U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2025

June 14, 2025

Carlos Ortiz

Oakmont Country Club

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Carlos Ortiz, 3-under 67, great playing today. Can you talk us through the round.

CARLOS ORTIZ: It was a great round. I played good. I think I drove it pretty decent. I hit good shots, I putted okay. Honestly, I think I did everything pretty good.

THE MODERATOR: Flawless round of golf until 18, how do you put that bogey behind you going into tomorrow?

CARLOS ORTIZ: I mean, it's a bogey, it just happens here. I didn't hit the best drive. I had a good lie and it just closed the face. But all in all it was a good round, it doesn't really matter if I bogey 18 or not.

Q. When you were halfway through your round yesterday and I think you're probably around 6-over going to the second nine, what was on your mind back then, and would you have thought you could be in this position?

CARLOS ORTIZ: Yeah, I was playing really good, I had obviously a little stumble there on the front nine, but my game was strong, I was playing really good, I just had to keep doing what I was doing, and it worked out. Obviously played really good the back nine, but, I mean, I was hitting a lot of good shots, so it was just that kind of stumble that I had on the first nine.

Q. How do you keep the belief that you're playing good when the course is beating the crap out of you?

CARLOS ORTIZ: Honestly, the only thing I'm trying to do is just do my best and start on the first hole and pick it up on 18, whatever that is, you know. It's hard out there, I'm just trying to do my best, honestly.

Q. You're in a great position now going into the final round of the tournament, how do you feel about where you're at?

CARLOS ORTIZ: Good. I always said I've been trying to do my best, that's all I have. Hopefully it's enough. If not, I don't have anything else.

Q. There have been seven first-time major winners here at this iconic venue at Oakmont, what would it mean to you and to your family to become number eight?

CARLOS ORTIZ: I mean, it would be great. Winning any kind of tournament is awesome. But I always said I'm just going to do my best and hopefully that's enough. If not, that's all I had.

Q. Are you enjoying it though? Is it right to say you're having fun, given how tough the course is?

CARLOS ORTIZ: I mean, I guess you can say you're enjoying it, how much you can enjoy it. Obviously it's tough out there, you are just hitting the putts and hoping it doesn't go past the hole, but, yeah, I guess I'm enjoying it in a way.

Q. How hard was it today compared to yesterday?

CARLOS ORTIZ: It was easier to hit greens and fairways because how soft they are. But you still had to hit them. The rough is thick, you have to be good tee to green and then obviously make sure you get it somehow around the hole.

Q. Did it occur to you on 18 at all that you hadn't made a bogey all day?

CARLOS ORTIZ: Of course I know I hadn't made a bogey.

Q. I'm sure you don't want to think about that though.

CARLOS ORTIZ: No, no, you don't want to think about bogey, but it happened. I wasn't thinking about it, I always thought I was going to make a par or at least going to have a try, and I made 5.

Q. What have you figured out about major championship golf that you may not have known last time you played a major?

CARLOS ORTIZ: I mean it, been awhile since I played, maybe L.A. I've been working really hard on my game, I have a completely different game than I had in my last major. I feel that I've done a lot of good work with my coach to get the swing to be more consistent and hit the shots when I need to. I was just excited to be able to start playing majors again, because I feel like I'm playing good enough to compete on these things and it's just been hard for me to get into this, but now I have this and The Open Championship next, so I'm excited about that.

Q. How are you specifically a different player, what about your game before that wasn't conducive to --

CARLOS ORTIZ: I'm older, I guess a little bit wiser, I would like to think. Also I've changed a lot on the swing. Like where I can really hit the shots I want to when I want to and that's all you need to win tournaments. I feel like I've been doing that quite consistently, I've been playing good golf this year, and I'm putting everything together. So just the right time by the summer when it's this time, so I'm happy about that.

Q. What part of your game has improved the most since the last time you won on the PGA TOUR?

CARLOS ORTIZ: I feel like everything. I've worked hard on my short game with Pete, my long game with my coach Eduardo Miguel and the putting with Eric, so I've been doing a good job on working on all the areas and I feel like I am a stronger player than I was before.

Q. You've won once already this year, won twice last year, did you come in with some quiet confidence?

CARLOS ORTIZ: I just came in and trying to do my best. Honestly, that's all I'm trying to do, I'm trying to just play the best I can. Obviously you have to be smart and be patient, everything, but just trying my best.

Q. From your last time here in 2016, that experience, short experience, what were you expecting when you came back to this one?

CARLOS ORTIZ: I wasn't really expecting anything, I was just -- I know I was a different player, I'm more mature, and I was excited about the challenge to see how different I could face this challenge. It's a challenge.

Q. Different player, same course?

CARLOS ORTIZ: Different player, same course. Same course.