THE 154TH OPEN

July 18, 2026

Jack McDonald

Mixed Zone

Q. How did it feel standing on that 1st tee with an awful lot of people there this morning?

JACK McDONALD: Oh, no, it was blowing. I was good to tee off on a Saturday. Yeah, some feeling. Obviously hitting the first tee shot was pretty cool. Most of it would probably go up to like -- yeah, I feel as if there was quite a lot of crowds until probably up at 10, 11. It was so cool.

Q. The tee shot, you had some nerves there probably?

JACK McDONALD: There's always nerves, isn't there, obviously, but it was good to have a good one, and it made it a wee bit easier because you've obviously made the cut and stuff, and everything's a bonus.

Q. You're here for three days -- four days obviously. Does it get the juices flowing in terms of going back to play full-time?

JACK McDONALD: No, no, I've made that decision. I don't want to go down that route. I'm happy and content the way everything is just now.

Q. You say you were determined to have fun, you're going to enjoy it. You had a massive smile after you holed it on 18. I saw you going a bit earlier. Can you speak to the emotion of that just walking about?

JACK McDONALD: Oh, yes, it's the pinnacle of the sport in my opinion. It was just amazing to obviously be in it and in the field.

That will always be my kind of goal. I'll always want to keep my game to try and get back here or compete in an Open just because it's so good, such a good week.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

JACK McDONALD: No, exactly. Me and James, my caddie, were just having a bit of fun. Like there was a game plan there, but we just had -- yeah, just go and hit the shots. If they come off, great. If they don't, well, it is what it is.

Q. One shot that came off was the second shot at 10. I saw your celebration. Talk about that.

JACK McDONALD: It was kind of weird because obviously the position I was in -- what was I? I was plus 3, I think, at the time, and I got a good number, and I was like, right, okay, I'll just hit that shot. It was tricky last night, there was no question about it, the way the wind was.

^ Kristin it was just like when I holed it, and I was like, right, that was good. I was like, well, go in that side. But there was things on the way in, like I kept taking on the course, and I was just like just missing bunkers, and you're just kind of like, are you sure? That was where I was ready to, come on, like, great, just finish it and try and get in.

But I was trying to have the mindset of improving my score.

Q. (Indiscernible) times in your career?

JACK McDONALD: From an individual point of view, yeah, but from -- I would say probably the Walker Cup was amazing, that week, because you're part of a team and stuff. That was probably extra special.

From an individual, yeah, making the cut in an Open is amazing, and just getting out and enjoying it. I feel like I've not got any pressures or anything like that, and I'll just go and enjoy it.

Q. How good was it last night when you finished? You've achieved your ambition, you come in, and the media is here for Bryson DeChambeau. Were you thinking, are they here for me. How weird was it to be a part of the whole -- everything that was happening last night. The media come up and the whole thing. Were you aware of what was going on?

JACK McDONALD: To be honest, I wasn't. I signed my card, and if somebody wants to talk, fine. I had no idea what was going on. I just -- yeah, really, I was kind of --

Q. He was in there, wasn't he?

JACK McDONALD: I didn't see him. I don't know.

Q. I can't imagine there was much sleep last night?

JACK McDONALD: On the way in, I felt kind of -- well, I've not been playing three in a row, and I feel like I've been here so long. When I'm playing a PGA event, I feel like I drive two hours and then play, but I just feel as if I've been here for -- well, feels a long time, but it's just because I've not been used to it.

Q. Did you get four or five hours last night?

JACK McDONALD: I feel like it might have been one or something because I couldn't get any sleep. As soon as I seen my tee time, I'm like, oh, it's 10 past 9:00. That's all right.

Q. Will you go to bed?

JACK McDONALD: No, I'll stay here. (Laughter.) I was thinking, I'll go out and get some food and just enjoy it. Sit and watch some golf.

Q. Go out tomorrow and try to enjoy one last good round?

JACK McDONALD: Yeah, that's what it is. I'll just go enjoy it. I'll just go play some golf and see what happens.

Q. How many Whitecraigs T-shirts did you bring this week? Did you bring enough for Sunday?

JACK McDONALD: Yeah, I've got a few left. Aye, I did the washing. Then I'll just drive up the road and walk in Tuesday.

Q. Back to it on Tuesday? Are they working you hard?

JACK McDONALD: No, it's just good. I enjoy it. I enjoy working. I enjoy what I'm doing. I'm content with it.

Q. Just a quick what you did on Tuesday; what that would entail.

JACK McDONALD: Just working in the shop.

Q. Taking care of the members and that stuff?

JACK McDONALD: I just enjoy that sort of thing. It's very sociable, stuff like that.

Q. You've got the perfect job. You're still getting to play the Tartan Tour and other bits and bobs.

JACK McDONALD: David's been very good with me with that. That was part of the reason going to Whitecraigs especially. He's very good at what he does, and he's an ex-player as well, so he was very pro playing, which is brilliant for me.

So I've been able to obviously play the PGA stuff, and my focus was final qualifying and getting through that.

Q. Can't take the day off on Tuesday?

JACK McDONALD: Yeah, I'm happy to do whatever that is.