MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 4, 2022

Brooks Koepka

Quick Quotes

Q. How did you find the changes of the golf course today?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I thought it was good. I think some of the changes they made on 11 I think were good. Got to hit some quality shots off the tee and your second shot, so yeah, I like it. I came out the week of Match Play and played 36 with my dad on Monday, so that was fun just to get to play with him, special just for him to get to play it and get to play it with him. So I've seen the changes, and I think they're good. They always do a pretty good job.

Q. Why do difficult courses like this suit your game the way that they do?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I think because you can't miss it in certain spots. You've really got to have a good short game number one, but number two you've got to understand where to hit it and where to miss it, and I think sometimes on -- I've said it over the last couple weeks, I think the setups are a little too easy, and it brings so many guys in where if it's very difficult and very challenging and we don't see many pins three off the corners or four off the corners until you get to majors, and you're not making it up-and-down if you short-side yourself, where on TOUR they're five and six and you've got room.

Q. With the weather potentially being bad tomorrow afternoon, what's the plan for Tuesday?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Just go out early probably, try to play maybe a little bit or just hit balls, whatever the case may be as long as there's good weather. Get out and do something so you're not sitting around all day.

Q. With the noise and everything about Tiger being here this week, do you think that allows guys to fly under the radar with everybody focused on that?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I have no idea. I mean, I'm just -- look, I'm happy he's becoming healthier and able to play golf, and I think that's -- we need him, the game needs him, everybody needs him, the fans need him, all that stuff. But at the end of the day everybody is just out here competing. I'm worried about myself and I'm sure everybody else is worried about themselves.

Look, I was in somewhat of his shoes trying last year two weeks after surgery. This place isn't exactly an easy walk. I understand what he's up against. It'll be difficult. But if anybody can do it, it's him.

Q. Talking about your personal experience, how hard it is to play and compete through pain and how amazing it is to do what he's doing.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it's very difficult. I had to get shot up just to play last year. It's difficult enough to walk, and I mean, the hours before to the hours after it was some of the longest days. I don't know everything he's going through. His was a lot worse than mine, so I'm not trying to compare it. I just know it's difficult walking this place when you don't have the same body parts you're used to.

Q. Does it compensate to go through all this pain, and how much do you have to love golf to do this?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It's a major championship, it's Augusta. Doesn't matter how much pain you're in, you figure out a way. He'll figure out a way. If anybody can do it, he can.