THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 17, 2026

Emil Riegger

Quick Quotes

Q. A first-round match play win, but probably the day started pretty early and quite tense, was it, in that playoff? Have you ever been in anything like that, 21 players?

EMIL RIEGGER: Yeah, I was in a playoff last year at the U.S. Am, 20 players for 17 spots. I didn't make it then, but today was definitely a longer version of that, I feel like, but yeah, I was very fortunate to make par on both holes. 17 played pretty hard, but yeah, it was fun.

Q. When you'd seen the numbers last night, did your thoughts go back to last year thinking hopefully this is my time to get through?

EMIL RIEGGER: It was also two holes last year, but I was confident. I just knew if I could play normal golf, everything was fine. I made a good up-and-down on 17 and then just made a par on 18.

Q. Once you knew you were through, did you go in with a nice bit of spring in the step to your first round having got going in the morning as well?

EMIL RIEGGER: Yeah, because I made a bogey putt yesterday on 18. That was from 8 feet. Then made -- the 17th hole I made a 6-footer for par, and then I was, like, anything that happens from here is just going to be fun.

Q. Was that bogey putt to drop back into the playoff?

EMIL RIEGGER: Yeah, it was. I thought it was going to be to stay in the cut, but obviously it was to be in the playoff.

Q. Yes, yes. Just talk us through the game today, because it was pretty tight, wasn't it? A couple of decisive holes.

EMIL RIEGGER: He started off really well, and it was also a very tough match. We both kept it around even par. I made birdies on the back nine. Once I made a putt, he made a putt.

Then I made birdie on 16. He ended up making par on 17. I made bogey. Then it came down to the last hole. We both had 30-footers. I just left mine a little short; he did too. Then I took the win.

Q. You holed. Were you 1-up in the last?

EMIL RIEGGER: I was 1-up going into the last; 2-up after 16.

Q. Nice relief. Nice to get through.

EMIL RIEGGER: Yeah, but he played hole -- a par-3, hole 7 or something, he made birdie. And then hole 11, the par-3, he also hit a really good 5-iron and made birdie there, as well.

Q. Yeah, a tough test.

EMIL RIEGGER: Yeah.

Q. Good to get over the first hurdle. What's your pedigree in match play? Any reasonable results?

EMIL RIEGGER: I haven't played too much match play, but I think it's very enjoyable because one hole doesn't make too much of a difference. You just plow through.

Q. Forget about it and --

EMIL RIEGGER: Exactly.

Q. The Royal Liverpool, are you familiar with this place at all?

EMIL RIEGGER: I think it's a great -- I really love hole 15. I think it's really well-designed. That 130 yards will get a variety of scores from birdie to bogey or double. So I think it's a great venue.

Q. Have you played in the Amateur Championship before?

EMIL RIEGGER: Yeah, I played last year. I went out first round.

Q. First round, well, that's one better.

EMIL RIEGGER: Exactly. Hopefully I can keep it going.