MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 6, 2023

Charl Schwartzel

Quick Quotes

Q. How would you characterize the day?

CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Not a good start. I changed putters this week and got out on the first hole and -- I always say, when changing a club, especially a putter that's got to do with feel, you feel it when you feel a bit of adrenaline, you know? And I got on the 1st, and I was like, wow, this thing's heavy.

So I struggled with the putter throughout the first few holes and hit my irons really good, but, yeah, it was just a day where I wasn't quite on and I felt like I was just trying to hang on, you know. So 2-over, it's not good to be contending in the tournament, but it could have been worse and maybe if I can sort it out, I can play better the next few rounds.

Q. Is that kind of tough when you change a club like a putter and you get a bad feel? Does that transition to other parts of your game at times or at least in your head maybe?

CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Yeah, I mean, it definitely affected me on the 2nd hole. I 3-putted the first hole from not that far, and on the second hole didn't feel so happy with myself. But I was fine the rest of the day. I was in good spirits. Just grinding hard.

Q. Do you feel like it makes a little bit of work -- a little more work on the putting green tonight?

CHARL SCHWARTZEL: A little bit of putting and I got to maybe sort the driver out the last few holes, but that's how it goes.

Q. I don't know if you've seen the ruling that came down from the DP World Tour. Keith Pelley talked today and kind of -- possibly kind of opened the door for, on a case-by-case basis, for players to possibly be able to play the DP World Tour. If that was the case, would you possibly think of playing both tours?

CHARL SCHWARTZEL: I mean, Europe is where it started for me -- I mean, Sunshine Tour is where it started for me. But we went to Europe and I've been a member there for more than 20 years. I love playing -- I love playing worldwide and that's what Europe did for us it gave us that opportunity. So, yes, you know, I possibly would. But time will tell. We'll see what happens.

Q. What was it like playing with Aldrich?

CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Great. Just nice to see a young South African come through. The guy's very powerful. I suppose his goal today was really just to take it all in. This is a big stage and I think he did a great job. I would have loved to have been his age walking down around Augusta and these fairways.

Q. Did he ask you any tips along the way?

CHARL SCHWARTZEL: When you're playing, you know, a few times he came to me and he said, Man, I'm getting a lot of mud balls. I don't know where the ball's going. I said, I don't know where the ball's going with a clean ball, never mind a mud ball.