MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 6, 2026

Jacob Bridgeman

Quick Quotes

Q. Tell me about the course a little bit, the speed of the greens, getting the feel today. What did you get out of that nine holes?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, I played the front. Had a plan, played with Harris English and Mason Howell over here, U.S. Am champ. It was a casual little stroll. I've seen the course. Came in yesterday so played a few holes yesterday.

It was super casual. The greens are quite a bit different from yesterday and today and I think that will continue to be the trend, getting faster, getting firmer. Very excited to be here, and it's just nice getting this course in tournament condition.

Q. What's it like to finally be here to play in the tournament? You probably came as a kid and maybe you played here when you were at Clemson once or twice, but what's it like to be here as a competitor in the Masters?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, it's different walking inside the ropes. As I was walking around I can remember walking outside and seeing different people and watching the players. It's different on the inside. It feels like a lot of the tees you're kind ever walking into a bottleneck of people, but it's really cool. It's what all of us compete to come here. This is like the goal at the beginning of the year is to make it to the Masters.

Q. Do you know if we're going to see Trevor out here this week?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: I don't know. I'm not sure. I know he came to THE PLAYERS, so maybe. I know he's a big golf fan, so maybe he'll come out. I'm not sure.

Q. I think he's been out here before a couple years ago.

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, I think you're right. I'm not sure.

Q. If you had Tiger Woods in front of you right now, what words of encouragement would you give him?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: I think everybody has a very soft heart for Tiger. He's been the guy for our game that's changed everything the most. He's made these tournaments what they are, and he's made the purses what they are just by his popularity. Everybody loved watching him. I grew up watching Tiger. He was my golf idol.

I think everybody is thinking about him and hoping he can do what's best.

Q. Same sentiment with Phil not being here --

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, I didn't know that, actually.

Q. Is it just going to be odd not to see Phil around here?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, I've only played two tournaments in my life that Phil has been in, the PGA and the Open last year, so not a big change for me, but maybe if I was a spectator, watching on TV or a patron out here, but not a big change for me.

Q. What sort of recon have you done the last couple weeks?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, I've talked to some players that I'm friends with. I played with Harris today. I'm going to play with Russell Henley tomorrow. I only played one trip down here. I had a member that was gracious enough to host us and I brought my dad and uncle down. It was an awesome time, last Sunday. We had a great time. I wasn't able to do a whole lot of practice but I had a great experience with some family.

I'm kind of waiting to do all my prep this week, got down yesterday, got out to the course, so I've got four days of practice.

Q. Is the advice more physical or more strategic in terms of plotting your way around?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Probably more course trend stuff, like how the course is changing. I've played it a few times and how it's going to look completely different when the tournament comes. The greens get way faster, way firmer. Everything gets tighter. They mow the fairways back towards the tee once Masters week starts just to, I think, make it a little bit more challenging, maybe the chips a little bit weird. Contact is a little odd. Some guys said from Wednesday to Thursday the firmness of the fairway changes around the greens.

Just little things like that. I haven't asked too many strategic questions because I think I want to make my own plan and figure it out myself, but definitely every now and then I'll ask a couple questions.

Q. To be able to represent Clemson on this stage, have you heard from any former coaches or teammates ahead of this weekend?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, so Coach Byrd, he caddied for Doc when he played and when he won the U.S. Am. I've talked to him since I've been a Clemson Tiger. He's always been good for me. When we used to watch the Masters on the road at tournaments, so it was nice to hear from him being inside the ropes. Yeah, not a whole lot. I like to do it myself. I like to figure some things out and if I have some difficulties or some interesting areas of the course that I want to start pursuing, I'll maybe ask around.

Q. The first time you came here, do you remember what your first impressions were?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, first time was freshman year at Clemson. We had a couple members that hosted and we were able to bring down a group of nine of us, so I played with a roommate of mine and we had a blast. I remember teeing it up on 1 and there was not a soul around and I was super nervous. A little bit more comfortable this time. I don't know what it is. I'm kind of in tournament mode, and it's feeling like a regular tournament, so ready to go.

Q. Did you ever come as a kid?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, so my first time was when I was 10, 2010, went on Wednesday to the par-3, was able to get a lot of autographs. It was really cool. I think I came back when I was maybe 16 or so the year that Sergio won. I was there for Sunday. I think I went maybe '21 or so.

Q. Talk about the confidence you come into this tournament with. You've made every cut, inside the top 20 of every tournament you've played this year. You're establishing yourself as one of the best players in the world.

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, I've had a great start to the year. I sort of shocked myself in a sense. The West Coast I haven't historically had the best success, but I didn't really have any experience playing over there. This will be my third year going over.

It was a lot easier to feel more comfortable and just knowing the green surfaces, knowing how the course is going to play, how the climate is going to be. I was able to take advantage of a little bit of experience, if that's a thing, in year three. But I've been playing great. I don't really have a whole lot of expectations this week because I feel like I'm a newcomer and don't know what to expect. But I'm excited. My game is in a good place.

Q. These greens, how much different are they to what you see on a regular basis? Is it a completely different deal with how fast they are?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: As of now, I'm sure it'll change, but they're really not that fast, it's just the amount of slope that's on the greens that makes them play that fast. You're putting down a four and a half, five-degree slope it's going to roll at a 25 on a stimp, whereas if it was flat it might be a 12.

Yeah, it's a little bit different from just a slope magnitude standpoint, but good putting kind of translates. If I can just figure out how to match up line and speed, it should translate pretty good.

Q. Does your (indiscernible) change at all?

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Not really. It's been great. I've had a very exciting time and some fun weeks, but no, not a whole lot.

Q. Is this a practice round group that you would typically have --

JACOB BRIDGEMAN: Yeah, I think everybody was very kind when I won. They came up to me and I knew a lot of guys - this is my third year - but everyone came up to me and told me congratulations. It was cool. Pretty much everybody I saw, which was neat. You feel like you're part of a club, in a sense. But my life specifically, nothing has changed. I play with the same buddies and have the same friends, so yeah, it's been good.