FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 31st, 2016

NOTABLE QUOTES: NCAA MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS, TEAM MATCH PLAY QUARTERFINAL MATCHES

Golf Channel Notable Quotes
NCAA Men’s Golf Championships
Team Match Play, Quarterfinals
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Eugene Country Club
Eugene, Ore.

Quarterfinal Matches Results:
Texas defeated Oklahoma 4-1
Southern California defeated Vanderbilt 4-1
Oregon defeated LSU 3.5 – 1.5
Illinois defeated South Carolina 4-1

**Golf Channel will air live coverage of the semifinal matches tonight beginning at 6 p.m. ET**

Semifinal Matches
Texas vs. Southern California
Oregon vs. Illinois

On Oregon defeating defending national champion LSU 3.5 – 1.5
Steve Burkowski – “The Oregon Ducks looked dead and buried in the early going, but they completely flipped the script.”
Burkowski – “This is an absolute star week for him [Aaron Wise]. This is his coming out party to the rest of the world.”
Curt Byrum – The demeanor of [Aaron] Wise. He is confident obviously, but never gets too excited.
Lanny Wadkins – He is very business-like, very much in control of his emotions.”
Bob Papa – “Aaron Wise has done everything. This year’s individual champion closing out the match for the Oregon Ducks with a long birdie.”
Wadkins – “Here is a man [Aaron Wise] who is really in control of his game right now. The Oregon Ducks are riding his coat tails, or should I say his feathers.”
Ryan Burr – “The Oregon Ducks using a little home cooking this week to make their way all the way to semifinals, riding the back of reigning national champion Aaron Wise.”

Oregon’s Aaron Wise speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum following his match
Aaron Wise – “I knew we had two matches done, and it was coming down to me and I knew what it meant.”
Wise – “I love it. To have the crowds out here again. I saw them come follow me from 16 and 17. It was awesome. To make a 30-footer to win is awesome. It is what you live to do.”

Oregon head coach Casey Martin speaking with Golf Channel’s Nicole Castrale on the fans at Eugene CC
Casey Martin – “It’s tremendous, that is part of the reason why we wanted to host a championship, to see if we couldn’t create some magic here. It’s happening and it is really fun to be a part of. It is an honor to play a team like LSU, the defending champions and to beat them. They are an amazing team and have a great tradition, so it is quite an honor.”
Martin – “We are going to have to play our best golf of the year. No doubt about it. At this part when you are in the final four, you don’t get away with anything, so our challenge to our guys is to bring the magic.”

On Oregon’s Zach Foushee taking the opening match 2-up after being down in all of their matches
Wadkins – “Game changer for them. They are really fighting back tough.”
Papa – “What a win by Zach Foushee. Taking care of business.”

On Texas defeating Oklahoma 4-1
Wadkins – “It was a grudge match. It is Texas and Oklahoma. They really go at each other, and Texas wanted this one badly. They wanted to get off to a good start and they have done that. This is what they were looking for.”
Papa – The Red River rivalry was contested on the Willamette River here in Eugene as Texas moves on, the top seed.”
Papa – “Dad Fred [Funk] has got to be very happy.”
Wadkins – “He [Fred Funk] is probably jumping around right now like he always does.”
Aaron Oberholser – “This was an absolute drumming by Texas.”

Texas assistant coach JP Hebert speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum following the quarterfinal matches
JP Hebert – “We were happy to be in match play, having the number one seed. To be able to be matched up with Oklahoma, we knew it wouldn’t be easy. We’ve got a Red River rivalry going. We knew it would be tough. Doesn’t matter who we were playing, it was going to be tough. Happy to get the win.”

Texas head coach John Fields speaking with Golf Channel’s Billy Ray Brown following the quarterfinal matches
John Fields – “The Red River Rivalry, it’s for real. Oklahoma is a really fine team, coached by a great coach in Ryan Hybl. We have a lot of respect for them. We’ve played them many times this year and they have gotten the better of us a couple of times. We knew not to come out here and be complacent. We had to play our best golf today.”
Fields – “I’m looking forward to coming back out to play Eugene Country Club. What a treat. This golf course is fantastic. It is setup incredibly, and we’ll have to play our best golf this afternoon too.”

On Illinois defeating South Carolina 4-1
Burkowski – “No coach in the country in my opinion can do a better job of hitting the reset button than Mike Small. It is a blue collar team in a white collar sport. He says all his players leave with PHD’s. Play like you are poor, hungry and determined. That message will continue this afternoon.”
Arron Oberholser – “This might look like a blowout on paper, but these matches were close.”
Oberholser – “Dylan Meyer just snake bit right now by the match play format at the NCAA’s, as he goes 0-3 for his career.”
Buddy Alexander – “He wants this badly. He has got those two seniors that are going away. He’s got to know that window might be closing a little bit. He’s going to be nervous this afternoon and he wants this badly.”

Illinois head coach Mike Small talks with Golf Channel’s Nicole Castrale following the match on Illinois’ strategy today
Mike Small – “Just win your match. Play hard and play with your strength. Adversity hits you out here and the teams with the best attitude and the best short games will win.”

Illinois head coach Small with talks with Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner following the matches
Small – “It was steady. We played well from the start. Played from our strength. A lot of good shots. South Carolina played well. They’ve got a good team, and it was close for a while. We kind of pushed out there on the start of the back nine and with Thomas Detry to go out first, that was a big deal.”

On Southern California defeating Vanderbilt 4-1
Burkowski – “Southern Cal, back on a mission this year, falling in the championship match a year ago to LSU. One step closer to perhaps winning the program’s first ever national championship.”

USC’s men’s coach Chris Zambri speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum following the quarterfinals on the team’s experience in advancing to the team championship final
Zambri – “I think it should help us a lot. Certainly they have done it, so they know they can do it. Obviously that is a big hurdle for anybody. Looks like we are playing well, and that is a big thing.”

On USC’s Rico Hoey with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum on Coach Zambri walking with Hoey
Rico Hoey – “He was keeping me loose. I mean, we usually talk about anything and everything. He helped me out with the greens and I was glad he was with me.”

-NBC Sports Group-