MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 8, 2021

Kevin Kisner

Quick Quotes

Q. How would you assess your round today?

KEVIN KISNER: Started off as a nice casual stroll around Augusta and turned into a roller coaster pretty quickly there on the back. Conditions are getting difficult. Just normal Augusta stuff. Never know where the wind is and hitting some pretty difficult shots. So you just hope it works out more than it doesn't.

Q. How difficult was it when the wind kicked up kind of on you guys' second nine?

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, it just swirls, man. We played 11 straight in and then played 12 off the left. You just never know. 13 all of a sudden was straight downwind on the second shot. It makes you think your way around it, and you've got to be playing defense more than offense most of the time.

Q. It was pretty much a dream start through ten holes, wasn't it?

KEVIN KISNER: Absolutely. I put the golf ball exactly where I wanted it on every hole the first ten holes. Putting uphill, even when I missed the green it was in the perfect location, and just a bone headed mistake on 11.

I knew I shouldn't have tried the shot, but I was feeling good. Then I put myself in a position -- you know, you probably walk away with a ten-footer for par every time if you lay up there, and I'm putting a 12-footer for double.

Q. Were you talking about the second shot?

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, just being too aggressive on the second shot, thinking I could cut it around there. I caught the tree, and it went in the pine straw and then ran it down the hill and it went across the green and into the water. You haven't played in these conditions too many times and getting too aggressive.

Q. Had a nice bounce back with the eagle at 13?

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, that was a weird one. Straight downwind all of a sudden on the second shot, and I'm trying to hurry up and hit before it switches. You're kind of playing the wind game out there on how quickly you want to hit and when you feel comfortable.

There's so many -- as firm as the greens are, there's just so little room for error on where you're landing the golf ball to keep it in an area that you can get it down in two or have a good look at birdie. I'm not hitting 9 iron/wedges into a lot of these holes.

Q. What did you hit into 13?

KEVIN KISNER: Hit it 4 iron.

Q. Were you surprised by your third on 11? It looked good.

KEVIN KISNER: I was just trying to pitch it short to the right of the green and be able to get it up and down for 5. You can't see it once it crests the hill, but once I saw it on the green, I knew it was over.

Q. Really?

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah.

Q. Imagine it might be spicy out there, to use your term? Living up to what you think?

KEVIN KISNER: As you can see on TV, there's Brown spots and green spots. If your ball lands in the Brown spot, it makes a little more thud than the green spot. How do you judge that from 180 yards? It's pretty difficult when pins are three and four from the side. I think it's really cool how it was playing. I hope we don't get any rain. It's a super stressful grind is the best way to describe it.

I hit the golf ball as good today as I have in a couple years and walk away with even par. So that will tell you how much of a grind it is.

Q. In these conditions, does it help to have the experience kind of knowing how to play in the swirling wind?

KEVIN KISNER: Sure, I feel sorry for the guys first Masters in November, and then they're walking out there today wondering what the hell is going on for sure. It's all about the angles. As long as you can keep the ball uphill to the hole, you've got a chance all day, and I think that's what's great about the place.

Q. Happy with your play, except just one or two swings?

KEVIN KISNER: Just probably more of a bone headed error on 11. I made a great swing on 12 and two good swings on 17. The ball just hits hard and goes over the green to a spot that you can't hit it. You got to miss it right there, but I didn't think I had enough club to cover the bunker. Those are the situations you're in all day out there. If you plug it in the face of the bunker, you're making 5 anyway. It's just things you've got to go through, and hopefully it works out.

Q. What's it like having your family and especially your daughter out here?

KEVIN KISNER: Yeah, 6-year-old made all 18 holes for the first time ever. I bet she's going to have a good nap on the way home, and I won't have to talk her into going to bed tonight.