CHUBB CLASSIC PRESENTED BY SERVPRO

February 18, 2022

Robert Karlsson

Tiburón Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Robert, 66 first round here at the Chubb Classic. Just start with your thoughts on the day.

ROBERT KARLSSON: Obviously missed the last couple events at the end of last season, so I'm just very, very happy to be able to play, coming back to playing and playing pain-free.

So whatever was in the scorecard today I was going to be okay with. Only played three rounds of 18 holes since Phoenix, so it was a bit like that today. There was some really, really good stuff and there was some awful stuff. So have a bit of work to do.

Q. You played well here last year, finished T2. What is it about this course that seems to suit you?

ROBERT KARLSSON: I don't know. I mean, last year I probably hit the ball better. It's a nice course. I like it. Usually doing fairly well, a lot of short irons, wedges good today as well.

I just like the place. It's good fun. Course is fun.

Q. What kept you out last year?

ROBERT KARLSSON: Back problems. It was called a Schmorl's node. It was just a little bit of fluid came out of the disc, so one of the vertebras or -- yeah, one of the vertebras became soft. The symptom is like a stress fracture, but it's not a fracture. It's painful as hell.

But that's what I had to deal with.

Q. So time heals?

ROBERT KARLSSON: Yeah, yeah. Talked to three different doctors. They all say the same things: Six weeks without golf balls and then you can start slowly, so that's what I did.

Q. So like in Austin you said you only played three rounds.

ROBERT KARLSSON: Yeah, started hitting balls after Christmas. I've hit drivers for about three weeks. Played 18 holes twice before I got here. No, actually once. (Indiscernible) first time I played 18 holes, so obviously with that, that's (indiscernible). I'm looking at the season as a very kind of long, long season. Hopefully I can get things going. Whatever comes early on there is going to be a great bonus.

Q. What was the highlight of that three-birdie stretch on the back nine?

ROBERT KARLSSON: The highlight of the back nine was the par I made after the birdie stretch.

Q. In the trees?

ROBERT KARLSSON: Yeah, I hit it way right. When I was hitting that shot I was like, This could be a 6 quite easily or a 7, because I had no way out. I tried to hit it low underneath but I had to miss the cart path and it bounced in the sandy bank, get over the -- through the palm trees and stop it before the water. So it wasn't very pretty.

I had a free drop down there but I couldn't drop because it was just jammed between all the trees. I couldn't get anywhere. So just to get out to get a chance to get it on the green for 3, but it was still in the trees. I hit a great shot under the branches, over the water, and stopped it on the green and holed it from 25 foot.

I've played golf for 30 yards but I don't think I've made five pars better than that one.

Q. What was your club?

ROBERT KARLSSON: The third shot was an 8-iron from 155 yards in the trees. So over water, under branches, so it was like if I would've clipped one of those branchs you would not be talking to me now. It's one of those things.