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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 8, 2016

Davis Love III

Augusta, Georgia

Q. MIs that one of those days where that's the worst you could have shot?
DAVIS LOVE III: No. He just complimented me on my short game.
I made some good up‑and‑downs the last two days. I gave away some here and there, misread a couple of putts and hit some bad‑‑ the 9‑iron killed me. I hit a lot of bad 9‑irons and par‑3s.
But I could have shot a lot better, yes. But I could have shot a lot worse. I hit it over No. 1 two days in a row and two putted from over the green, so I got away a little bit, but I also gave a few away, so it sort of balanced out.

Q. The guys that were doing the 15, 16 coverage, were taking bets on how far past the hole on 16 you would get that. So how tough was that shot?
DAVIS LOVE III: Well, I got up there and I was going to play super defense and just chip it down the hill and then try to get it up and down. Now what would Jordan do? I used to say what would Phil do, and now I say what would Jordan do? Jordan would just lobbed it up there and take his chances, two inches away.
Unfortunately I misread that one and I misread on 18. I put too much break on that and didn't play enough on 18 on little putts. But now it's getting to that gusty where you're reading these really fast greens and then you're adding in a little bit of wind.

Q. Given the conditions, how good is that 8‑ or 9‑under that Jordan is at right now?
DAVIS LOVE III: Unbelievable. I said he's not making people happy with the ten-shot rule, when you're in there trying to figure out where the cut was going to be.
But I could see two or three under par, but he's obviously‑‑ he's got something special going here.

Q. What did you guys think the cut‑‑ what did you decide on that the cut‑‑ where it might fall?
DAVIS LOVE III: Well, they're saying three or four now. But the ones saying that are not out playing. So I think with the wind‑‑ it's getting really gusty again. So I think it would go higher than that.

Q. Everyone has huge respect for Ernie Els. But the fact that he finished the round yesterday and came back out and faced that hole again and is playing pretty well, all things considered, what does that say?
DAVIS LOVE III: He got a nice round of applause from the whole bank of patrons watching on the practice facility. And I said, you know, he really deserves that, because he could have just turned right off of one instead of left and said enough yesterday, and nobody would have thought any worse for it.
But he's, like me, Ernie has seen it all. Maybe not that, but he's seen it all out here and you understand it's just golf. He's obviously dealt with a lot, more off the golf course than on. He probably laughed it off on the next hole and just kept going.

Q. Do you have any idea of what's the worst thing you've had to recover from? Anything close to that?
DAVIS LOVE III: Well, my son had an issue earlier this year, finishing a tournament. And he said it's the worst choke in golf history. And I said, well, if you'd like to sit down and talk about mine, I can talk about the '95 U.S. Open, and one year at Bay Hill where all I had to do was make a five on the last hole and I made six and lost in a playoff.
Everybody's done it. If you play long enough, that's what I tried to tell Greg Norman, if you keep getting up in the lead in a majors, you're going to blow some. And I made a 9 at Bay Hill. You can't make a 9 on a par‑5. If I hadn't made my putt for nine, I would have made ten.
It happens. If you play long enough‑‑ I think I made an 11 one time early in my career at the Honda Classic, so you never know.

Q. You're going to be here for the weekend. If the wind goes down a little bit, are you going to be more rested tomorrow?
DAVIS LOVE III: No, you've got to play each hole or shot. Like you hit a good shot and it gives you an opportunity. You hit a bad shot and you go okay, well, now I have to try to make bogey. Like on 16. You just have to play what the course gives you. Usually Saturday gives you a chance. But what the weatherman is saying is it's going to stay windy. So I think being 2‑over and playing early might not be too bad a deal in the morning.

Q. I think you're going to be the low Champions Tour player.
DAVIS LOVE III: Well, it sure is unbelievable. It’s no big deal, Mark O’Meara does it all the time.
Masters is one of those kind of places that inspires you. I've been playing like this pretty much all year, not to say this is not a big deal at the Masters, but I've been making cuts and not playing great. So hitting it good but not getting great results.
I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled to be here two more days, it's a lot of fun.

Q. Have you recovered from Monday night?
DAVIS LOVE III: No, I haven't. I was talking to a fan walking up 18 about it. We were trying to figure out what happened. I don't even know.
I feel bad for those kids, you know. When they get on a football team or a college football team or basketball team, a bunch of kids playing, and they read the same papers and Twitter and SportsCenter and all that. But they read it. It's a lot of pressure on those kids.
I went to the game Saturday night and I feel terrible for them. I'm a fan. I'm disappointed, but I feel‑‑ on this side of the fence you realize how bad they must be feeling, because they put so much into the year and they played so hard and to see it on their faces on Saturday night, how hard they worked. I felt for them.
But it was an exciting year, though, it was a very productive year. Marcus Paige is such a great guy, I was hoping that he'd‑‑ that was the shot that we'll talk about forever. But unfortunately it didn't work out.

Q. (Inaudible.)
DAVIS LOVE III: Oh, yeah. I mean, why didn't you go Monday night? It's your fault.

Q. (Inaudible, re: Cabrera-Bello’s game.)
DAVIS LOVE III: It was beautiful. I watched him a little bit in the match play and I was excited when I got paired with him. It took about two holes, he was a super nice guy and fun to be around. Always smiling and always complimenting good shots. I enjoyed playing with him. He's got a lot of Jose Maria. He's a very nice gentlemanly-guy.

Q. How much are you working on Ryder Cup stuff now, and has that affected your game?
DAVIS LOVE III: Well, I think in some ways it's inspired me. I like playing out here and playing with those guys. I enjoyed getting to play Rafa. There's a guy I can scout out a little bit. And then I've played with a lot of the guys that could play on our team or like I played with Stricker two rounds last week and we talked a lot about Ryder Cup.
So being out here and playing on the regular Tour helps me. And time management, I need to get better at. And answering emails. But we're kind of on it. Like what's great is running into Dave Stockton. I was at dinner with Ray Floyd last night. So I'm excited about it and inspired by those guys, they're really trying to help. It's been a lot of fun. But it keeps me busy.

Q. When is your next trip to Hazeltine?
DAVIS LOVE III: Stricker, we were talking about it, how about we go when it gets warm. We were thinking around Colonial, Memorial, when we start going out that way a little closer. I really want to go and the guys want to go. We just need everybody to get in there maybe one time, because they're going to be tired and I'm going to want them, Ryder Cup week, not feel like they have to play a whole bunch to learn the golf course. Maybe only one round or a day and a half and we'll be ready.

Q. When is a greater feat, Jordan winning back‑to‑back here or the Warriors beating the Bulls?
DAVIS LOVE III: That's a tough one. Team effort, maybe that's preferable. But either one would be very, very impressive.

Q. How are conditions today versus yesterday?
DAVIS LOVE III: I think it's very similar to yesterday. Obviously Jordan played well in the morning. There were a few good scores in the morning. And it's going to get tougher as the day goes on. I don't feel like I shot under par.

Q. What did you learn about Rafa?
DAVIS LOVE III: I love his attitude.

Q. Had you met him before?
DAVIS LOVE III: No, I'd seen him around last week‑‑ did he play last week? So I didn't really know him before, but just a fun guy to be around, great attitude.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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