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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 10, 2011

Steve Stricker

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

Q. A decent comeback here.
STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, the object today was to try to get off to a good start and make an early move and see what could happen, but that went south in the middle of that front nine, so just was trying to make a couple birdies to try and get into the top -- what do they take back here, 15? So that was really the goal coming in was to make a couple birdies so I could make sure that I'm back here next year.

Q. I think you're T11 right now.
STEVE STRICKER: I think I saw 13 now, and there's some birdie holes coming up for those guys. But hopefully make it so I can come back.

Q. 22 birdies, a lot of birdies this week.
STEVE STRICKER: I was thinking about that when I was looking at my card today, looking at -- I circle all the birdies, and I'm like, God, made a lot of birdies this week, but I made a lot of other... problems.

Q. People talk about putting here and short game, but the value of greens in regulation is really huge at every major, but particularly even more here just being on the greens.
STEVE STRICKER: Well, you're right, and it's -- I was talking to my caddie today going around, and when you miss a green it's very difficult to get it up-and-down. I mean, it is extremely hard, and that's why you see a lot of bogeys, not only from me but from a lot of guys. You see a lot of volatility in their scorecard. And if you miss a green, it's difficult.
You're right, if you can hit a lot of greens in regulation, it takes a lot of pressure off your short game. You know, and then you can kind of just cruise along and wait for some of those birdie holes.

Q. Nothing wrong with two-putts out here basically?
STEVE STRICKER: Exactly. Pars are good here because you're going to make some birdies on those par-5s, and a couple other holes, they give you an opportunity at times. Not every day; they switch those holes up on you, too, so you just kind of bide your time with pars and keep plugging along.

Q. What happened on 4? You got through 2 with a birdie.
STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, I hit it left. I pulled it over in the left bunker.

Q. Okay.
STEVE STRICKER: And the pin is all the way back right. I hit a pretty decent bunker shot but it just didn't stay up on that little plateau and came down to the right.

Q. What's your schedule from here now say until The Players?
STEVE STRICKER: Probably will play New Orleans and then The Players.

Q. Are you planning on reducing your schedule this year a little bit?
STEVE STRICKER: A little bit. You know, I've -- a few less probably.

Q. You're getting old. Is that the deal? Do you feel like you don't -- I mean, you've got the kids, too.
STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, it's just time to stay home a little bit more. It's not that I'm not going to practice or try to be prepared. I feel like I can still come out in those tournaments that we play and play hard and be fresher and be more ready to play.

Q. You've always thought when you're fresher --
STEVE STRICKER: Exactly, and you looked at my five last wins were all coming off a week off or two weeks off, so that kind of told me something, too, that it's not bad for me to come back and feel rested. And I work at it a lot at home, too, and that's the goal anyways, to stay home a little bit more and then be prepared and ready to play fewer tournaments than I've been playing.

Q. Can you just sum up the whole overall week?
STEVE STRICKER: You know, it was good and bad. I felt a little more comfortable, felt a little more confident in the things I was doing around here, but made too many other mistakes. I just didn't get it up-and-down, hit it in some wrong spots at times. But I was pleased with the amount of birdies I made.

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