MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 4, 2022

Marc Leishman

Quick Quotes

Q. It's back to the Masters. You love this place. How's the preparation been?

MARC LEISHMAN: It's been good. Just got in today. Don't like to normally do too much earlier in the week here just so I'm fresh for Sunday afternoon if I happen to be in the front. But game's been good. Just excited to be back again. Looking forward to what hopefully will be a big week.

Q. The part of the game that's progressing well?

MARC LEISHMAN: Probably my driving has improved a lot, which I think it had to to contend in these consistently. So I'm driving it, hitting it a little longer and a little straighter, which is always nice. Just all around it's been good, my putting's been good. My iron play is sort of the same as how it has been.

Yeah, I'm excited about what could potentially happen this week, and hopefully I can play good and see how it goes.

Q. So you should win then?

MARC LEISHMAN: I don't know. I hope so.

Q. In the golf course, what's it like this year? How's it set up?

MARC LEISHMAN: The course is probably as good as I've ever seen it condition-wise. This is my tenth Masters. Fairways seem to be a little shorter and just, I mean, perfect. Greens are firm, which that could change in the next few days from the sound of things. But condition-wise, it's as good as I've seen it.

Q. What part of your game do you reckon the course brings out best?

MARC LEISHMAN: I think, if I can drive it well, I think the iron play. You've got to shape it in -- you can get to certain pins if you can be in the right position and shape it in. I feel like I can get at every pin here. And short game and putting. You have to have a lot of imagination here to contend. Obviously, you have to have the shots as well.

So I enjoy putting on fast greens and having to use my imagination around the greens.

Q. If someone was to ask you why is it your time to win, what would you say to that? What's given you the most confidence, and what makes you believe that you can don the green jacket?

MARC LEISHMAN: Who knows if I will or not, but I just love the moment of when you're here and you're on that back nine on Sunday and you've got a chance to win. I feel like I thrive in that moment.

I've played well in that position before, just haven't played well enough to leave here with that green jacket. I enjoy it. I have fun with it, and I don't put too much pressure on myself, and I think that's important for me.

Q. You had a taste of it obviously when Scotty won. Is it like a drug that you want more of?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, that's why we do all the practice, and that's why -- well, as a professional golfer, this is where you want to be. You want to be here late on Sunday with people screaming at you and at your good shots.

It gives me a big buzz, and it's something that I work hard for to try and get back here every year to get myself into that situation. That Sunday night after that, even from not winning, I can never sleep. I really want to know how it feels when you do come out on top.

Q. How does the extra on 15 they've added there and changed the dynamic -- does it take any of the risk/reward element away from the hole possibly?

MARC LEISHMAN: I don't think so. How far is it, 20 yards extra?

Q. 15, 20 yards.

MARC LEISHMAN: We were getting to a point where we're hitting 7 and 8-irons, 9-irons in there, especially on the firm year. You don't want to be doing that to a par-5. I mean, you want to be for your score, but if everyone's doing it, it's -- I think, if you can hit a really good drive, you're still going to have a 5 or 6-iron in, maybe 7.

I think it was something they needed to do. I think it's good that everyone's not going to be coming in with short irons.