MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 8, 2024

Adam Hadwin

Quick Quotes

Q. First impressions of the golf course today?

ADAM HADWIN: This place is always in amazing shape. I played nine yesterday. Ball is starting to bounce a little bit more, even today, all this sunshine, drying things out.

As always, you're going to have to golf your ball around this place.

Q. How important is this tournament to you? A lot of Canadians growing up it becomes their favorite because it usually means it's the beginning of the golfing season. Same for you?

ADAM HADWIN: Obviously we play a lot of tournaments before this. Our season starts early. But obviously we have THE PLAYERS, but this feels like it kicks off major championship season anyway.

It's always a treat to be here, as well. You feel like you've done something special, making TOUR Championship, being in the top 50, or winning are three pretty special things I feel like.

It's nice to be back. It's been a few years, so nice to be on grounds again.

Q. Speaking of sunshine, did you use your solar glasses?

ADAM HADWIN: Yeah, we took a look a few times as it was passing by. Pretty cool. You could tell the light -- you could really notice a difference. We had one I want to say in the fall in Vegas. I don't know if it was just this past fall or the fall before, but we had one in Vegas that was almost a full eclipse. It left a ring around the outer edge.

I remember it getting really dark there at like 5:00. Even more so than here.

Q. Did it change some things in the play on the course or not at all?

ADAM HADWIN: No. I took the sunglasses off.

Q. Last year I remember you were working so hard on your game and your swing. Maybe some changes were going on and you were beginning to feel them work. How has that developed? Are they grooved in right now?

ADAM HADWIN: Oh, yeah, no, they've been grooved for a while now. Now it's sort of that tinkering phase where little things -- we got past the difficult part of actually doing the major overhaul, and now it's just little things week to week that maybe the club is a little bit on top versus a little bit behind, maintaining that, or the club face maybe starts to weaken a little bit more and maintaining that.

No, it's there. I'm able to execute every golf shot that I want. It's just a matter of doing it now.

Q. With this place, is there a spot you have to hit when you get to Augusta? Is there something that you really like to see whenever you get here?

ADAM HADWIN: No, not that I can think of. Just trying to -- when you're out on the golf course, just trying to soak it all in. Obviously you're here for a purpose and a job.

I would say like many, I'm sure one of my favorite spots is back there on 12 green, 13 tee looking back and you're kind of the only ones back there. It's very surreal. No, just try and go out and play --

Q. Is there a big crowd here with you this week? Are you staying with family?

ADAM HADWIN: I've got some family in, family and friends, but nothing too crazy. We stay away from all that and let them have the week that they want and try and keep it as normal a week as possible.

Q. What would be a good storyline for Happy Gilmore 2?

ADAM HADWIN: I don't know. Maybe they have a kid. Maybe her and -- is it Veronica? No, that's a different movie. I should know this. I don't know.

Q. He has to be on the Champions Tour.

ADAM HADWIN: Yeah.

Q. With this week, with the LIV players and PGA TOUR players back together for the first time in nine months, is that something you think about? Is it going to be any different than a normal major from five years ago?

ADAM HADWIN: I don't worry about it. A lot of guys we haven't seen in a while, so saying hi to a few faces that we used to see every week.

No, it's golf. I think that for a majority of the players, obviously they've made decisions either way and they just want to play golf. It's probably nice having everybody back to the same event again.

Q. Last time you were here it was a little bit different. It was a November Masters. What's it feel like to be back in the spring?

ADAM HADWIN: It's a lot nicer. I guess this would be my first full Masters since 2018 with all the fans and everything, so that's nice. It's great to hear the roars again. We were talking about that crowd on 16, skipping golf balls. They were really into it.

Coming back to this place is always special, and obviously part of that is the fans and the roars and all that stuff. Hopefully we can execute a few good shots for them this week.

Q. Did you notice any changes out there to the course?

ADAM HADWIN: Obviously 13 is much longer. That was kind of the big one. I think there's little subtle changes that they do year to year with the greens and some of that. They've cut more fairway, I think, on 11 and 15 since I've seen it.

But other than that, I'm trying to think. I think 5 was already added. That didn't seem much different.

6 they've changed a little bit, kind of that upper right portion. It's not as flat and forgiving long and right.

Just minor changes that they always seem to do every single year that even with all the experience you have, some things can be just slightly different.

Q. Can you imagine this place with the rolled back ball?

ADAM HADWIN: As short as I hit it, I can't imagine many golf courses with the rolled-back ball. I think obviously they have room to move up now, and we'll cross that bridge when it comes.

Q. Par-3 contest on Wednesday, Maddox on the bag?

ADAM HADWIN: Hopefully. That's the plan. She's expressed some nervousness to do it. She thinks that it's for real and she doesn't want to take Joe's job, but we're convincing her that it's just for fun.