MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 4, 2023

Tom Hoge

Quick Quotes

Q. I got blocked out. I didn't see your skip shot. How did your skip shot turn out?

TOM HOGE: I guess that's the third time the last two years. There's the little lip right in the far end that catches my shots, it seems like. We were playing with Larry Mize. He's the one who got it across. I guess you have to play here a few years to figure it out.

Q. How did this foursome come about?

TOM HOGE: Larry and I have the same manager, Jim Lehman. He set it up to play with Larry today. It's cool to be out with a guy playing his 40th Masters. He certainly knows the place pretty well.

Q. Do you get some useful knowledge out of him, or is the course too different from the way he used to play?

TOM HOGE: Yeah, he's got a lot of the little subtleties of the green that he knows. Like on 18, you get on one side of the TV tower, and it's going to break a different way.

So just little stuff like that.

Q. How does it feel? Is it markedly different than last year?

TOM HOGE: Not a lot. There's just a little bit of comfort and familiarity that we've been here and kind of know where you go for everything. It makes it nice.

More than anything to have seen the golf course in a lot of different conditions last year is a big help, and you know what to expect as this tournament comes around.

Q. I know I asked you if you altered your game plan as the week went on. I think you said no. But year to year have you altered your game plan at all?

TOM HOGE: Not really. It's pretty much driver at every hole. You have to hit a lot of shots because it's such a demanding golf course. The changes to 13, I would say it makes it a little bit simpler at most because there's not deciding between 3-wood and driver, going over that tree or not. Pretty much hit it straight up to the corner and see what you got.

Other than that, not a lot of changes.

Q. Right now you are 23rd in the FedEx (indiscernible.) Does that feel like a big accomplishment or do you think in terms of wanting more?

TOM HOGE: Yeah, I definitely want more. The biggest result that's come is just very much a week-to-week approach, trying to play well each week and focus on that.

I haven't really looked at that and where I stand in all of this. The beauty of golf, whether it's your first few years on TOUR, trying to make the top 125 and get your card, then majors, and always looking ahead to next year's majors, Ryder Cup, stuff like that. There's always something to be shooting for, so I'll keep climbing.

Q. Guys in the interview room are getting questions about LIV or the golf ball rollback. Any views on either of those topics?

TOM HOGE: I really don't know much at all about the golf ball rollback. I don't really have a lot to say there. Who knows where that's going to end up at when it does get adopted.

LIV, so much has been said about it. I think that kind of both sides are very happy with where they're at, and here we are. I think it's great for the game of golf with so many different story lines coming into an event like this.

Q. What's your mindset going into this week? Do you have a goal or a thought in mind?

TOM HOGE: Not really, no. I feel like my game's in a really nice spot. I'm excited to get out there and tee it up.

With the weather forecast, you know that Thursday is going to be an important round, just to get a head start with what's ahead. Who knows from there?

Q. Last year I talked to Jim and Tom Lehman, and everybody kind of from that area got together. Did you guys get together this year?

TOM HOGE: Don't have any plans yet, but so much of this week is on the fly, I feel like. Figure it out once we see tee times and all that.