MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 9, 2021

Jose Maria Olazabal

Quick Quotes

Q. Inaudible.

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: It's like winning the event (laughter).

Q. Tell us your feelings and how it was. How did you manage?

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: Well, I have to say that I enjoyed the two days. Well, obviously, because I hit the ball better, but because of the conditions on the golf course, it's lovely to see Augusta played like we have the last two days, fast and firm. It reminds me a lot of the late '80s and '90s.

And I felt great. I felt relaxed. It's true that I had a little hiccup on 3 and 4 at the beginning of the round, but I played pretty solid all day long. I missed, I would say, maybe two, three shots really bad, but the rest were okay.

And it was a great bonus, that putt on 17. I mean, that was fantastic. I put myself in trouble with my second shot. I put my second shot, I was trying to hit a fade. I pulled it and put myself in the worst position. Luckily, I made that putt, I made par, and if everything is okay, hopefully, I'll be here for the weekend.

Q. So '99 was very much about feeling things and signs and things like that. Did you feel some of these things here this week?

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: Yes, I felt, as I said, it remind me of those years when the greens were really fast and hard. I mean, I really felt like that. The weather also was warm, a bit humid. It's been really special these last two days for me. I haven't made the cut in for how many years, and I'm giving myself a chance at least to make it. I make the cut and play the weekend, that's going to be great for me.

Q. Around the weekend, you'll be back again playing the 12th hole. It's so pivotal, it seems like every year. What makes that hole so challenging and so much of a big deal on the weekend on Sunday?

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: First of all, there's not much flat surface, where you can hit it. As soon as you don't hit it on the green, it's trouble. I mean, either you're in the bunker or in the water. Even if you're long, you're not safe either. That green is positioned in an angle. It's pretty much a 45 degree angle to the line that you are hitting. On top of that, if you are in the direction of the wind that swirls around on that hole quite a lot -- all those things combined makes you, well, put under the pressure.

It's not easy to hit a shot because you have to be extremely precise with the distance, as simple as that.

Q. Do you remember the last year you made the cut?

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: No, I don't remember. But it's been a while.

Q. What do you attribute to, like you said, it's been a while, you've played well these past few days in very tough conditions.

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: It's true, but at least when the golf course is playing fast, I'm not hitting 5 woods and 7 woods all day long to the greens. It's true that I still hit long irons, and some of the greens for me, it's very difficult to hit them because of the clubs and hitting onto them.

For instance, today on 14, I had a 5 iron in my hands, and, boy, just pitch on top of the crest, and I miss the green all the way to the back. I know there's certain holes that I'm not going to hit greens most probably, but this is Augusta. If you know where to hit it, at least you have a chance to save par. In these conditions, par is not a bad score.