CHUBB CLASSIC PRESENTED BY SERVPRO

February 14, 2025

Mario Tiziani

Tiburón Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Mario, nice solid 65 today. Just talk about the scorching hot start you had.

MARIO TIZIANI: Yeah, good start. Hit it close at 1 and really close at 2. You know, made a bogey at the third. I just chunked a wedge from 100 yards.

Yeah, just kind of kept it going. Hit a lot of good shots. A lot of good opportunities. Yeah, I think -- I mean, I missed couple here and there but I made a bunch as well.

I think I was in the fairway and gave myself a lot of chances. The hot start helped for sure.

Q. Did you feel good about your game coming into the week?

MARIO TIZIANI: I did. I had a good week of practice. Been trying to make sure I rest. Last year I didn't do a great job of that and it showed at the end the year. I was exhausted. Yeah, I am just trying to take advantage of opportunities I have and stay fresh and focus and trying to execute.

Q. On that note, how do you spend the offseason getting ready for this year?

MARIO TIZIANI: You know, I went to Q-School; did not succeed. Then I really didn't play a ton. I went back home to Minneapolis. I had jury duty for two weeks. So, yeah, just kind of did the Christmas thing. I went to Hawai'i with Steve, caddied there, and just kind of ramped it up the last couple weeks to prepare for it.

I'm focused. I expect big things of myself. Doesn't always happen that way, but I'm excited.

Q. One quick one. Going to sound like a very broad question, but talk about how much fun you're having out here.

MARIO TIZIANI: Yeah, it's been a blast. I have to pinch myself. I essentially quit the game when I was 40. I've had some success and people have been great, and I've had the opportunity to spend time with the greats that I didn't really have a chance to do when I was on the PGA TOUR.

Yeah, I feel super fortunate, and there is a lot of the encouragement from guys out here, you know, about my game, which helps because I don't know, sometimes I feel like I can do great things, but who knows.

So I appreciate being out here with the guys that are out here. It's been a blast.

Q. Steve your number one fan?

MARIO TIZIANI: I think so. I hope so. He keeps beating me all the time. I think he's probably having fun with that. If I can get him a couple times maybe I won't be his favorite.

Q. Last question: After a round like this are you the type to ride momentum, or is it more like a curse to do that? Do you prefer to end it with today and start fresh tomorrow?

MARIO TIZIANI: Yeah, good question. I'll probably start all over again tomorrow. What I do may not be right. I'm not a prolific winner. This is all new stuff to me. I've been in this position since I've been on the Champions TOUR but I'm still learning how to handle myself.

So I'm going to do -- that's what I'm going to do, go out there and start all over and try to do what I did today and execute good golf shots and make putts.

If that doesn't work, maybe I have to do something different.

Q. Seemed to be working today. Just two quick questions: You said you quit at 40.

MARIO TIZIANI: Yeah.

Q. What made you quit and what made you come back?

MARIO TIZIANI: Well, I was a failed golfer really. You know, I was playing the Korn Ferry TOUR and Canadian Tour after being on the PGA TOUR and was not getting any better. I had a young family and the juice just wasn't worth the squeeze for me anymore to be out there. When I was home I wanted to play and when I was out playing I wanted to be home. It was a bad cycle.

So I did other things. I got into sports management and got a job, and did that until I got an opportunity when I was 50, which I didn't think I was going to play golf six months before that. I got an opportunity in Madison. They gave my an exemption there and kind of parlayed that into...

Q. How long was the gap between you really came back seriously?

MARIO TIZIANI: Ten years.

Q. Ten?

MARIO TIZIANI: Yeah. Yep.