MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 4, 2023

Larry Mize

Quick Quotes

Q. Larry, does it ever get old coming out here?

LARRY MIZE: No, never does. It's such a special and unbelievable week. It never gets old.

Q. Earlier this week, I know you've had the chance to get some rounds in with Russell and Ben, that kind of Columbus trio out here. Tell me what it's like playing with an amateur and helping him cut his teeth on it.

LARRY MIZE: I really enjoy it. Both those guys, Russell and Ben, are just great young men. Russell has obviously played here before, winner on the PGA TOUR, and I think Ben has a good future ahead of him, a bright future ahead of him. He's a really good player.

I told him today, you can play this golf course. You can play well here. I'm excited to help any way I can, and I'm looking forward to him having a good week. He looks like he's in good form.

Q. Are there any specific stand-out questions he may have asked you the past couple days?

LARRY MIZE: None that come to mind. I told him, I don't mean to pester you. I'm here if you want. I offered him some advice, told him some things, little subtleties out there that you do pick up, but it's nice to have someone show them to you.

He's got a good caddie, and I know his caddie will point out some things. Just try to help him as much as I can without being a pest.

Q. You kind of will get a little taste of that on Thursday, playing with Harrison, as a former Masters champ with another amateur. Were you able to have a say in who you play with?

LARRY MIZE: No. The tournament committee does that, no.

Q. Any special thing you're looking forward to maybe later this week? Any memories you're looking forward to?

LARRY MIZE: I'm looking forward to the dinner, number one, tonight. I'm looking forward to that. The par-3, I'm going to be playing with Russell and Ben again. That's going to be a special time to play together, I feel like. So looking forward to that.

Just getting ready. I'm eager for the tournament to start. I've got this. I've got some more preparation to do, but I'm eager for the gun to go off and get going.

Q. We've had a couple days of overcast, got a little wet yesterday towards the afternoon. With more rain in the forecast, is it kind of comforting to know that maybe the conditions are kind of similar to what you'll see later in the week?

LARRY MIZE: Yeah, I think so. The course is playing long. The greens are a little on the soft side. I mean, not soft, but a little on the soft side with everything. So it's going to be -- yeah, conditions should be pretty similar. They can adjust the conditions however they see fit.

So it will be interesting to see, but I'll look forward to whatever they are.

Q. There's been a lot of talk about 13 this year with the new distance. What's your plan of attack on that hole?

LARRY MIZE: Mine doesn't change a whole lot. It's a three-shot hole for me. I think it's a great change. I think it's really going to be good.

Going to be more decision-making for the guys. Have some more guys lay up, I believe. Going to have some guys who go for it but have some longer clubs than they have been. And I think it's going to play really good.

Still exciting. It's a big change. As far as these kids hit the ball, it's something that needed to be done.

Q. If there's one thing you want Ben to take away most from this practice round that you gave him in terms of advice, what would you like that to be?

LARRY MIZE: Enjoy it. When it gets down to it, the more you enjoy it, the better you're going to play. Don't make -- as hard as it is not to make too much out of it because it's such a tremendous golf tournament. It's a major. To me, it's the ultimate golf tournament.

But just to really enjoy it and trust your talent, believe in it, and just let it go. There's nothing you can do. I think you need to respect the golf course but not feel it. That's something I told him as well.

I think we all need to do. You've got to respect this golf course, but you can't fear it. You can't play in fear out there, or it's going to be a long week.