around and I had a couple connections. There was a couple other schools that I wanted to go to at the time and then those doors kind of shut for whatever reason.
I had wanted to go to Liberty before. Would've been before my junior winter going into the winter season.
Q. Okay.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I reached out to the coaches. They were still looking for a spot. I really wanted them bad, before I had started playing well. So when they made me an offer it only took me about like a week to consider because some other schools fell through and I had decided to go to Liberty.
Q. Probably a diamond in the rough right now after a week like this.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: That's right, yes, sir.
Q. They discovered you.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Yes, sir.
Q. You had some high school teammates come up here?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Just some buddies that we play tournaments back in Virginia, some big tournaments. Buddies from the local Virginia area and then Northern Virginia and Richmond area as well. Yes, sir.
Q. How much did that mean that they turned up today to see you?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Means so much. The support this week from Saucon Valley was unbelievable. When I got the chance to kind of step out of being locked in I got to see everybody. I recognized a few people in the crowd. It really means the world to me for them to be there to watch me compete, and just the support through the ups and downs of the match was something I had never experienced.
Q. One final question: You beat Miles Russell. This kid's resume, as you know, is a long list. It's one of the most impressive junior resumes in probably the last 15 years, probably since Jordan. When you look back at this week and you see you beat Miles Russell, this kid who played The Open last month, tied for 39th, what do you think thoughts will be?
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: I think it gives me the confidence to from here on out have full confidence in myself as a player in to college, past college, hopefully playing on the PGA TOUR. It gives me all the confidence in the world, and I know when I look back on this moment this is definitely one to remember.
We'll continue to work hard and get better, but this is definitely one to look back on and say, you know, beat Miles at the peak of his junior career. Gives me all the confidence in the world if I work hard at it and train for it I can do anything I put my mind to.
Q. Congratulations. Enjoy all the things that come your way.
NOAH MACLAUCHLAN: Thank you. Appreciate it.
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