FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 30th, 2017
NOTABLE QUOTES: NCAA MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS – TUESDAY’S QUARTERFINAL MATCHES, TEAM MATCH PLAY
Golf Channel Notable Quotes
NCAA Men’s Golf Championships
Team Match Play, Quarterfinals
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Rich Harvest Farms
Sugar Grove, Ill.
Quarterfinal Matches Results:
Oklahoma defeated Baylor 3-2
Illinois defeated Southern California 3-1-1
Vanderbilt defeated UNLV 3-2
Oregon defeated Oklahoma State 3-2
Semifinal Matches
Illinois vs. Oklahoma
Vanderbilt vs. Oregon
**Golf Channel will air live coverage of the semifinal matches today from 4-8 p.m. ET**
On Oklahoma defeating Baylor 3-2
Lanny Wadkins – “If you persevere in match play, anything can happen.”
Bob Papa – “Oklahoma with a great comeback. They were down in all of their matches today.”
Wadkins – “When Baylor was up in all five matches that just looked like something that was going to happen. Great fight by Oklahoma.”
Oklahoma coach Ryan Hybl speaking with Golf Channel’s Notah Begay following the match
Ryan Hybl – “Our guys, they are fighters. They are grinders. That’s Oklahoma golf. We had five guys down all the way through hole-11. Every one of them were competitive and then we got him [Dalke] to the house to win. It was just a great day. They grinded it out.”
Oklahoma’s Brad Dalke speaking with Golf Channel’s Notah Begay following the match
Brad Dalke – “We both played really solid all day. It was a close match all day. I was 1-up a lot of the time, he was 1-up a lot of the time. It was close. I wanted to get it done on 18 to close it out in front of everybody. We had to go one more hole and I got a solid two-putt par and finished it out.”
On Illinois defeating Southern California 3-1-1
Wadkins – “They look like a team of destiny this week.”
Steve Burkowski – “They have made it to the semis for the fourth time in the last five years. Mike Small’s team continues to get it done in search of their first national championship.”
Wadkins – “Dylan Meyer, he can get fired up. He is a momentum player with his attitude.”
Wadkins – “He [Meyer] can make a great Ryder cup player”
Wadkins – “Nick Hardy’s short game has been outstanding today.”
Illinois’ Nick Hardy speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum following his match
Nick Hardy – “Rico [Hoey] is such a great player that you’ve got to be on point. I had to come out and step my game up in order to beat him. I just tried to execute each shot with as much focus as I could.”
Hardy – “I just tried to picture each shot and imagined it. I used the wind as a help for me today, especially around the greens.”
Illinois’ coach Mike Small speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum following on advancing to the semifinals
Mike Small – “Next. That’s our battle cry. Just to think about what is coming next. Forget what just happened. It was a great match this morning. How about those guys, we were down in almost every match and they all fought back. Just next, put the stuff behind you, if it is good or bad and move on.”
On Vanderbilt defeating UNLV 3-2
Wadkins – “Vanderbilt is the team to beat going forward. They are the deepest, best team.”
Papa – “The Commodores survive a scare.”
Vanderbilt’s Theo Humphrey speaking with Billy Ray Brown, talking about the final putt to clinch the deciding point for Vanderbilt
Theo Humphrey – “I was pretty nervous over it. 4.5 feet to clinch a berth into the semifinals is pretty nerve-wracking. I said something to my teammate John at regionals. He was complaining about missing 4-footers. I told him, ‘The odds are that the putt is going to go in.’ My assistant coach, Coach Smith, said to me ‘he odds are in your favor.’ Fortunately it went in.”
Vanderbilt’s Patrick Martin w speaking with Golf Channel’s Billy Ray Brown following the match
Patrick Martin – “Harry played really well all day. We were going back and forth, hitting good golf shots. Momentum really wasn’t in anybody’s hands most of the match. Good golf shots. It was time for somebody to win a hole and 15 was a big part.”
Vanderbilt coach Scott Limbaugh speaking with Golf Channel’s Billy Ray Brown on what he is telling his players
Scott Limbaugh – “Just believe in each other. It has been a fun year and I just want them to be excited. Let’s enjoy this, don’t let what people say about us determine what we do, we want to decide the truth about this team.”
Limbaugh – “We didn’t come here not to win the stroke play portion and we’re not going to apologize for it. We came to plant some seeds in the stroke play and I think our guys did a good job at that.”
On Oregon defeating Oklahoma State 3-2
Wadkins – “They are the hot hand. They did what they had to do yesterday and then played really well today to accomplish things.”
Oregon’s Edwin Yi speaking with Golf Channel’s Notah Begay following Yi’s match
Edwin Yi – “Going into the finals in last year’s national championship really helped me a lot. I learned a lot about myself and my game. Being in touch situations and under pressure, all I am trying to do is play golf and have fun.”
Oregon’s Sulman Raza speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum following the match on whether he had any flashbacks to last year’s national championship and the winning putt
Sulman Raza – “Absolutely, it was the same distance, same read. Coach and I had a pretty good read. Just play outside left edge with dying speed. It went in the hole, so it feels great.”
Oregon coach Casey Martin speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum following the match
Casey Martin – “Unbelievable experience for these guys. I’m so thankful. To beat a storied program like Oklahoma State, what an honor to play them in match play, let alone beat them. Just incredible for Oregon golf. We’ve got a good thing going and it has been a magical ride.”
-NBC Sports Group-
