MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 7, 2022

Harold Varner III

Quick Quotes

Q. Harold, quite a nice turnaround to finish that one under par. Just characterize how you played today.

HAROLD VARNER III: I felt like I was playing well when I got here, so you have to keep playing. I think good things are going to happen always, so just hanging around there, it was pretty windy. I saw the scores weren't too low, so I never tried to press it, and then obviously hold some putts, and hit a shot on 13, which was awesome.

Q. Walk us through the shot from the pine straw there.

HAROLD VARNER III: I hit a 4-iron and it went to a foot. It was awesome. That was about it.

Q. Earn yourself some crystal with that one.

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, I didn't think about that. Yeah, it was an eagle. I like making Eagles. They don't add up too quickly.

Q. It was a long journey for you to get here. What was it like to finally be out here?

HAROLD VARNER III: I told myself I would never come unless I got an invite playing in it, and that makes it really sweet. Obviously, I met some awesome members, and I think I could get another invite. We could have fun out here, so that's pretty cool. It's my journey, and I'm super proud to be here.

Q. Standing on the first tee for the first time, how is it different from other tournaments, other majors, and what's your strategic mentality standing here versus maybe some other places?

HAROLD VARNER III: I play to win. Have a chance to win. Not real different in that part of it. I told my caddie on the first hole I could hit it anywhere. Just like let me hit it, and it went straight, so that was comforting, and then just got a little bit more comfortable as the day went on, and had a great group.

I played with Sergio a few times, and Thomas Pieters I played with a lot. I actually played in my last collegiate event at East Carolina. Crazy. Yeah. It was good. All-around really good. There's four days in a tournament, so that's one in the books.

Q. Did you have nerves standing up there on the first tee?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah. Hell yeah. What you mean? Yeah. It's good, though. You've got to have them. I have them every tournament because you want to do well, and I think that's -- I guess it's a part of it. It's never gone away yet.

Q. Was it a little different, though, because it was the first tee at the Masters?

HAROLD VARNER III: It was awesome because they didn't stand up there and say from here, X,Y, Z. It was like, fore, now I can hit. It was awesome.

Q. You said 4-iron off the -- you were on the pine straw, right?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yes, but I had -- I could get my foot in the ground. It was super, I guess -- I felt good. My caddie didn't.

Q. Your caddie didn't feel good?

HAROLD VARNER III: No.

Q. What did he try to talk you into?

HAROLD VARNER III: Nothing. I was hitting it. Yeah. I mean, until he starts hitting them, then he can have more say.

Q. What was the number you had?

HAROLD VARNER III: That's a great question. I don't carry a yardage book.

Q. 227.

HAROLD VARNER III: That sounds about right. I just know my number to cover the water was 215. That's all I know.

HAROLD VARNER III: Kind of lost in the shuffle was that putt on 16, man.

HAROLD VARNER III: It was only lost to you guys. I saw it, and it felt awesome. It wasn't lost in my books.

Q. Just because of the eagle, what was --

HAROLD VARNER III: I was trying to make birdies on every hole. When you see I think four, five leading and you are sitting at even par, you are trying to birdie the next hole. Nothing too -- I don't think it's anything out of the norm. Unless you are trying to just make pars.

Q. How has your attitude change since winning in Saudi?

HAROLD VARNER III: I think it's given me even more self-belief. I feel like I've been getting close the last two, three years. I've had some good chances. Just didn't close it out. Yeah, a little bit more swag.

Q. How do you carry this into tomorrow's round as far as mindset?

HAROLD VARNER III: It's just momentum, and that's the great thing in sports. I would rather be on my side than someone else's.

Q. What bothers out here, if anything?

HAROLD VARNER III: Nothing. No one is going to die. I just get up there, and I try to hit the best shot I can and keep doing that on every shot. I don't really -- it's just all about perspective, I think. I've always thought that.

Q. I guess, A, when you hit a bad shot, which we would consider a bad shot, you clearly don't, but what we consider a bad shot, it doesn't bother you?

HAROLD VARNER III: No, no, not at all. I don't know why it would, though. I mean, I guess some guys do. They handle it differently than I do, but, no, I don't at all. I just tried my best. I hate hitting a bad shot when I'm not focused, and you can't really figure out if you are really focused until you are done with the round. I just try to hit the next one as best I can.

Q. Were you focussed this round?

HAROLD VARNER III: I believe so. I think the score shows it. I think how I just hung in there all day. 2-over after nine, I think the results show that as well.

Q. A lot of chatter on social media from the ECU guys.

HAROLD VARNER III: Damn right. Go Pirates.

Q. What does that representation mean for you to be here and knowing that those guys are behind you?

HAROLD VARNER III: It's awesome. A lot of people go to college just to not stay at home. My parents didn't go to college, so I didn't really know anything of the college experience, and I had an unbelievable coach that just cared a lot about me, not so much the golfer. It changed my life. He was hard on me, but it helped me out a lot.