FORD CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY KCC

March 29, 2024

Caroline Masson

Seville Golf and Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Caroline, you came in here and you said, wow, I really do love golf, as we were all joking around. Just to come out here with a 65, bogey-free, what does today mean to you?

CAROLINE MASSON: It's awesome. You know, obviously I don't know, being back and enjoying golf a lot more than I have in the past, coming out here and shooting a good score yesterday, kind of was like, okay, I can do it.

Then to come out today and just really play very solid golf both days. You know, didn't get myself in trouble much. Didn't even do anything crazy except for one really cool hole-out bunker shot.

Yeah, just really solid and just a lot of fun. A good mindset. I think we had a good plan, my caddie and I. We stuck to it. I actually told him coming down 9, my last hole, honestly, I don't remember the last time I've been this patient and kind of able to stick to the targets and not get kind of ahead of myself or too aggressive.

So that was really fun.

Q. For you, last week I know was a really big learning experience coming back and doing all that. How much did that motivate you and make you even hungrier to come out here this week and fire some numbers?

CAROLINE MASSON: Yeah, I think my score wasn't great. I think I shot 6-over total. I didn't make a ton of birdies, but I saw a lot of positives. There weren't any negative feelings really. It was all positive and obviously showing me what I needed to work on. I think we've done a good job doing that these last few days.

The golf course is obviously a little bit different, a little bit less trouble here than last week. But I think we worked on the right things. I got a really good feeling the way I'm swinging it. I'm pretty relaxed out there. That helps a lot, too.

Q. Curious, we have the majors of course, but this is an Olympic year. Is that something on your goals?

CAROLINE MASSON: Yeah, you know, honestly, it's yes and no, because of course it's a goal. It's pretty I think farfetched coming back as a mom not really knowing where you're at.

So it's one of those things. I think both Olympics and Solheim, I think I can do it. I just have to perform every day and hit every shot and just see where I stand when those teams are being picked.

It's a goal in the far distance, but I think I am really good at just focusing what I have to do right now.

Q. Curious to get your opinion. There is a talk of a mixed event at the Olympics. Is that something you think would help elevate the game?

CAROLINE MASSON: I heard about that. I think it would be great. I'm sure it makes it a long maybe two weeks at the Olympics, so obviously with our schedule that's always something that people look at. You know, Solheim and Olympics obviously. A lot going on this year.

In general it's amazing. Not so much to compare ourselves to the guys, but just to have that team format, I think we've all been kind of craving that. We all love it. We love it for the Solheim, and why not build a team up with the men at the Olympics too and do that?

That would be awesome.

Q. Take me through the bunker shot, which I am assuming is this eagle on No. 5.

CAROLINE MASSON: Yeah, it was pretty funny actually. I mean, I had a little bit of a downhill lie with a 3-wood coming in. Wasn't a terrible miss in that bunker, but then and I paced it and it was about 40 meters. I said to my caddie, honestly, I haven't practiced these much because you have to kind of pick and chose a little bit when you don't have that much time to come back.

I said, I haven't practiced these much, but I think I can do it. We were trying to play it conservative in a way. There was a lot break, too. I hit it absolutely perfect and it rolled in. So we were just laughing.

Like certainly going to think about practicing those because obviously maybe just feeling it sometimes is not a bad thing either.

Q. I know last week we saw you supporting your husband on the bag for Nelly in that playoff. Was that a little inspiring too to see their grind as well?

CAROLINE MASSON: Honestly, Nelly and Jason have been inspiring throughout this whole time. Obviously have watched them a lot. Came out to a bunch of tournaments and walked with them, and watching Nelly play is just unbelievable. She makes it look so easy. She's just so good.

Like I caught myself kind of comparing sometimes maybe, and I think Jason is really good at saying, Nelly is Nelly and Caro is Caro. Caro has to play her own game.

Yeah, the way she plays golf has been amazing and definitely a little motivation for me too. Seeing them win is obviously always fun. The big dream is to hopefully do that myself and hopefully beat them one week.

Q. For you and Benton also to kind of maybe see mama out here, do what you're doing, how do you walk away from a round like this with that newfound perspective?

CAROLINE MASSON: Yeah, a lot of pride. You know, it's just really cool, like I said, to put in all this work and come back out and to challenge yourself to do this. It's not that easy.

But for us to be able to do this, live this life as a family on the road, take him here, he's still little, so he wouldn't really understand right now, but, yeah, winning a golf tournament with him being here would be absolutely amazing and the big dream.

I'm going to work hard to make that happen.