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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 5, 2011

Nick Watney

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

ED HERLIHY: Thank you, everyone, for coming this afternoon, and thanks to Nick Watney for taking some time out from his routine to join us here this afternoon.
This year, Nick will be making his fourth appearance here at the Masters, with his best finish coming last year when he placed seventh. He has already recorded four top-10 finishes this year, including a win at the World Golf Championships event at Doral in March, his third career TOUR victory.
Nick, you are obviously playing very well. Would you tell us how your game is coming together for this week's Masters Tournament.
NICK WATNEY: Well, my game is coming together. I worked a lot in the off-season on my chipping and putting, and that's the reason for my improved scoring. So I've done some preparation with that. And my caddie, Chad, has a lot of experience around here, so looking forward to getting the week started.

Q. You were going to play Bay Hill, and then you didn't. Just curious as to what you did with that week and how torched you were by the end of Tampa after all of those weeks in contention?
NICK WATNEY: Sunday in Tampa I did not perform very well, so I thought that it would be -- I had played every year I was eligible for Mr. Palmer's tournament and I felt like if I went, I didn't really have much in the tank; I wouldn't perform very well.
So went home, rested. My wife had her wisdom teeth out, actually, so I took care of her for part of the week. Just kind of kicked back and tried to, like I said, get rested and prepared for this week.

Q. I wonder if your experience at the PGA last year, as well as beating that field at Doral, changes your approach or your feelings about your ability to win here, a major, at all; do you approach these things differently than maybe you did two years ago?
NICK WATNEY: Yes, I definitely approach them differently than I did two years ago. You know, Whistling Straits was a very bad day on the scorecard. But I learned a lot that day just about how I handle situations and I think that helped me in Doral. To beat that field, and I think I heard that everybody in the top-50 was there; so to beat that field was an honor and it was kind of -- validated what I feel I need to address.
Yeah, I'm very excited for this tournament, but I'm the type of player that it's nice to think about that, but I need to kind of focus on the here and now forward to perform.

Q. What did the Sunday teach you at the PGA, what is it that you learned?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I was going very, very fast, swinging fast, walking fast, thinking way ahead. And so I think what I learned is that I'm never going to be able to block out those feelings; I just have to learn how to handle them. I don't have it, but I'm getting there. (Laughter).

Q. You've played well here from your first tournament, you've had a lot of good rounds here. What do you remember about your first rounds here, and when you realized that this was your type of golf course?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I came -- once I got my invitation, I came before the Tournament. I've played enough golf now that usually a practice round or just a casual round is not too much to get excited about. But I couldn't really sleep much the night before, and just walking around the grounds was amazing, just all of the tradition; so-and-so hit a shot from this position; pin is usually over here on Sunday and whatnot.
I love it here. I love the feel of the event. And as far as the golf course, for some reason, my eye just sees the lines. I like to play a draw, and it's documented that a draw works well around here. I love everything about it.

Q. Is there anything about this year, the way the course is playing, that's different or how the playing so far, anything that's surprised you?
NICK WATNEY: Not really anything surprised me. They made very few changes as far as I could tell. I heard that they softened some greens in certain spots for some extra pin locations, but one of the pretty cool parts of this tournament is how the golf course will be on Wednesday, it will be completely different 12 hours later Thursday morning.
It's pretty soft right now. I think we can expect the greens to be much firmer come Tournament time. I'm just looking forward to getting started.

Q. What is it about this course that you like so much? Is there particular holes or shots that you really like? And secondly, what do you have to do, do you feel to kind of take that next step and get a win here?
NICK WATNEY: As far as what do I like, like I said, I like the tee shots. If you can -- there's not much rough. But if you can put the ball in the correct -- where you are hitting from the correct angles, it will give you a big advantage. So I feel like I'm a decent driver of the ball, and I don't know what it is, but the greens are firm so treacherous that maybe I focus more or something. But I feel like I putt decent around here.
And then what do I need to do? I think I just need to -- all I can control is myself. And if I do play well, I'm going to have those feelings; and what if I'm close to the lead or whatever, but I just have to slow down, take it one shot at a time, as the clichÃ© goes, and try to execute.

Q. When it comes to Augusta National, who do you consider or think about more dominant, Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I think they are equally dominant. Phil obviously as of late, and Tiger early. That's kind of like, you know, that's 1-a and 1-b. I think they have won seven. I would have a really hard time picking one or the other.

Q. You mention those two guys, but because of your form this year, you are mentioned alongside what we would call the usual suspects as one of the favorites for this tournament. Are you aware of that? Is it a responsibility to you? Is it something that you feel extra pressure towards or does it make no difference?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I've become slightly aware of that. But unfortunately, it makes no difference. I wish, you know, if they mention your name before the tournament you could start 2-under-par or something like that.

Q. Going the other way, it could add as pressure to some people?
NICK WATNEY: It could. It could. You know, it's nice; it's an honor to be mentioned in that esteem, but at the same time, we are all tied on Thursday, and I think this year on the American tour, at least, has proved that a lot of different people can win tournaments.
For me, I know Tiger in the past has talked about winning the Grand Slam, and on Tuesday he'll talk about winning the tournament. I can't do that and perform very well. So that's very nice. It's nice to be in here. It's the first time I've ever been in here. But once the gun goes off on Thursday, I just have to keep my head down and focus on the next shot.

Q. Do you have any advance thought on sort of a round by round strategy for the Tournament? For instance, if you get off to a good start, or third and fourth round, or if you get off to a poor start, you try to make up this way?
NICK WATNEY: Not really. Just because every day can be so different. You know, it's just what -- I mean, I think last week, the leader shot 9-under in the first round, which I'm sure was according to plan, and then he slowed down.
We have all started off rounds well and faltered in the end. I think the way golf is, it's too hard -- I mean, definitely have a game plan, but rarely does your game plan actually play out. So I think for me, I know what I would like to do and if I can execute, then great. But probably there are going to be some unexpected shots. I'm going to hit some poor shots. I don't have a round by round where I want to be or anything like that.

Q. Just as a follow-up, if you were, you or somebody gets behind, and really wants to catch up, is there a way to change your strategy to be more aggressive or play catch-up in the last few rounds?
NICK WATNEY: Obviously if you're more aggressive, that's a double-edged sword. If you can pull the shots off, great. But this golf course and the pins and the greens, if you are a little bit off, you can go the other way in a hurry.
So I think -- and it matters how you feel, if you're on your game, you can afford to be a little more aggressive. But most of the low rounds around here are a result of making some putts that you would not make every day.
So it's easy to -- I'm a little bit behind. I'm going to shoot at more pins. But that's very dangerous.

Q. Is this tournament where you think you have the best chance of winning a major?
NICK WATNEY: I'm going to say yes this week. (Laughter).
I mean, I think there's been four or five players to win the Grand Slam for their career. So, you know, I would love to put my name on that list. But I love it around here. Obviously with the way it's structured where we play this golf course every year, so I'm going to get to know it the best. Yeah, yeah, I guess so.

Q. I know that you've been working on your chipping for years, and it's kind of come and gone; what clicked this year, and how did you go about it differently, and who did you work on it with?
NICK WATNEY: I started working with James Sieckmann out of, I think he lives in only Omaha. I got his name and services through my caddie, Chad, who had caddied for Tom Pernice who had worked with James Sieckmann for quite a while now.
I was kind of searching. I would try a different technique every day sometimes, every week, so I just wanted to try to get a base of fundamentals, and this is how I'm going to hit it, and then kind of work from there. And it's really clicked.

Q. So many young players have won on TOUR this year; do you feel that trend -- it will be difficult for that trend to it continue this week, and considering the magnitude of the event, the amount that younger players have to learn about this course and the fact that there are a couple of players out there like Phil and Tiger that have already had that knowledge and been able to use it?
NICK WATNEY: Well, it's tough to say. I mean, it's tough to predict who is going to win. I will say that I agree with you; that experience plays a role around here. There's not too many guys that have won their first try.
That being said, there's some really good players, really good young players. So I think this tournament, like any other -- obviously it's a major, so there is more magnitude, but I would not be surprised if a young guy won it.

Q. I think it must have been a McCabe story that he wrote about you, the final day of Whistling Straits, completely out of your routine, coming out of the clubhouse early, bouncing off the walls and energy to burn. Is that fair, and was your head just exploding because of the newness of the position?
NICK WATNEY: Yes, I woke up extra early -- not on purpose, but I just did. Just kind of kept looking at the clock. I wanted to get out there and get on the golf course. I was the last guy off. I thought about winning that morning. And once things started to go south, I thought I was out of the tournament. And playing with Dustin, he didn't start off his round great, either, but he just kind of hung around and eventually he was leading with one hole to go.
Yeah, it was a foreign feeling, but I would love to have it again.

Q. You mentioned Dustin, do you see him as somebody ready to win a major? He's been in contention a couple of times and you play with him this week. What do you think of his game and demeanor and all that?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, he's proved that he's ready to win. He had a one-shot lead with one to go. Obviously he's very good, and I think he'll be one of the players that definitely has a chance.
ED HERLIHY: Thank you very much and have a great weekend. Good luck.

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