MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 9, 2023

Russell Henley

Quick Quotes

Q. Talk about today; how do you feel about it?

RUSSELL HENLEY: Yeah, growing up, coming and watching this tournament and then being a part of it like that on a Sunday and playing well was the best memory I'm going to have. It was so cool to kind of be in the mix a little bit. I was a little off with my wedge game today, otherwise I might have been able to get a little closer to 10-under or so.

Overall made some great par saves, and I feel like I was just really committed to what I was doing and fought hard.

I'm really excited.

Q. You were really close to that birdie putts on 15 and 16 --

RUSSELL HENLEY: Yeah, the wedge shot in on 15 is pretty disappointing, as was the one on 13, not getting it inside 15 feet there. But hit good putts on all those. Just got to hit my wedges closer. It is what it is.

Q. How many times did you say you came when you were younger as a patron?

RUSSELL HENLEY: Yeah, I remember watching Mike Weir made like a six-, seven-footer on No. 18, so that was in '03, and then watching the playoff with Len Mattiace, coming and watching Vijay hit a wedge shot into 2, just all these random memories. I think I fell asleep in the grandstands one year on 15, it was so hot.

But yeah, I just have a lot of memories from coming every year, and it's just cool to be a part of the tournament like that.

Q. What about the whole week? I know the par-3 contest was so much fun, but what with about just this whole week?

RUSSELL HENLEY: Yeah, it's a lot. It's a big week. You come out here on Monday, and there's thousands of people watching every shot. It's a little different than Monday in a Tour event where we're just flying in and getting used to where the course is and where our hotel is. You want to hit it well starting on Monday here and start practicing hard.

It's a long week. It's a fun week. It's very exciting every day. Thankfully I live close to here, so my family gets to come watch.

Q. The third pairing on a Sunday, what's the meter from exciting to feeling pressure, nerves?

RUSSELL HENLEY: Yeah, I wanted to have my best finish in a major. That was my goal. As I started to play and I looked up and realized I was only three shots off the lead at one point, knew that I could make some birdies on the back if I just executed, and I didn't do that. I didn't hit those wedge shots. When I had a chance to be aggressive, I didn't hit them close, but all of a sudden, I felt like, okay, maybe I could reach out and put a little pressure on somebody, so that was cool. But overall I really was just focused on trying to have my best finish.

Q. Were you looking at the scoreboard?

RUSSELL HENLEY: Yeah, I looked at it some. It felt like it was all over the place. One minute Brooks was leading, then I'd hear oohing and aahing, so it was fun.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

RUSSELL HENLEY: Yeah, back home with all the kids.