Sam Locke expects to return to making coffees on Tuesday despite winning the Silver Medal at the 147th Open Championship.
The 19 year old, who works in the coffee shop at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre and has taken advice from the 1999 winner about how to tame Carnoustie, finished with a round of 78 and nine over par total.
As the only amateur to make the cut, Locke was already assured of the Silver Medal and turned in level par before coming home in 42.
“Obviously, it's a great feeling to have won the Silver Medal and make the cut in my first Major as well,” said Locke, who came through a 36-hole final qualifying event at The Renaissance Club.
“The back nine today wasn't what I wanted, but overall, I'm really pleased to be here. Just for a start, playing in the tournament, let alone making the cut and doing reasonably well.
Right now we just need to enjoy the situation we're in - Sam Locke
“It was good fun - I learned lots from it.
“I'll probably be in on Tuesday working," added Locke, who must now decide whether to join the professional ranks or remain an amateur to be eligible for next year's Walker Cup at Royal Liverpool. "Obviously with my family and Paul and the foundation, we'll all sit down and have a chat because we need to make the right decision, whatever that may be.
“To have him [Lawrie] there, he's been and done everything. So he'll obviously have some great advice and put me on the right path.
“I was wanting to make the Walker Cup next year. That was a goal of mine. And this is obviously a slightly different thought in my mind, too. But as I said, we need to sit and have a proper think about this. Right now we just need to enjoy the situation we're in. It will be a few days before we come to a decision.”
Locke joins a list of previous winners which includes Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy – the latter having won it the last time the Open was held at Carnoustie in 2007.
“It's really nice to know you're in the company of some of the great names in golf,” he added. “Hopefully, if I can just keep working hard and doing what I'm doing, there's no reason why I can't become a big name. It’s a great feeling.
“The crowd have been brilliant with me. I've had a lot of support, more than I was expecting, which was really nice.
“When I won the qualifier to get in here, I was obviously absolutely delighted. But I want to come here. It's a great chance for me to make a name for myself. Yeah, I've really enjoyed the experience. Hopefully, I'll be back soon.”
Locke’s experience of life on golf’s biggest stage was enhanced on Saturday when he met five-time Open winner Tom Watson.
“I was asked yesterday after I got off the course, and I was told he was wanting to come and meet me,” Locke added. “I couldn't believe it really. It was nice to know.
“We spent about probably 15, 20 minutes together, with my mum and dad as well, which was nice. It was really nice.
“We were all, ‘wow, we're meeting Tom Watson’. He's a massive name in the game. So it was great to know that he wanted to meet me. Hopefully, I can just keep working hard and have a similar career to what he's had.”
