U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 19, 1997

Bryce Molder

BRYCE MOLDER: Yeah, thanks. I started off, and I parred the first three holes. And then -- well, I started on the back 9, so I birdied 13, 14 and then 16. Made some pars coming around and missed a few short putts to really go low, and then actually got a little frustrated and bogeyed the fifth hole. But I came back and birdied 7 and 9 coming in.

BRYCE MOLDER: The last two, No. 7 is a par 3. I hit a 5-iron to about 15 feet behind it and made it. And then No. 9 is a par 5, and I hit driver, 3-wood on the very back part and 2-putted.

BRYCE MOLDER: Right. It's fun because all the favorites, you know, are at least midway through college or they're fairly -- quite a bit older, so we don't really get looked at, and we don't have as much experience. But we just kind of go out there and just play as well as we can, and we just happened to play as well as some others.

BRYCE MOLDER: Not much. Maybe just a little bit -- just a little bit experience. I think, you know, a 24-year-old that hadn't played that well yet has the same, you know, just like us, but maybe a 24-year-old that has been at the top and maybe made it to the semis or something, maybe has a little bit more experience, but that can only go so far.

BRYCE MOLDER: Yes, sir, I did.

BRYCE MOLDER: I was playing in the Western Am the week before.

BRYCE MOLDER: Yes. So I didn't have to fly back home then fly back to another tournament.

BRYCE MOLDER: No.

BRYCE MOLDER: I had a friend in town, a good friend of my dad's, he's played out here some, and he told me just a little bit about it and everything after I qualified, but that's about all I knew.

BRYCE MOLDER: That's right. I know if I was playing somebody and they were a couple years younger and they were beating me, I would be pretty frustrated by it. If you get off to a good start, that can work to your advantage also.

BRYCE MOLDER: I would have loved to have had it just to be able to say through two rounds, you beat 312 of the best amateurs in the country, but I played solid, and I mean, I made it, and I'm going to have a fairly big seed. But everybody is equal after the cut, so everybody is pretty close in ability and everything, so it's -- it is good just to know that I played well and putted well and just kind of my game is where I want it to be.

BRYCE MOLDER: Go hit long irons. I know that. More drivers and long irons. Both of them are pretty tight. Of course, No. 2 is a little bit tighter. I've driven the fairways a little bit more. But whenever you have to hit it out there 280, to have just a 4-iron, then it's still pretty tight. But not really any different. You just kind of go out and try to be patient on the course. You have to.

BRYCE MOLDER: As far as I know, it is. I can't really remember of a time that I did, but I think it is.

BRYCE MOLDER: No, I got beat in the second round.

BRYCE MOLDER: Second round. So....

BRYCE MOLDER: Right.

BRYCE MOLDER: If I win this, it just means the next tournament I play in, I'm going to be some kind of favorite or something. It won't change anything because I know I still have to mature and everything and go through the college experience, because I'm looking forward to it, for one thing. And a player that was just a freshman at Georgia Tech this past year said that just being in school and having to, you know, manage your time and that kind of stuff made him a better player. So I think it's, you know, worthwhile to go through it. I mean, obviously.

BRYCE MOLDER: Thanks.