U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 29, 2026

Drew Kittleson

Sand Valley Resort

Quick Quotes

Q. Marathon day. Let's go back to this morning. Got three birdies dumped on you in the last three holes and then, believe it or not, that's the longest match in the last five years.

DREW KITTLESON: In the last five years?

Q. Yeah, so just talk through that match.

DREW KITTLESON: I mean, yeah, that was not expected. I thought I was just going to cruise control on the way in and he didn't. Kudos to him. Couple of the shots he hit were unbelievable.

To make that many tweets was awesome. And then I had a freebie on two and then horseshoed; miss.

And then actually, you know, probably statistically I was way down and I made the long one and he missed and that's golf.

I've been on the other side of that a million times.

Q. Yeah. And then coming in, came out hot this afternoon. Shefty pointed out a stat, I think you only lost one hole on the front nine in your matches so far. Does the front nine fit your eye more or is it just product of random...

DREW KITTLESON: I don't think I've really made hardly any bogeys. I have made so few bogeys. I'm sure maybe the stats will -- you know, in match play, if you make actually make a bogey versus different.

Q. Yeah.

DREW KITTLESON: But I just feel like I'm in control of the ball a little bit. Putting is fine. Pace of play or pace of the greens is fine.

And I do love that you have a variety off the tee. That's a really nice place for The Lido.

Q. You told me coming into this week you're actually excited to play, coming in warm; coming off the Crump Cup. You normally fly in the day before; barely get practice rounds in.

DREW KITTLESON: Yeah.

Q. Do you think you're much better off and you're feeling a lot better coming into this week? Is that showing?

DREW KITTLESON: Without question. I feel so blessed to play a USGA event but also play The Crump Cup at Pine Valley. So to be -- to come out and not be just 10&2 it and act like I've never played golf is a nice thing.

To get like four, five rounds at Pine Valley coming to a USGA event is definitely better than playing two or three gambling matches at Whisper Rock.

Q. Last one here: A lot of chatter about reinstated amateurs, yada, yada. Why do you feel like you are a true Mid-Am out here?

DREW KITTLESON: Well, because I play very little golf relative to a lot of Mid-Ams, and golf is probably not even Top 5 of my priorities in my life.

When you take a lot of these guys that are somewhat Mid-Ams, golf is definitely within the Top 2. I have a family, a son, a job. I have all these things to go do, and so if everybody is entitled to their opinion, but if somebody wants to come and take a month off and play golf with me, I'll take them.