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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 10, 2008

Robert Karlsson

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

BILLY MORRIS: Ladies and gentlemen, we are delighted to have Robert Karlsson with us this afternoon. Robert had a very fine 2-under par 70 for the Tournament, and we're glad to have him here. Let's go right to questions.

Q. How long have you been working with Mark, and how did you get to meet with him and what has he done for your game?
ROBERT KARLSSON: Well, the first time I met him was in Tulsa last year. I was struggling a bit with my game so I wanted to have someone take a quick look at it, and we have worked since then. I'm really, really happy with the way things have been progressing.

Q. He's got three players here this week, and you hear of Butch and Hank; is he an up-and-coming instructor?
ROBERT KARLSSON: Yeah, he's a good instructor, good guy to be around. He's got a good future -- sounds like I'm really old, doesn't it? (Laughter).

Q. On the front nine you were back and forth; can you walk us through that?
ROBERT KARLSSON: On the second hole I hit the third shot in there with a wedge like 110 yards or something. I said we were going to hit it just past the flag and left, and I hit it just past the flag and left but just on the top of that shelf and just so I could keep the ball on the green.
So just a little bit caught up in that flag but at the same, you see some of the scores, so I don't think I was the only one that left it up there on that shelf.
Hit a great wedge on the next hole to about four feet.
Missed my drive on 5. So I had to chip it out sideways, so pretty happy and walked away with a five on the end of the day.
And missed one on 6, so a bit back and forth.
Around these courses when you miss it, especially here if you miss it in the wrong place, you're pretty happy to make your bogeys and it's more important not to get too caught up in bad shots and let it be doubles or triples.
And I was very lucky, as well, No. 10, misjudged the wind and hit it straight over the back of the green and hold into the pine needles and got it up-and-down from there, which was a slight miracle I think.
So, I mean, those are things that are going to happen around here, and just make sure you don't walk off with two dropped shots or worse.

Q. This is your best round of golf in the Masters; was the game you played the best you've performed on Augusta, as well?
ROBERT KARLSSON: It's hard to compare last year because it was so difficult weather. I don't think it can be any more friendly today than it was weather-wise. And some of the pins on the back nine was quite accessible, as well. And especially the back nine I was playing good.
So all in all, obviously it was the best round I played around here. But scoring-wise, probably the 72 in the last round, last year, almost a better score, but it's hard to compare them.

Q. Was it a bit of a relief to have the conditions this year, as opposed to your only experience being here last year?
ROBERT KARLSSON: At the same time it doesn't matter. It's the same for everyone. But obviously if you have, like last year, again, you know you're in for a very long week.
But you just have to take a little bit different mind-set to it. It's not often you go off the 18th or 72nd hole plus-13 and you're pretty happy to finish 30th. You just have to get used to those high scores and those numbers.

Q. You took advantage of the par 5s on the back nine. Did you have a game plan going into the par 5s?
ROBERT KARLSSON: Yeah, the 13th, I already last year decided I'm not really going to go for it. I mean, my missed shot from the tee, I miss it left and obviously you can't miss it left so I gave myself quite a big margin for error and it's a long second shot, so just leave it up on that plateau to the right and. Today it was a great pin, the back pin, which was to the too difficult. So I gave myself like a 15-foot birdie chance.
We said it already last year; that if I gave myself four good chances with a wedge, I should be under par on the hole, and that's sort of the goal.
And 15, I hit a great drive today and had a 5-iron second shot to the back right pin, which is probably the easiest one. I hit a 5-iron bogey 40 feet from the flag and 2-putted.

Q. Did you look at all on the leaderboard?
ROBERT KARLSSON: Yeah, I saw a couple, a little bit. But it's not -- the more I heard this huge roar for Poulter's hole-in-one and I wondered who it was and saw 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, oh, okay, that's him. It's the first day of a long, long week, so, I mean --

Q. No special feeling?
ROBERT KARLSSON: No. I saw it coming up on the 17th. But it's more important not to be caught up in those sort of things. There's plenty of golf to be played here.

Q. Can you tell us what went through your head on the first tee this morning?
ROBERT KARLSSON: I'm pretty happy with only 3-wood. That was quite nice. The tee was a bit up and it wasn't as cold and windy as last year. So four days in front of us, so let's go play and have fun.
I know last year I was struggling and I made the cut, so I know it's not impossible to do well here. So I tried to just be happy and look forward to four good days. It was at least a good start.
BILLY MORRIS: Well, Robert, we thank you very much for coming to interview with us and we wish you the very best of luck this week.

End of FastScripts

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