U.S. SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 2, 2021

Jerry Gunthorpe

Country Club of Detroit

Quick Quotes

Q. Tough way to -- the last two holes are just...

JERRY GUNTHORPE: Yeah, I was -- I don't know what happened. I was getting tired. I don't know what happened. I apprehensive. Not really sure what happened. I guess I'll have to look back and see what happened.

Q. Any nerves?

JERRY GUNTHORPE: I had more nerves earlier than I did then. I don't think so. Maybe. I don't know, my swing was just a little off with the driver most of the day and it caught up to me on 17 there when i hit it way right, and same thing on 18. It wasn't my iron play. It was always that driver.

It's been hit and miss for the last three, four days, and I was able to get it around. Gene is way too good to just get it around and win, so congrats to him. He played great. I played decent for 16 holes and just couldn't hold on, I guess.

Q. Played decent for five matches and 16 holes to get to this point. Can you sum up the week for you, your son on the bag, playing in your home state, a national championship.

JERRY GUNTHORPE: That's everything. I'll never forget this week for sure. It's one the highlights of my career. It is the highlight of my career. I've played a lot have tournaments. Nothing that is of this grandeur this far, and I guess that alone is a pretty good thing to look back on.

Q. You got a lot of fun events coming your way.

JERRY GUNTHORPE: I have no idea what I got coming. Haven't thought about it.

Q. Senior Open next year and the Amateur next year and three of threes?

JERRY GUNTHORPE: Regular Am next year?

Q. Regular Am.

JERRY GUNTHORPE: Again, I don't know any of that stuff.

Q. I mean --

JERRY GUNTHORPE: I would've liked to finish stronger and gave Gene a better finish there, but congrats to him.

Q. Is that usual to miss the driver right?

JERRY GUNTHORPE: No. I got a new shaft in there about two months ago and now this one the miss is to the right; used to be the left. I kind of like this one better. I can be more consistent with it when I swing it right. When I lean on it it just flares on me to the right, and I leaned on it a couple times.

Q. Have you ever tried for the Senior Open?

JERRY GUNTHORPE: No6, never. I think once, once or twice. I really haven't tried for too many USGA events. I just raised my kids and had them do it and helped them out.

This is just something that I'm going to do a little bit more as I get older I guess.

Q. How excited would you be to play the Senior Open next year with all the guys you probably worshipped and idolized for so many years?

JERRY GUNTHORPE: Yeah, obviously I would love to. That would be cool. Things to look forward to, but right now it just hurts.

Q. Take me through what the lie situation was, the approach on 18?

JERRY GUNTHORPE: Approach on 18 was looking right up at the pin. I was aiming left but I been hitting my lines really well, so when I was -- I aimed left and I looked up and looked like it was at the hole instead of stepping off, I just let it go because it felt like I was going to put a good swing on it. If I wouldn't have thought I was going to put a good swing on it I wouldn't have swung. I wouldn't put myself in this risk very far.

Still came up short. I think we had to the wind wrong. It looked like it was going to be a little bit more down and it was more into us than down off the left. It held its line, but didn't get enough to get up there. That first putt I thought I hit it hard enough and just didn't.

Maybe a little nerves there where I couldn't get the putter to release. I don't know. I guess somebody else knows more than me.

I thought I put a good roll on it. Same thing with the second one, but the second one I might have missed my line just a little bit.

Q. What have you found out about yourself after a week like this? What does it tell you about your game, where you are?

JERRY GUNTHORPE: I don't know. I guess it's a little -- it's justification for the work I've done it and the experience I've had. It's not on this, but the people, the course, the moment doesn't really affect me. I put as much pressure on myself as do I just about anything. It's not that. It's the competition that I really enjoy, so I almost enjoy this more than just playing.

It's fun to me. It's not that much work. It's enjoyable. I mean, I could have folded at any time today, just gave up. I like competing, so...