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April 9, 2015
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
Q. I guess you didn't have any problem finding your belt or your hat this morning, did you?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Thanks to my dog I found it.
Q. How about the round?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Good. The front nine was very scorable today. We didn't have much wind. Obviously the greens are quite soft. I did take advantage of that. I hit a lot of good golf shots.
I am a little disappointed with the back nine, but it was more difficult. The wind started coming up and it was turning around there down the bottom, around Amen Corner, so it wasn't easy to hit good quality shots.
But any time I shoot under par the first day, I'll take it.
Q. South Africans have been disappointing in the Majors last year. Do you think this is a good start, yourself, Els 3‑under at the moment?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: I hope so. It's about time we played a little bit better. I had a bad year last year. My swing ‑‑ I pretty much lost my golf swing. It pretty much went to pieces.
I got it back again a couple months ago and to be honest today I thought it really was good. The whole week so far.
Hopefully, those are good signs and maybe I can start hitting it more consistent, more consistent shots into greens. That's what you need in the Majors to play more consistent.
Q. How do you gather it back? What did you do to specifically try to gather it back?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Well, luckily, I had had footage of when I was hitting it well back in 2010, 2011. And I went back and I compared. And it wasn't a pretty sight, the comparison.
So it took me a good four or five months to get it to where it is now. For about a year and a half, two years, I was hitting a draw. I never in my life hit a draw. And I think it basically killed me.
So for the first time I'm starting to see the fade again where I can hit it down the left side and go, all right, that gives me confidence.
Q. How much does it help having that confidence that you've won out here?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: It helps a lot. I think you start feeling connected to the place. You get here and it almost seems like it also lifts your game. It suits the eye. I think that the fact that the areas you're hitting to are small makes it even better.
Q. Can you get around this golf course hitting a draw?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Sure. Yeah. You can. You can draw the second shots. That's why it's easier for the left hander, because it's easier to control the fade or the draw. A lot of these holes you can move it left or right off the tee and you are gaining a whole bunch.
Q. How difficult is it to walk off with a bogey? Do you take that into the next round?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: I was fighting myself there, I wanted to hit a driver, I ended up hitting a 3‑wood. Just the wrong decision.
But it is what it is. And if it's the 18th hole or the 2nd or 3rd or whatever it may be, you make a bogey, it's a bogey. You still got to carry on.  There are lots of holes to go.
Q. Can I ask you one question about the Champion's Dinner. Obviously, it seemed like a little bit different dinner than usual. More guys getting up and talking. Talking about stories and stuff like that. You haven't been to that many Champion's Dinners, but can you just talk about what it was like at this one?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: When I got home I said to my wife that was the best one I had ever been to. Like I said, the older guys have got the stories to share. We new guys don't have many stories to share.
But it was nice to see a lot of the old guys get up. It was actually very emotional to see Arnie sort of tear up a little bit or choke up to talk. But he gave a really powerful message. Honestly, it was probably one of the best dinners, I was ever at.
Q. What did you take away from what Arnold said?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Just to see how much it means to him. It makes you think of how much the game actually means to yourself. Even if it's ‑‑ even if that's all you take away, that is a lot.
Q. Does it make you really look inside yourself to try and understand what this is all about?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Well, it's about, it's taking the tradition further and carrying the legacy on. I mean, the Masters, how much it meant to him, obviously, you know, he was pretty strong about, we must continue that legacy. And that's important.
Q. Talk about where you keep your replica trophy of the clubhouse from this tournament. Any particular spot?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: No.
Q. Just at the house?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Yeah.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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