MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 9, 2022

Will Zalatoris

Quick Quotes

Q. I guess first start with conditions, what was the biggest challenge, and then how do you feel like you handled them?

WILL ZALATORIS: Yeah, it's a heavy wind, so you get downwind and the ball's not going to fly as far. It's tough because you know you're standing there and you're 20 miles an hour downwind, and you've got to hit the same club as no wind. It's playing hard. There's no faking it around here.

But birdieing 1, 5, and 11 and shooting 75 is kind of disgusting. Any time you do that, you probably have a low round in your hands, and obviously I just didn't have it.

Q. Scottie, obviously, you know him pretty well. What's kind of the best childhood Scottie Scheffler story that you have?

WILL ZALATORIS: I mean, there's a lot. Honestly, we've played together for 16 years. First junior event I ever played, Jordan won it, Scottie finished second. It's countless.

He's just a gamer. Any time we were playing little games at home, it's like you can't count him out. I tip my cap to him for how good he's been playing honestly the last six weeks, I guess. Obviously what he's doing this week is pretty special.

Q. I don't know how close you've been able to see him, but anything different than the Scottie Scheffler of seven weeks ago?

WILL ZALATORIS: No. I mean, honestly, I think it's just you have 2 1/2, 2-plus years under your belt of being out here, you see the courses, and there's no weaknesses in his game. He's always been a tremendous short game player, and now his iron play is obviously one of the best in the world and he's hitting it a mile.

I basically just described the No. 1 player in the world, so it's kind of no surprise.

Q. When you say gamer, do you have a story that kind of illustrates that?

WILL ZALATORIS: Yeah, you just can't count him out. Obviously he won the Match Play this year, but he's a nuisance when you're playing a money game against him. I could be in there for 15 feet looking at birdie, and he might maybe miss a green and hit it to 20 feet and end up making par out of it. All of a sudden, you feel like you maybe got one on him.

What he's doing right now is pretty reminiscent of Jordan 2015. He's right there. Everything that he's doing is, like I said, clicking on all cylinders, and it's pretty fun to watch.

Q. Seems like a guy who in a good way doesn't overthink things.

WILL ZALATORIS: No. He and Meredith are awesome. I've known them both back since high school. They couldn't be nicer people. That's something -- that speaks way more than their golf. They're some of the most humble and gracious people you'll find out here.

Of course I always want to be rooting for myself, but I'm always rooting for him just because he's such a good dude.

Q. What's the goal for you tomorrow?

WILL ZALATORIS: Just put a good round together. I rolled it nice today. I misjudged the wind a lot. If you give me a total of about 15 inches today, I'd probably turn in a 70, and that's the difference out here.

My wedge shot on 14 lands six inches too short.

I've got a ball that rolls to 55 feet away instead of being 8 feet on 16.

13, I missed carrying the ridge by about a foot.

So it's just tough. You need those breaks to win out here, and obviously I didn't have them.

Q. How do you feel about the Giants?

WILL ZALATORIS: It was a nice start last night. I was watching.