U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 10, 2021

Cooper Schultz

Oakmont Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So let's talk about this round. To shoot 69 at Oakmont is no small feat. There haven't been many under-par rounds here in stroke play at a US Amateur. How do you feel about your round today?

COOPER SCHULTZ: I played pretty good. The putting was a lot better than it was yesterday. Yesterday I shot 1-under with 36 putts, which is really hard to do.

Today, I mean, I left a couple strokes out there, but also made a couple putts. I had an eagle on 12, which is probably the highlight of the round.

Q. Tell me how you make that eagle.

COOPER SCHULTZ: Just hit drive down the left side. Kind of got unlucky that it like stuck up up there, but it was in the first cut and a little downwind, so me and my dad -- it was probably like 270-ish, around there, downwind, and we were like, Okay 3-wood is too much, so we will try and chase a 3-iron up there.

Got up to probably like 20 feet short of the green, maybe 15 feet, but, I mean, the fairways is mowed so low it's basically the greens, so I just putted it, got lucky, hit the hole, went in.

Q. How far do you think it was?

COOPER SCHULTZ: Oh, it was probably about a 30-footer.

Q. Yeah. And then you had five birdies today, which is no small feat. Tell me about a couple of those that you really liked.

COOPER SCHULTZ: I mean, I just obviously just rolled the rock. I mean, I hit some really good shots, but, I mean, most of my birdies weren't from just amazing shots, like really good putts.

My second hole today, hole 11, I hit a terrible tee shot. At the very bottom of the hill and hit one just short left of the green, and then rolled one in from about 25 feet, 30 feet and that just got the day going.

I just knew from then like I could do some damage there.

Q. Yeah. When you play well on what's going to be the match play course, how much confidence do you get now going into match play?

COOPER SCHULTZ: A lot, because everybody thinks of that course as it being so difficult and everybody is like going to be complaining on how greens are so quick or something like that.

It's just like a good feeling to know that I have just -- that's just one more advantage I have against the field coming in it, because obviously I've played so well here. Who knows how I'll play tomorrow, but hopefully they don't think the course is too easy. Have a little bit of advantage there.

Q. First USGA championship. Is this what you thought it would be like or what has been the feeling?

COOPER SCHULTZ: Yeah, I mean, this is pretty much what I thought it would be like. I mean, this has obviously been amazing. Everything I could have wished for for a big tournament like this. I mean, massive field.

I haven't played in even a college event, so playing in something this big means a lot, and to play good like really feels good. Last year I was struggling a little bit, and to come back after all that and get my putting back on track has really been a big thing for me.

Q. What have you done to get back on track? Obviously you just won the Kansas Amateur so you know what you're doing. What are you doing well that you weren't doing before?

COOPER SCHULTZ: Definitely my putting. That's just where it's been at. My driving has always been pretty good. I mean, I don't really miss any fairways out here, which is kind of fortunate, because, I mean, if you get outside of the fairway could be pretty penalizing out here.

Then my iron game has been pretty rock solid for the most part, and then I haven't -- I mean, I only chipped about three times this week, or two times this week, so having not to chip and just -- I mean, I think almost every one of my bogeys has been a three-putt.

Q. Right.

COOPER SCHULTZ: So having that, even though I say my putting is really good, the lag putting could be a little better. But for the most part the putting is pretty good.

Q. Last question: What did you learn in your match play victories in the Kansas Amateur that is going to help you the rest of the way here?

COOPER SCHULTZ: I would say how long it gets, because a lot of players just get like really tired, and more on the back nine they like lose a little focus, and that's just like when you just got to turn it on.

I think I played in like about four Kansas Ams, so like every time -- usually when you go -- usually you don't want a match to go to 18. That's just not a thing you want to do. So I'm hoping to end the matches just a tad early this time.

Q. Do you feel like you have a good ability to focus throughout the whole match?

COOPER SCHULTZ: I would say so, especially just one-on-one. Should be able to play pretty quick. The last two rounds have been pretty long, but should be a lot better. Hopefully there is no three-hour delays like it was today, but should be pretty good.