MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 8, 2024

Corey Conners

Quick Quotes

Q. First impressions of the golf course out there today? How is it looking?

COREY CONNERS: It's looking amazing, as per usual. In exceptionally good shape. Not any areas that aren't manicured perfectly. Greens were rolling pretty quick already. Some of the putts were maybe breaking a little bit more than they have in the last couple years in my observations. But yeah, it's in fantastic shape, and yeah, fired up to be out here.

Q. Did you use a pair of solar glasses?

COREY CONNERS: I did, and I was fairly impressed actually. It exceeded my expectations. It was really cool. Yeah, had a little look at the eclipse, and it was cool.

Q. What were you expecting?

COREY CONNERS: I'm not really sure. But it was way more defined than I expected, I guess we'll say that.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, it's funny, I had my sunglasses on the whole round, so I didn't really notice, but I took them off for a moment and it did seem a little darker.

Q. Have you experienced one?

COREY CONNERS: There was one a few years ago, we were on a plane and had to keep the windows down. So no, I have not.

Q. How did the eclipse affect your swing?

COREY CONNERS: I don't think it did. It felt quite good.

Q. How does your game feel this week?

COREY CONNERS: It feels good. I went into last week with high expectations. I was just a little bit off with a few things. But it does feel good. I feel like I'm hitting it well. I've just got to be patient, make some good decisions out there and play with freedom and trust my game.

Q. Speaking of decisions, three straight top 10s and then the missed cut last year. Does it feel like you're returning to a place where you've had success?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, I think coming off the win last year, the mind was all over the place a little bit. This year playing, kind of get settled in like I normally would for a big event, and feeling good already.

Q. This is Danny's 10th Masters, I think. What has he meant to your game?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, Danny has been great to my game. He's such a good player, great guy to be around and really helpful. He knows my game. He instills a lot of confidence in me, and his experience out here is definitely valuable, as is mine.

Q. You're going out with Mr. Weir tomorrow?

COREY CONNERS: Yep. Really looking forward to that. I can always learn a lot from Mike around this place.

Q. Is it always a place where there's always something new you can learn?

COREY CONNERS: I think so. Yeah, I feel like I have a good grasp of the golf course and intricacies of it, but there's always something that can be learned for sure.

Q. Is there one hole out here that gives you a little more trouble on a regular basis than any of the others?

COREY CONNERS: Not particularly. I would say I struggled on the 13th hole last year, the par-5, with the addition of the yardage. I went for the green, and I had some longer clubs in my hand and kind of came in with a plan this year if I'm too far back, I'll be fine to lay up and try and make birdie with a wedge. That one I didn't particularly play well last year. I've had good success there. The tee shot fits my eye, so yeah, expect to give myself some better looks there this year.

Q. Nick and Adam's last Masters was the fall Masters in 2020. Did they ask you any more questions than normal out there today?

COREY CONNERS: Not necessarily. I tried to share as much as I could, I guess, of things that I was thinking of when I was out there.

I feel like they know the golf course pretty well, as well.

Q. Did you guys talk about the eclipse during the round at all?

COREY CONNERS: A little bit, yeah. There was a lot of patrons that were asking if we had seen it, and we all got a look. Yeah, it was pretty cool.

Q. What was the best eclipse comment you heard from anybody in your group?

COREY CONNERS: I'm not too sure. They were just mostly asking if we saw it. A lot of people were saying not to look at the sun. I followed that advice definitely.

Q. The big change on 13 last year, but were there any perceptible changes that you noticed?

COREY CONNERS: Not through the back nine. I noticed the tee on No. 2 was moved back a little bit, so excited to see tomorrow. They've maybe resurfaced a couple of the greens on the first nine, but yeah, didn't notice too many differences out there on the second nine.

Q. When they redo a green, is it obvious?

COREY CONNERS: No, it's very hard to tell, even when they add a new tee box it's very hard to tell, certainly. They do such a good job with things here.

We'll see tomorrow, possibly may be a bit firmer surface, but looking at it visually, there's really no way to tell.

Q. Par-3 contest with Reis on the bag?

COREY CONNERS: Yep, Reis is going to be on the bag. Really excited for that. Hopefully she allows us to suit her up and then she'll definitely be out there, and playing with Nick and Adam, too, so it'll be fun.