MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 11, 2024

Thorbjørn Olesen

Quick Quotes

Q. Take us through this first round at Augusta, the change of conditions, how the day went for you.

THORBJØRN OLESEN: Yeah, obviously it was very windy, but we got a lot softer conditions than we've been in the practice rounds, so that obviously made it easier.

But it's always going to be a tough golf course to play, but it was definitely a little bit easier than practice.

Q. Kind of the bigger challenges today with the shots, with the wind, with kind of figuring out what to do, what were the most difficult holes?

THORBJØRN OLESEN: Yeah, I think especially when you get on the back nine and the trees, it's very difficult to get the wind right. You have 10, 11, 12 is very tough. I hit some good shots but missed the wind a little bit, and it cost me three bogeys in a row.

It's a difficult golf course, but it was a pretty good round.

Q. How good does it feel to come back here and shoot under par on the first day?

THORBJØRN OLESEN: It felt very good. I felt way more comfortable than I've done the last three or four weeks on the course with my swing. It was really nice to be out there, to be honest.

And obviously it's been quite a long time since I've been here, and I have a lot of good memories from here, so it's great to be back.

Q. He drove the ball really well today. What did you see like from what made this round really special?

THORBJØRN OLESEN: I think it was extremely impressive I would say. When you hit it that far and that straight, it makes the golf course a lot easier.

But beside the driving, I think his iron play was excellent also. Every shot was pretty much on the right line. He had a couple on the front nine that was a bit too long, but his iron play was excellent also and he's always a good putter.

So if he keeps that up, he'll very difficult to beat this week.

Q. Have you played with Bryson much in your career?

THORBJØRN OLESEN: I played with him a few times. I played first time in Dubai when was an amateur actually. Yeah, didn't hit it that far back then. A lot has changed. Yeah, he was very impressive.

Q. Is it hard to keep track from a player's perspective of where he is because he's on a different tour and playing different courses and different countries? Is it easy to lose track of those guys sometimes?

THORBJØRN OLESEN: No. Bryson has been on the top of the golf for the last many years, so he's obviously one you see a lot around the world.

So not him, but maybe a few other players would be kit difficult to keep track.

Q. Sorry asking all these questions about Bryson, but he had two shots, 13 and 15 where he was off track and took on extra risk and made an up and down birdie. When you see him do that, are you like, wow, I don't know that I would've taken on that shot?

THORBJØRN OLESEN: Yeah, 13 he hit a good drive I think and got a lot of downwind on it and went too far into the trees.

So you've seen a lot of players from those hit the green. I think it's a shot you always take on if you encounter the trees.

15 was impressive. That's a bit more difficult I would say. Yeah, he can do some stuff that some people can't do. Today he was excellent all around I thought.