MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 14, 2024

Camilo Villegas

Quick Quotes

Q. What a finish and what a last day at the Masters.

CAMILO VILLEGAS: It sure was. Good weather to get started. Back wasn't feeling too good this morning, but somehow it felt a little bit better as I got walking. I played nicely. I played nicely today. A couple little hiccups there on 10 and 11, and I guess 15. 15 I hit a bad shot in the water. But that birdie-birdie-birdie finish was nice.

I really enjoyed the day today. Playing with José, I haven't played with him in a long time, one of the first few times I played with him were practice rounds here. I remember my coach, Buddy Alexander, told me, listen, I want you to go play a practice round with that guy to see what he does around the greens.

Let me tell you, what he did today -- enough talking about me today. What he did today was very impressive. He battled so hard and then he birdies 10 to go to -- I forget what it was. Then he pulled his back on No. 13. I thought he was not going to continue to play an the 14th tee.

Somehow he goes and birdies 15, hits a great shot on 16, bogeys 17, and then I'm just praying that tee shot on the last was going to go straight for him, and he made an unbelievable 4. It was a pleasure to watch him grind today, play with pain, and yeah, I guess he showed me the champion he is.

Q. He's an inspiration, no?

CAMILO VILLEGAS: Oh, he always has, and that's exactly what I told him on the green. I said, you've always inspired me, and after today's round, that was pretty cool.

Q. Talk a little bit about your last three birdies. What clicked there?

CAMILO VILLEGAS: I guess you've got 16 and 18 where you can use the slope to get it close. 17 is like concrete, that green. It's going to be very interesting to watch the boys coming in in the afternoon. I tried to fix my ball mark on 17, and I couldn't. I could barely put the tee in.

Going back to 16, I hit a nice 8-iron, just kind of tap-in. Was still a little out of the comfort zone. I tried to hit it firm and it broke. I got it in the left edge.

17 I hit a pure shot. I just cut this 9-iron in there, bounced it five yards short, but still, I have like eight feet from behind the hole, and you're just hoping it just stays tracking, which it did.

Then same thing with 18. I still had a fast putt. I remember watching that putt on TV so many times, and some guys it kind of drifts right, some guys it drifts left, and I'm like, I'm going to play right edge. I played right edge, and it kind of hung in there, went pretty straight and snuck in.

Q. Plans right now, what are you playing, and how do you feel with your game?

CAMILO VILLEGAS: Yeah, I've been doing great work, to be honest. I think what I did the last couple weeks, trying to get a better rhythm and kind of a longer backswing, I saw some good stuff. I'm not in next week, which is a bummer. Harbour Town, Hilton Head, RBC Heritage is probably my favorite event, non-major.

But you know what, you've got to earn those, and I didn't finish top 50 last year, which that's why I'm not there.

But I'm not going to play the next couple weeks probably, and I do need to heal my back. My back is not very good, and I need to heal it.