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MASTERS TOURNAMENTApril 6, 2010Stewart CinkAUGUSTA, GEORGIA ED HERLIHY: Good morning. It's my pleasure to welcome Stewart Cink, the winner of the 2009 British Open. He's won six times on the PGA TOUR. He's a four-time Presidents Cup Team member and 1997 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year. We are pleased to say this is his 13th Masters appearance. And with that, I would love to open it up to questions. Q. I guess basically the strategy yesterday for covering Tiger was to really, frankly, over-analyze every smile, grimace, interaction with the crowd, good shot, bad shot; curious how much I can really know about you from following you around on a practice round of golf. Could I actually know what was going on in your head or personal life away from golf? Is that even really possible? STEWART CINK: No. That's not possible. I mean, you're talking about what we do for our job, our profession. Guys are grinding away out here. I'm sure yesterday was a real unusual day for Tiger, because he's been gone for a long time. But you really don't get an idea of what's going on behind the scenes from the way someone is on the course, not at all. So you know, I guess I always try to let my life reflect the way I play my golf, because I feel like if I have things in order out there, it doesn't mean I'm going to hit my 7-iron better today but over the long haul, I will probably have a little bit more success than I would otherwise. Q. I read somewhere, and he led into it with a Tiger question, kind of another Tiger question, I think you know what I'm going to ask you, I read that you were paired with him more than anybody on the TOUR here, would you expect that that is going to happen either tomorrow or at some point this week, or what's that going to be like? STEWART CINK: Well, you're right that I've been paired with him a lot here. That's a product of a lot of things. I mean, we had parallel careers here as far as the number of times we have played. That's about where it ends. (Laughter). So we have played a lot of the same Masters and we have been paired a few times. I would not be surprised at all if I was one of the names in the small group that would be considered for a pairing with him, but we have no way of knowing that, at all. Another thing that I think is important to know is it's always a little different playing with Tiger at the Masters than it is anywhere else, because the Patron anticipation of his round and the scrutiny and everything is so intense here, that is just feels a little different than other places. I would expect that whoever plays with him this week, me or somebody else, that it would be probably similar to other Masters experiences playing with Tiger. A little bit different but it's always fun. I love watching him hit shots, and I would love the opportunity. Q. Just to follow with that, I think it's been three times of the six rounds, I would guess the funnest of any of those times would be the 2008 final round when you were in the hunt all the way through there, and I think he birdied the 18th to knock you all out of a tie and left you in solo. STEWART CINK: Yes, thanks. Yeah, it's obviously the most fun when you are playing well together. We have also played -- last year I played the first two rounds, missed the cut, shot a bad round on Friday. We played together one year with Aaron Baddeley first two rounds. And that year we played the first three rounds together, because I ended up winning the next week at Hilton Head. You remember the rounds you play with Tiger Woods at Augusta National, they are just memorable, and sometimes it's because one of you plays really well and you're in the hunt, and other times, like Aaron Baddeley was the new face at the time; they are just memorable times. And yeah, it's certainly more fun when you are in contention, even though he birdied the last hole to beat me, moved me back a spot, it's still a good memory. Q. With you playing here, it's kind of a love/hate deal, you're either really good or middle of the pack or worse, why do you think that is? STEWART CINK: Well, the golf course just is -- you know, it's a very stressful course to play when you're in a major championship. It's a really difficult test and it comes at you with every shot. And so if it your game is up to it and your mentality is up to it, then you can succeed and you can play well and have some confidence. But if you are wavering in any way, the course just identifies that and it just spits you out. Most of my career at the Masters, I was hovering between 17th and 25th most of the time and I could not get off of that broken record. It seems like more lately, I've been finishing a lot higher or missing the cut here and there, and I would much rather have a few high finishes and a few missed cuts than languishing around middle. Q. How is your game right now and what are your expectations heading into the week end? STEWART CINK: I've been struggling a little bit with my game this year, a couple good tournaments here and there, but not really happy the way I've been playing. Just throwing away shots and not getting a lot out of my rounds. I'm hoping that this week will provide a major spark for me and I will just get excited. I'm very excited always to play the Masters, not just this week, but every week. Sometimes it takes a little click in your mind that the confidence just starts to bloom, and I'm hoping that this week will be it. Q. Just to follow up on that, what is the one part of your game that has been struggling? STEWART CINK: Seems like the closer I've been getting to the hole, I haven't been very efficient. I haven't made a lot of putts and I haven't gotten up-and-down as often as I need to. I compare myself to the players that are playing the very best, and if you look they are always efficient at getting the ball up-and-down from 50 yards and their birdie conversion rate is pretty high and neither of those two areas I've been great at this year. I've been working hard on it for a long time but it has not paid off quite yet. I'm constantly trying to improve those areas and I still will, and Augusta definitely gives you a unique sort of approach on those shots. Some of the shots, you don't see anywhere else in the season. So I'm hoping that I can respond to that well. Q. Did you watch the Tiger Woods press conference and what were your impressions, if you did? STEWART CINK: I didn't see it. I was on the way over here yesterday. I drove over here right about that time, so I didn't see it. Q. See any clips of it or have any impressions? STEWART CINK: Unfortunately, I have no impressions. I haven't seen anything. Q. Using specific examples from this golf course, would you compare your 2010 wedges or grooves to what you experienced in past years playing here, and shots around the green? STEWART CINK: Certainly the shots that are going to be the most affected are like the third shot on 15 where you need to have good spin to control the ball. And if the fairways are dry, then it really won't be a big issue. But if the fairways are wet, if we have dew in the morning, or if there's rain, like Thursday they are talking maybe a rain shower, then that's where it will be interesting because the new grooves don't allow for water to be displaced from the ball and you can't control it. I've had a couple of occasions on the 15th hole on the third shot where -- in the past I'm talking about, back before the grooves became an issue like in the late 90s where wet fairways, it makes you -- it just scares you, that third shot. I remember coming out after a rain delay where we had rain overnight, so we had to tee off early in the morning like around a 7:00 restart, and my first shot of the day was the third shot on 15. The grass was wet, and it's just really hard to control the ball, unless you can grip the ball with the grooves. So this year there's just a bigger chance you won't be able to grip it. Q. When you shots around the green if it's dry, not wet, there's not that much difference? STEWART CINK: There's not that much difference if you have a good lie. If you can make a good contact on the ball; so if you're in the fairway cut, you are okay as long as it's dry. If you are in the second cut, it's very iffy. You can't control the ball that well, so you'll need to play a little bit more conservatively if you're in the second cut. For instance, on the second hole if you lay up in the wrong place, you may have to play a little more conservatively, because the pins are usually cut where you have to be real precise with your carry and your distance control, because you just don't have that much anymore out of the second cut if it's wet. Q. If you had your choice on Thursday, would you rather play with Tiger or Tom Watson? STEWART CINK: Well, either way I answer that, you're going to turn that around, and it's going to be bad. (Laughter). Q. Try me. STEWART CINK: (Laughing) I'll defer. I'll play with either one of those guys. I'd play with TW any day, either one. (Laughter). Q. Harrington said that now that he's won three majors, his career will be judged by winning majors; I assume you would agree with that. How would someone like your career be judged at one major and how many majors do you think you would have to win before you reach that level where careers are measured by what you did in the big ones? STEWART CINK: Well, let's see. First of all, I'm happy that I'm even in the conversation that my career will one day be judged by how many majors I win, because that means I've got one, so I'm very pleased with that. I never really thought about it, though. I think it's a combination of majors and wins total. So I've got six wins on the TOUR in my years and I'm not really satisfied with that, I think I could have done more. If I win another major or two, I'll be willing to forgive myself for not having more than six wins. Everybody is a little different, I think. I kind of walk around being happy with where I am at the moment. Whether it is one major in my pocket or six or none at the end of my career, as long as I've worked hard and done my best and be a good example and been a good role model, I'll have no choice but to be happy and satisfied. Q. How did you hit that first shot after the rain delay? STEWART CINK: I remember this pretty well. You can see how much fear it put in me. The pin was left and the grass was wet and you place it back down exactly where it was. The grass is all matted down and you put it down and it's almost sinking down almost under its weight into a hole. The pin was left and I just aimed it right, maybe 20 feet right of the hole and I played a little bit of a trap, like a hook, and I caught it pretty good, and I got some hook-spin down the hill, which is kind of the idea. I hit the back fringe and came down to the hole about 15 feet. I don't remember, I might have made the putt but I remember being glad the shot was over. Q. Have you made any changes specific to the Masters or to help you with the up-and-down and putting this year? STEWART CINK: Not for the up-and-downs and the putting and the short game, no. I just use my same wedges. But I made a change concerning a hybrid club for the Masters this week, but it's not what you think. I took my hybrid route and took a 2-iron. Most players go the other way. I have this 2-iron I love and it's been a big club in a lot of tournaments for me. I just find it to be really reliable. It may not be the exact kind of club you want to go to the green with on 13 or 15 or 2 or 4 or any of the holes, for that matter. (Laughter) But it's a club that I trust. And if I'm standing there 240 out with a 2-iron in my hand on 15, I know pretty much how far it's going to go, and it may not hold the green but I'm just not certain with my other clubs how far they are going to go every time. Q. Why was the hybrid in the bag? STEWART CINK: For the Masters, to try and get used to using one so I could hit a higher shot in. I played with it at Bay Hill. I've been messing around with it this year. It's a 21-degree hybrid, but when I hit it good, it's really good. But I have just a little inconsistency with it sometimes. Sometimes it goes a little too far, and that's just not good. You have to have something that goes consistently around the same distance. Q. When you thought about winning a major championship, this is the not the one you want to win the most? STEWART CINK: The U.S. Open was the biggest major for me when I first started and I played the best in it, and it was my style. My game has changed from my early days. I used to be a short, straight hitter and now I have a lot more power and not hitting near as many fairways. But I would not say it's because of that, but over the years I've gained more respect for the Masters than any of the other majors. I feel like it's the pinnacle of professional golf nowadays. So I would cherish this win probably more than any other major if I would win this tournament. Q. What's changed? STEWART CINK: I think more than anything else, it's the golf course. The course continues to grow on me as far as being the best course anywhere. You know, the first Masters you play in, when you first see the speed of the greens and the pin placements, you wonder what was going on in the minds of those who are setting the course up. But then after a while, you play the same pins over and over, you play -- you come through and your memory, as I described that wedge shot on the 15th hole, that's not the only shot I remember little details about. You just learn the way the course sets up to you, where the dangers are, where the safe spots are, where you can be aggressive, where you need to play conservative, where you need to just be scared. And you just gain respect and eventually, you come to a point where you feel like it's the best course in the major rotation. Q. Any other shots besides the third at 15 that scare you? STEWART CINK: The second shot at 11 is pretty darned scary, not to mention it's 50 yards longer than it used to be. It's 500 yards now. So it's a long shot. It's not a very wide-open shot. And if you miss, then your next shot is also not very fun. It's just -- that's one of the reasons Augusta National is such a great course. It just challenges you in ways other courses don't. It has no let-up. Q. When you're facing that third at 15 or second at 11, how much are you going to draw from the second at 18, I think, from The Open Championship last year, when you stiffed that two consecutive times? STEWART CINK: Oh, that was just a wedge with no hazards. (Laughter) That's apples and oranges. What you draw from when you're in situations like that is what you've done to practice and prepare mentally. It's a mental contest is what it is. We can all hit our 5-iron and i8-iron and our driver straight when we are starting on the practice range. But when the Masters is on the line and you have that shot facing you, it's all a mental battle, and so there will certainly be -- well, okay. When I was at Turnberry and I hit some good shots under pressure there, I was relying on my mental preparation. So what I will go back to is how that mental preparation helped me succeed at Turnberry, not how the shots at Turnberry helped me succeed. So that's what I will rely on and I will continue to do the same thing. And sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Q. You talk about it being a mental competition -- one more Tiger question, sorry. Tiger talked yesterday about having to do a very public introspection, for lack of a better word, what is the mental danger of playing a game that is so mental after having had to ask so many really hard questions about yourself? STEWART CINK: I don't know, it's a unique situation. I don't know how to answer that really, because I've never been in that exact situation. I have been in a situation that was difficult to handle mentally at the 2001 U.S. Open when I missed that little short putt, and I got in contention the week after that and the week after that. But you know, that was like an embarrassing moment for me. It was really embarrassing. That was really all that really was on the line at the time, and it was embarrassing. You know, it took me a little while to get over that, a little longer than I let on. I kind just made it look like it was fine. But it really bothered me for about a year. Every time I got into a situation where I had that kind of putt, where I was in contention, that was there, it was in my mind. So that's a competitive thing but I also had people in the crowd saying things. That when you hear stuff like that, it's really hard just to say, that didn't exist. You can't lie to yourself. I would hope people wouldn't say stuff for Tiger, but it could be that he's challenged by some people's behavior like that. Q. Will you have any practice dates set up, and are you playing the Par 3 Tournament? STEWART CINK: According to the tee sheet I have Zach Johnson and Ryan Moore in the Par 3, and I have my youngest son caddying for me. ED HERLIHY: Thank you very much, Stewart. We really appreciate you stopping in. End of FastScripts |
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