MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 7, 2022

J.J. Spaun

Quick Quotes

Q. Talk to me about your first Masters round.

J.J. SPAUN: A lot of nerves. Especially with the lack of preparation I felt. I didn't really have the time that I feel like a lot of people had to get ready. I mean, it's a great issue to have, but with the rain, the weather delays, I kind of saw the course very quickly. I didn't get to get into detail, but, yeah, I was nervous, but after a nice par on the first hole, it kind of settled me in, and then I started making some good putts and started to get comfortable out there as the round went on.

2-over is, I think, with how the conditions are going to get. They're going to get a little tougher, so maybe it will be a little bit decent score than where I'm standing right now.

Q. Was there a hole or two in hindsight you wish you had played differently had you had more preparation?

J.J. SPAUN: No. Well, I think the biggest difference is just not knowing how to picture shots around the greens because it's very -- like approach shots, because it's not -- it's very blind up there. You don't know, and visually the greens books are very vague now because they changed the rules, so I didn't really know where to miss it and what slope takes it where. I mean, generally there are the bigger ones, but I think that was the biggest thing.

But I think 3 I would have laid up. I hit driver there, and I didn't think it was in a bad spot, but I left myself in a terrible spot in the second shot, but that's kind of the hole that I wish I could have had a do-over on.

Q. What was it like playing with a Masters legend?

J.J. SPAUN: It was amazing. He is so confident out there regardless of how far he is hitting it or his age or whatever, and it's because of the overall experience he has had and the success he has had, and it shows. He still played great.

We both struggled on the front nine a little bit early on, and we kind of kept it together on the back, so I think we salvaged pretty decent rounds today.

Q. Obviously, you're playing first, and all the gallery is with Tiger. How aware were you much that? Did you hear roars and think, Tiger, did you birdie? Did you see him go by on 3?

J.J. SPAUN: I didn't know when he teed off. What time did he tee off?

Q. 11:00.

J.J. SPAUN: No, I wasn't aware. I was so focused on trying to play good and sticking to my game. I heard some roars, but it's my first time here so I didn't know if that's a standard good birdie roar, but I'm assuming that was Tiger. I mean, it's Thursday. Or it could have even been a nice par putt or something. Who knows? How is he playing? Is he playing any good?

Q. He is even.

J.J. SPAUN: Yeah, that's not bad.

Q. You come to a hole like 16 as iconic, and all the chairs are out there in the morning, but nobody is in them. What's that like? Is that kind of an eerie --

J.J. SPAUN: It is. It is, and maybe I felt less pressure because there were less eye on me, on the shot. Who knows? Yeah, it's different, but I understood.

I mean, we're first off. We had all the eyes on us in the morning on the first shot, so everyone was there for Gary and Jack. That was a cool kind of moment to be the first off because everyone is already congregated there for the honorary tee shots. Regardless, I mean, it's still Augusta even if there's people watching or not.

Q. Last thing, just about Tiger. What's it like to be part of this tournament knowing he is playing, knowing he is out there on the course somewhere?

J.J. SPAUN: Especially after everything that he has been through and to see him overcome a lot of things and to see him competing is just incredible. To be here, too, on my maiden trip to the Masters is incredible, and to be in the same field as him is just an honor, and it's something that I can say to my kids and grandkids for the rest of my life. You know, I competed against Tiger Woods at the Masters.