MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 6, 2023

Mike Weir

Quick Quotes

Q. Leader in the clubhouse. How does it feel?

MIKE WEIR: I played like a leader today. I did. I played really well. 72's a nice score. That could have been a really, really good score today. I missed three short putts on the back nine today.

But outside of that, I played really well. I drove it well. I made some nice putts to get the round going early, maybe a 6- or 7-footer on number 1 for par and another one on 3. So that was some nice momentum early, and then I just played really well the rest of the day, hit some really nice shots, and on the longer holes hit it in the right spots to capitalize. I just didn't -- those couple 3-putts hurt, but overall, I played nicely.

Q. You did drive it beautifully. Your wedge play was really sharp as well, especially on 15. Tell us about that one you almost jarred.

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, I had a nice number. I messed up a little bit on 13. I'm trying to leave myself a certain number, and 13, I got it down there too close, so I couldn't get spin on the ball. That's why it kind of skipped by the hole. On 15, was the opposite, I left myself a nice number where I could put some touch and some grip on that ball to front pin and 91 yards, I think it was, and I hit a nice kind of a low-ish 60 degree wedge in there nice.

Q. Was that the fewest number of handshakes you've ever had at the end of a Masters round? When was the last time you played anywhere as a single?

MIKE WEIR: I can't remember the last time played as a single. I'm sure at some point in my career I probably did, but I am struggling to find my memory bank where it was. So that was a strange back nine.

Q. Did you have to consciously slow yourself down?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, but I told my caddie I didn't want to overthink and be too slow. You kind of get in a routine and you don't want to take too much time and overthink things.

So obviously, I think it took me a couple holes to settle that down. On 10, 11, I got a little out of sorts on 10, 11 and then kind of settled it back down.

Q. When did your partner inform you he was heading out?

MIKE WEIR: Right there on 10 tee. But he said earlier he wasn't feeling well. So I'm not sure what's happening, but he told me earlier he wasn't feeling well.

Q. Did he say anything to you when he left, like, good luck or sorry about that?

MIKE WEIR: I don't remember. I think he just said, I'm done, and handed me his card and away he went.

Q. What were your numbers at 13, when you had in there and where you decided -- what you decided to lay up for?

MIKE WEIR: Oh, I had 270 yards so.

Q. 270?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah. So there's no decision for me in my game. So I was trying to lay it down there to about 70 yards, hit a 200-yard shot, and I think the wind kind of -- I thought it was a little bit in. It kind of changed, so it got down there 220, so I only had 50 yards off a little down slope. So it was an awkward number. So those are disappointing because when you lay up, you want to lay up to give yourself an angle that you can do something with it and I wasn't able to there.

Q. How would you describe the conditions today?

MIKE WEIR: Oh, perfect, perfect conditions. You know, variable wind. The wind was bouncing around. When it's light like this, it kind of bounces around through the trees, so it's tough to pick up kind of what's happening.

But it got warmer, the ball's traveling a bit, so that's good for me that the ball was getting out there maybe a club less than maybe normal than maybe for me. So that was nice. Greens were perfect. The course is in the best condition I've seen it in a long time. It's very, very healthy. It's wonderful out there.

Q. Did you have to do anything mentally as the back nine went on, because you realize like, wow, I'm out here by myself?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah. I think just slow down, slow down a little bit, and then it was my time just to kind of get into the routine. I know I was going to be an hour and a half or so ahead of the group behind me, or an hour or so, so I knew I didn't have to hustle, but I didn't want to be like super slow. But still take my time, make my decisions, and -- so, yeah, it's a little bit different, for sure.

Q. How do you change your process when you're playing as a single rather than when you're in a two-ball or a three-ball?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, because I haven't had to do it. I think it was just the pace. I think that's the biggest thing is just getting the pace right of your walk and not kind of getting too caught up in my own game and just kind of having a laugh with my caddie and just kind of enjoying it. That's the approach I look. Let's just enjoy this back nine. It's beautiful out here. Let's just have a good time and then when we get ready to hit, let's get dialed in. I think sometimes you're watching your other player and you're maybe not trying to get in his way sometimes and there's a flow to that. When you're by yourself --

Q. Did you see much of the opening ceremony?

MIKE WEIR: No. I was trying to get my putting dialed in and warmed up. I saw the guys on the range warming up this morning. Got a chance to see them.

Q. Is there a disadvantage to playing by yourself? Because you can't see putts from other players, you can't see how the balls react.

MIKE WEIR: Absolutely.

Q. Did that make you have to be a little more deliberate?

MIKE WEIR: I think so. I think, yeah, you do pick up on speed of greens. You see how the ball's flying through the air. When you're trying to figure out the wind, you pay attention to ball flight and things like that. Not so much on tee shots, but approach shots into the greens and around the greens, you see how the greens reacting and things like that when you're playing with somebody else.

So, yeah, didn't have that, but luckily enough it wasn't too blustery out there. There was a couple of decisions -- No. 16 was a bit tricky. The wind was -- trying to figure that one out was a bit tricky. It was kind of bouncing around. I had an 8-iron out and then it kind of switched and I went to a hard 9. So that was probably a tricky shot to figure out today.

Q. What about 12?

MIKE WEIR: 12 was a little tricky too. It was bouncing around in there too, so I took a little extra time there to wait it out. It felt right-to-left, and as I kind of got it into the shot, I felt it back at me. And out here a 4-, 5-yard difference is everything. It's a huge, huge difference, so you just got to be settled and just -- once you decide on it, you got to commit to it and it took me a second there.

Q. What did you pull on 12?

MIKE WEIR: I hit an 8-iron. It was a great shot there.

Q. You're obviously locked right into the tournament now, but going back to the Champions Dinner, 20th anniversary, were you asked to say anything about your win?

MIKE WEIR: No, I wasn't. I wasn't this year, no.

Q. What were your goals coming into this week? And where do you feel like you're set up for after this round?

MIKE WEIR: Obviously I want to play well and make the cut. The last couple years I've been close and haven't had my sharpest short game, I felt like. I missed the cut by one and then two last year, the last two years. I felt like I let those tournaments get away, so to speak. I felt I didn't take advantage of how well I played, and today is a step in the right direction. I would still like to sharpen up that short game just a little bit more because that's how I can score around here is with the wedges and putting well. And when I do hit good shots, like into 9, leaving it a 10-footer straight in the jaws short. You get those some of those things going, I can score.

But now I'm in a good position and build on today's momentum and who knows. If I can finish -- if I get in the top 20, top 10, that would be a great week.

Q. When you play on your own, are you, like, a first tee time kind of guy? Do you like to be first out?

MIKE WEIR: I used to do that a lot in my practice rounds back in the day. I used to get out early, very early, and play practice rounds early in the morning. I think now, playing the Champions Tour, it's a little more civil. Get up, have some coffee, relax a little more, get out there, kind of cruise out a little later. So this week a little earlier tee times than we have on the Champions Tour, so some earlier mornings. But I'm happy out there most weeks.

Q. When we talk about a marker coming into play it's usually after the cut. Going into tomorrow playing as a one does that change anything for you?

MIKE WEIR: I just heard today they might, you know a marker looks like that's probably what's going to happen, but they might move somebody in the field with me, too. So yeah, it will be a little different, but we'll have a good time whoever we're playing with and just kind of make the most of it and try to get in the same rhythm that I had today. I'll try not to think too much about it.