Aggie golfer Sam Bennett recaps exciting week at U.S. Amateur Championship

Key notes from Sam Bennett interview

• I finally got back to College Station, and it feels good. I'm ready to get back into a routine because I feel like I have had a little too much time on my hands this summer. Getting back into the swing of things will be much needed because too much time isn't always the best thing for a college student.
   
• Seeing JT Higgins leave for USC took us all by surprise, but we love JT. He's a great coach and just as great of a man. He's like a father to me, and I've learned a whole lot from him. I always feel like I can go to him for anything because he has so much advice to offer. While he was here, I always just wanted to talk to him and learn from him and be around him as much as I could. He knows so much. He always knows what to tell you at just the right time, not only on the golf course but in life. He really knows how to handle a lot of different situations and keep you calm when the pressure builds. I'll definitely miss him a lot.
   
• Brian Kortan is stepping in as the interim coach, and he is excellent. He has a lot of experience, and even now, he qualifies with us every week; he can play. He can still beat a lot of us. He's been here for like eight years, and he knows what he's stepping into. We won't miss a beat this year. We still have a loaded roster of thirteen guys, so he's taking over a great group.
   
• The experience was fantastic playing in the U.S. Amateur Championship. Bandon Dunes is a historic course with a beautiful view. Having my 79-year-old grandfather walking alongside me as my caddie was awesome. It's amazing to see how he's still in shape enough to walk eighteen holes of golf. He's my biggest supporter, and for a long time in my childhood, he would take me to courses and watch me play. I loved getting to share that experience with him. Someone told me that to be successful at Bandon, you need a local caddie. Sometimes there are opportunities you can't pass up. I wanted to have someone in my family as my caddie, and I figured it was something he would love to do. I felt like it was the right move. 
   
• I've had a lot of time to reflect. I hate losing, but I took a lot away from playing in Bandon. I know what I need to do to get better. There are a lot of areas I can improve in my game. While I was playing, I thought I started well. I was feeling the hot hand, and I honestly wasn't nervous. Sometimes the game just doesn't turn out how you expected it to.
   
• People don't know what kind of toll my dad's Alzheimer's has on my family and me. My dad and I were sitting out one day, and he told me that if I want to be successful, I shouldn't wait to do anything. I've always looked up to him, and he means the world to me. He wrote me a letter, and I got it tattooed on me. Before every shot, I look at that tattoo for good luck. It's a tattoo in his handwriting, and it's been working so far. It took him 15 minutes to write it out, and it means the world to me.
   
• I'm looking forward to getting to play with this roster of guys. We have thirteen golfers that can play and be in the lineup at any tournament and give us a chance. We're going to be pushed to get better and beat each other every single day. It's going to be a very competitive season for all of us.
   
• I loved playing other sports, but golf is just a different type of competition. In golf, you don't win all that often. Even Tiger Woods, at his peak, only won about 20 percent of the tournaments he played in, so to win a major would be incredible. I hope one day I'll be able to accomplish that.