THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

June 17, 2026

Guus Lafeber

Quick Quotes

Q. Well, Guus, you earned that the hard way, and celebrating with a nice ice cream.

GUUS LAFEBER: Yeah.

Q. Richly deserved, I think.

GUUS LAFEBER: Yeah, definitely, yeah. I mean, I played great, but the other guy as well, Connor, he also played some really good golf. It was a really good match at the end.

But, yeah, I'm really glad that I've done it now at the end, yep. Feels good.

Q. As you say, it was a top quality match. On 18 did you think with your approach in and given he was in the rough, did you think maybe that was you home and dry?

GUUS LAFEBER: Not really, though, because at the end golf, it's a weird sport, you know? So I already had a feeling, like, okay, I definitely -- let's just say I just -- on the last hole I had to make a birdie to even half it.

Yeah, I really had a thought, okay, I had to make a birdie. I mean, yeah, we both did, yeah.

Q. We're all square playing the 17th, 18th, weren't we? There had not been much in it. Were you maybe 2-up early on?

GUUS LAFEBER: 2-up birdie on after 10, I think. Sorry.

Q. Keep licking away eating ice cream.

GUUS LAFEBER: I mean, you know, I was thinking, like, well, you know, the start was just actually really, really important to get off fast quick. That's what I quietly did.

I had a margin, though, but I just knew that it was going to be tough.

Q. You have a couple of early birdies, or was it just pars to get ahead?

GUUS LAFEBER: It was just mostly pars. Then all of a sudden, I think it was on 5 and 6, I made a birdie, and then all of a sudden it was just all pars from there.

Q. Great to get a test like that, I suppose. As you said, coming off there was pretty nerve-wracking?

GUUS LAFEBER: Yeah.

Q. As nervous as you've been for a while?

GUUS LAFEBER: Definitely, yeah. Definitely.

Q. Your pedigree, obviously Boys champion last year, that stands you in great stead for this kind of combat.

GUUS LAFEBER: Definitely, yeah. Yeah, it's match play. Yeah, I definitely know -- it's match play, and I definitely know --

Q. How to get it done?

GUUS LAFEBER: Exactly, yeah. Sorry. I was just so nerving.

Yeah, no, you're right. Match play is just a really tough match. Yeah, I'm just really glad that I've done it now.

Q. It's been a while since old Reinier Saxton won The Amateur at Turnberry 2008. Early days yet, but there's some good names to follow there.

GUUS LAFEBER: Yeah, definitely, for sure.

Q. He's still involved, isn't he, Reinier?

GUUS LAFEBER: He's right there. He's our coach. Yeah, he knows how to win this tournament.

Q. Yeah, he's a great man to lean on.

GUUS LAFEBER: Definitely. He is, yeah.

Q. When you saw the draw last night, was it one to savor a match like that?

GUUS LAFEBER: Yeah, definitely. I already knew, you know, Connor, he's a really good player, so I already knew, okay, that's just a lot of fun. Maybe I could also -- yeah, it was a nice watch to actually -- to play against him, so yeah.