MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 4, 2022

Webb Simpson

Quick Quotes

Q. Did you see all 18 today?

WEBB SIMPSON: I saw the front nine.

Q. How do you feel like the course is playing right now on a Monday?

WEBB SIMPSON: It's really good. It's playing like it could be a Sunday. It's firm. The ball is running in the fairway as much as I've seen in a few years. Greens are already really firm, getting a little brown spots, which we love, but I think they know rain's coming tomorrow.

With the wind coming, it seems like the course will dry out pretty quickly again, but all in all, it's in really good shape.

Q. Have you seen the back nine? Have you seen the second nine yet?

WEBB SIMPSON: No, I'm going to play back tomorrow and Wednesday.

Q. Have you seen subtle changes on the front nine?

WEBB SIMPSON: I have. I've seen pictures -- sorry, I've seen pictures of the back nine. They're always creative and changing holes a little bit here and there. The 3rd hole over the left side of the green, they made that runoff a little steeper.

I think there's always good reason to change it just a little bit to make it a little more challenging as technology develops. It's good. We like seeing new challenges.

Q. Speaking of new challenges, Tiger has been through a lot of stuff. We don't know if he's going to play or not. Are you surprised he's here even thinking about playing?

WEBB SIMPSON: I mean, as a player, we love it. I think we're all Tiger fans. I learned my lesson to never count him out a few years ago when he came -- he's come back so many times from injury. So he's an inspiration to all of us.

Even when I hurt my neck earlier this year, I thought about it stinks right now but I can come back, I can make a full recovery, but he had a lot worse injury. I love that he's going to give it a go.

Q. Do you see him contending this week?

WEBB SIMPSON: Yes. Any time anybody asks me can Tiger contend, the answer is yes. Just an amazing will inside of him, whether he's hurt or sick or struggling with his golf swing or whatever it is. So it's really cool that he's making this week the push to come back after that car wreck. I hope he tees it up Thursday.

Q. Where do you feel like your game is right now?

WEBB SIMPSON: I feel good. I had seven weeks off, a little rusty at THE PLAYERS, but each week I've seen the game get a little stronger. This is always a week where I feel really comfortable despite how challenging it is and the weather and wind we're going to have.

But I love being here. It's my favorite week of the year. I've had a good last three years, so I'm playing better here. I figured out how to play it a little bit better. For Paulie and I, it's being as smart as possible, no short-siding, and take care of the par-5s.

Q. What are some of the other little keys you've figured out the last three years?

WEBB SIMPSON: Just because you have a sand wedge, wedge in your hand doesn't mean it's a green light whereas most every other week of the year, you're going right at it with those short scoring clubs. But this week you have to respect every hole.

A good example is that back right pin on 7. We were talking today I think it's the hardest pin on the golf course. You're standing there with a wedge, and you've literally got a three yard by three yard area to land it. Otherwise, it's an easy bogey.

So I think just you see Tiger, you see his past wins here, he's very conservative on a lot of the holes, hitting it to 30, 40 feet. It's hard because, if you're confident in your golf swing and you have a 9-iron and you want to make birdie, it's hard to go 30 feet left or right of the hole, but you have to do that here.

Like I said, take care of the par-5s because every day I tell myself there's four opportunities for birdies on those holes. Yeah, I think just the smarter player in me came out a few years ago, and I started playing better.