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MASTERS TOURNAMENTApril 12, 2014Matt KucharAUGUSTA, GEORGIA MODERATOR: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We'd like to welcome Matt Kuchar to the interview room after carding a third round 4‑under par 68 with six birdies and two bogeys. This is Matt's eighth Masters appearance. He finished tied for third and eighth in his previous two Masters. Before we take some questions, Matt, could you briefly summarize your round today. MATT KUCHAR: I had a good, steady round of golf. Not many mistakes out there. It was kind of a continuation of my last couple weeks. Been playing some nice golf now for three weeks. Felt like I drove the ball really well around here. People don't put that much of a premium, but it's important. People put more of a premium on approach shots, and you've got to be pretty precise coming into these greens, and I felt like I was really striking it clean, really in pretty good control. Had a number of good birdie opportunities and made a few‑‑ saw a few putts go in, which was fun today. Greens are as fast as I ever remember seeing Masters greens, a bit on the frightening side. But it's fun. It's what we come here for. Q. After the nice little birdie run you had, the second shots on 17, 18, were you a little pumped up between clubs? Did the wind catch? MATT KUCHAR: It was in‑between clubs. One of those ones in between 9 and 8 on No.17. I had just hit a 9 on the 16th hole, knew how far it went, but wind was a little bit different. So kind of‑‑ the 9‑iron came up a little bit shorter than we expected on 16. Maybe just a little late, should be fine. Not real happy to go over that green, and that's not a good place to be. Fortunately it just barely trickled over and kind of stayed up on the fringe for a somewhat standard chip shot. Still a scary spot to be. 18, again, in between a 7‑ and 8‑iron. Not sure that an 8 could get all the way on top. Figured if I hit a little 7, land it on the low shelf, I knew if I landed it up top, no matter how high I hit a 7‑iron, it's not going to stay. So tried to flight it just a little bit and let it run up, and it flew five paces too far. I never thought it would go that far over. Not a great place to be. I actually hit a beautiful putt from where I was over the green that only barely trickled on the green. There's just next to no grass on the 18th green, and I watched my putt just continue rolling out forever and then hit my par putt from some 35 feet, and had it not hit the back of the hole, it would have going ten or 12 feet by. I felt like I wasn't overly aggressive with that putt. Just that green is rolling so incredibly fast that I was glad to see it hit the back of the hole and give myself only three or four inches to come back. Q. In your last four starts, you've played really well in the third round and the scores have been‑‑ your average has been higher in the fourth. What do you need to do to change that tomorrow? MATT KUCHAR: Nothing. Nothing. I'm very excited to have another crack at it. Q. What do you attribute your success around here? MATT KUCHAR: Really enjoy the golf course. Not sure. I've come on some pretty good form these couple weeks, but I've got to say, I'd like to think I have some good luck most weeks and some pretty good form most weeks. I think that's what I've worked with Chris O'Connell to develop a game that can play well week‑in, week‑out. It's always nice‑‑ we all want to peak come Masters week. I almost think more maintain the form I've been on. I'd like to get on some good form and maintain good form and continue some good play. The past couple weeks, it's been going that way. I'm pretty pleased with the trend right now. Q. If you look at your record, there's been a steady progression up until the last two years with the Top‑10 finishes. Do you attribute that to experience or just your confidence has grown over the last two years, or just feeling comfortable? MATT KUCHAR: There's a number of things. Again, I go back to Chris O'Connell. I work with Chris. It's what we strive to do is strive to eliminate the need for timing and then try to, when you roll out of bed and not hope that you're going to know where the ball is going; I have a pretty good idea of where the ball is going. I have a swing that repeats and you can count on it to repeat. I think there's been some maturity as far as course management is concerned. I think I understand how I need to play a golf course in order to put up the best score I can. So there's a little bit of everything; there's a comfort level. I'm more comfortable playing golf with a chance to win a golf tournament. I feel like it's certainly a lot more maturity as far as course management and knowing how I need to break down a golf course to play it. Q. You played well here as a 19‑year‑old amateur. What goes through your mind when you see where Jordan Spieth is on the leaderboard at 20 in his first Masters? MATT KUCHAR: Pretty amazing. I think you hear most of the commentary that experience really has a lot to do with playing well here, and you see the likes of Fred Couples do well and you kind of chalk it up to a guy with a lot of experience playing this golf course. It definitely helps. It definitely helps. So even more amazing to see what a guy like Jordan Spieth is doing in his first tournament, and to be right in contention to have a shot to win tomorrow. It's pretty amazing for a first‑timer. Q. What are your thoughts about your position right now and your thoughts looking toward tomorrow? Obviously there's some scores still to come in, but from where you are, what are your thoughts? MATT KUCHAR: I'm really excited for tomorrow. This is a position all of us hope to be in when we show up on Monday or Tuesday. You hope that your game is ready. You hope that you play good golf Thursday, Friday, Saturday and you've got a chance in one of the last groups on Sunday. It's one of those special places and awfully exciting to be in this situation. Q. You obviously got near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday last year near the end. Is there anything in particular you can draw from going into tomorrow? MATT KUCHAR: I'm so happy that the last couple weeks, I've been around with a chance to win. I think those are the ones‑‑ last year, it's a long time ago in the game of golf. The last two weeks are a lot fresher; that I've been in the hunt, had good chances. I'll take a lot more from the last two weeks than I will from a year ago. MODERATOR: Thank you very much and good luck tomorrow. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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