Interview With Junior Amateur Champion Andy Hyeon Bo Shim July 20, 2012 By USGA

RHONDA GLENN:  Andy, you were 5 down at the lunch break.  What did you tell yourself when you had to get ready for the afternoon.

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Well, I mean, I didn't really think about a lot.  I mean, I just think about keep it going, same thing I had on the front 18.

I hit it great, but he just played really good.  You know, I didn't really miss a lot of putts, but he was making a lot of birdies.

Missed a few putts and gave him, like conceded the match.  (Indiscernible) for birdie.

RHONDA GLEN:  So you weren't discouraged even though you were 5‑down?

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  No, I mean, I knew he was a great player.  I thought if I could just make it to 4‑under or 5‑under, you know, I think I was going to come back a little bit.

RHONDA GLENN:  You had to be treated three times on your feet in the afternoon 18.  Where are they?  Which foot?


RHONDA GLENN:  Both feet?  You complained about these earlier in the week, didn't you?


RHONDA GLENN:  How did you deal with that?

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yeah, I mean, you're playing golf.  (Laughter.)

Q.  Did it affect anything with your swing?  

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I mean, not really.  When I was just walking it doesn't really hurt, but (indiscernible) it feels a lot better.  But I guess I had to hurt to play good.  (Laughter.)

Q.  (No microphone.) 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Three times three, I guess.  I didn't know I was going to win the U.S. Juniors, one of the biggest tournaments for juniors in the nation.

Q.  If someone told you at lunch that you were going to win on the 15th hole, 4 & 3, would you have believed them? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I didn't hear that.  You know, I didn't even thought about it and I didn't even think about it and I never heard about it.

Q.  (Question regarding his belief in his comeback.) 

RHONDA GLENN:  Did you believe that you could come back?

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yeah, of course.  I mean, I was 5‑down, but if I just keep making my birdies on the front, you know, it happens.  If I make a little bit of a mistake (indiscernible) from the match and if I make birdie.

RHONDA GLENN:  8 of the first 10 holes in the afternoon.  I mean, that's got to feel incredible.

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I know.  I couldn't believe myself.  (Laughter.)  I mean, literally was champion of 2010, and he just ‑‑ top 5 in the country, I would have thought (indiscernible) playing really great this year.  He came out all the way to the top.  It was great.

Q.  (Question regarding hazards. ) 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yeah, I mean, I was about 3‑ to 4‑down to go into 11.  I had to get something.  You know, it was an easy mistake.  I should just layup and try to make birdie or par.



ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yeah, the first match.

RHONDA GLENN:  Yeah.  And then you birdied 12.


RHONDA GLENN:  Yeah.  How did you psyche yourself up?  That's kind of when things started to get better.

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yeah, I guess.  For me, I don't know, but, I mean, I just forget.  I just forget what I had (indiscernible) before.  I just kept thinking about one shot ahead.  I don't remember.  I don't know how much down I was.

Q.  Was there a point in the afternoon match, maybe on the front nine, when you could feel it starting to turn around?  

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I guess the first hole, I guess.  I mean, but Jim just, (indiscernible) the tee shot just into the hazard, but he found it, so I just played it.  I just hit a really good driver.  I just felt really good about it.

            I think we tied the first hole, but...

            RHONDA GLENN:  No, you won.

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Oh, okay.

            RHONDA GLENN:  You were 4‑down after No. 1.

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Okay.


            Q.  Talk about the putt on 9.  

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  You know, I made that putt in the first match as well.  The first match I was about 2‑down, so I just had to make that putt.  I was telling myself I could make it.  My caddie told me to just (indiscernible) right at it and made it.

            RHONDA GLENN:  And it the same putt as you had this morning?

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  It was about the same exact putt.  My caddie told me just trust it going in.

            RHONDA GLENN:  This morning on No. 9, how long was that putt?

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  It was about 30, 40.

            RHONDA GLENN:  And then this afternoon?

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  It was about 15.

            RHONDA GLENN:  Okay.  Tell us now about the eagle on No. 4 this afternoon.

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I won 3 before that hole, didn't I?

            RHONDA GLENN:  You were 4 holes down, so you were 3‑down going into that hole.  It's No. 4.

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I guess I won a few before that, right?

            RHONDA GLENN:  Yeah.

            ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  So, I mean, on that time, I mean, I just won two in a row (indiscernible) the second match.  You know, just felt like really comfortable from the first tee shot.  The first hole it just went (indiscernible) my driver.

            I played yesterday with the same tee box, same pins, and just lined up and hit it again.

            It's about 10 feet for eagle putt.  (Indiscernible) par, all I could do is just (indiscernible.)

Q.  Did you hit that green yesterday, too? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I was just right front of the green.

RHONDA GLENN:  I mean, the hole was longer yesterday.

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  No, exact same.

Q.  What do you think of the short par‑4 tee boxes?  11? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yes.  I mean, 11, I'm not really comfortable with the tee shot there.  I just tried to (indiscernible) fairway.  That spot is just really uncomfortable.  It's like hitting it downhill slope.

No. 4, like I just had to hit a draw and just (indiscernible.)

RHONDA GLENN:  From 30 yards.

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  From about 40 yards.


Q.  Were you feeling nervous at all on the front nine when you were down? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Well, not really nervous.  I mean, I just keep telling myself to make some putts, come back, and then...

I mean, I wasn't really nervous about it.

Q.  (Question about his caddie) 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  If he wasn't my caddie, I think I miss the cut for sure.  (Laughter.)  He helps me with everything.  He help me about reading greens perfectly.  (Indiscernible) He's a member out here, Club Championship.  I don't know if it goes to the right or what.

I thought it was going to the right, he told me the left.  Okay, I just trust him because I don't know how to read a green.  I just trust it.

Q.  How late did you stay on the putting green? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yeah, I mean, I was a little bit at the putting green.  Maybe like 7:00, like an hour.

RHONDA GLENN:  Did you ever get nervous at all today?

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  No, not really.  I mean I thought I will, but not really.  Not at all.  I don't know why.  It's the biggest tournament and I didn't get nervous.

RHONDA GLENN:  You're going to get invited to everything now.

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yeah.  I mean, I know I definitely got on ESPN, but I don't know anything else.  I don't know about what I got in.

RHONDA GLENN:  (Indiscernible.)


Q.  You won two AJGA tournaments before this? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Well, I had one open tournament, I had one AJGA preseason, and I one AJGA (indiscernible.)  It's a 15‑under tournament.  (Indiscernible.)

Q.         (No microphone.)

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  You know, I mean, to win this tournament, I had to practice a lot of golf.  I mean, for school, I tried to take a year off.  If I'm going to do this, I try to finish my school.  (Indiscernible) I want to be a good golfer still.  I'm just going to...

RHONDA GLENN:  Play more golf and (indiscernible.)

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I like golf more than school, so...

RHONDA GLENN:  Are you going to play in the U.S. Amateur?

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Definitely.  Why not?  100%.  If I don't die.

Q.  Does playing in college interest you? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yes, of course.  I really want to play in college.  I mean, my (indiscernible) scores are pretty low, so I don't know what kind of college would want me.

Q.  They'll be in touch after this. 


Q.  This was I believe the largest comeback in the history of this tournament.  Knowing that, talk about that and what it means to you.  

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I didn't know there was a history for winning the tournament.

RHONDA GLENN:  Biggest comeback.  Nobody's ever been 5‑down and won.

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Wow.  I guess I won second match on the front nine, so I guess that's the biggest tournament I ever been.  I mean, I just can't believe it.  It was awesome.

Q.  So this is the biggest comeback you've made? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  I guess so, yes.  Yes.

Q.  By far? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Yeah, I've never had a comeback like this before ever.  Yeah.

Q.  Did you feel intimidated at all going up against Jim knowing his record. 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Well, you know, I mean, I know Jim is one of the best players of the world.  I been playing good lately.  My parents just kept telling me I could do this, I could do this.  So just keep telling myself that I could do it.

RHONDA GLENN:  And they were both here, weren't they?

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  They were, yes.

Q.  Did anybody give you a pep talk at lunch?  Did you need a pep talk? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  Um, you know, I mean, my dad just told me to relax.  I mean, my parents didn't know I was going to make it into the final.

RHONDA GLENN:  But they were happy anyway.

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  They were happy.  They said just play fun, have fun.  If you lose, you lose.  Just do my best, you know.  Don't do stupid stuff.  They just told me just don't do stupid stuff.  (Laughter.)  Just do whatever I been doing, you know.  Like 11, just don't hit 3‑wood over there again.

Q.  What are your parents' names? 


Jae Fil and my mom is Myeong Hee.

Q.  Your dad has a wedding hall business? 


Q.  What town is it in?  

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  (Indiscernible.)  Like my dad has a student visa.  We're not like citizens like I told you last time.  He has to be ‑‑ he is one of the students for one of the schools.  That's why I can't stay in America with my parents.

My dad is pretty busy with school.  He is my teaching pro.  My mom just (indiscernible.)

Q.  And he is at school?  What is he studying? 

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  English and the Bible, I guess.

Q.  Where does your father go to school?  

ANDY HYEON BO SHIM:  At a Bible college, I believe.