MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 6, 2026

Nicolas Echavarria

Quick Quotes

Q. I interviewed you after you won Cognizant.

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: I remember you.

Q. Curious how much that win meant early in the season and has that sort of -- I'm sure that momentum continues right into the Masters, right?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, I mean, thanks to that win I'm here. Yeah, very happy. Obviously winning in this sport is not easy, so I try to soak it all in after. And still feeling the high of the win. Obviously it's a month and couple weeks after, but still very happy.

Q. You were excited when we found out I think simultaneously not only were you our hometown winner, but you're our neighbor now, a hometown guy.

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Yeah.

Q. All that in one package, how cool was that and how happy are you to be living in Palm Beach County? What benefits has that given you in your career and life?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, very happy with the move. We decided to move there because we want to raise a family and Claudia's parents live an hour away, so that was the reason why.

I love Jacksonville and how much it helped me in my career, TPS Sawgrass and Atlantic Beach Country Club. I felt like it was the need to move, and winning at home was very special.

Q. What have been some of the perks living in Palm Beach County. Can always find a practice partner, I'm sure?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Correct. A lot of players, high level players, a lot courses that you can play. Luckily I got into the Bear's Club, and Jack's home is very special. It's great place. I practiced and got ready for this week there last week, I practiced.

Just overall super excited with being there.

Q. Can you tell me just in your words how special it is even just playing a practice round here at Augusta National? What are some of the things that kind of go through your mind? Do you soak it in a little bit but also work at it?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, I'm not going to say practice rounds are that fun, but at Augusta National they're very fun. It's a slow round but you soak it all in. Every shot is special here. There is so much history and so much that you remember from this course.

The practice rounds are great out here.

Q. What are some of the special intricacies that you just don't get anywhere else or you don't get to experience anywhere else here that mean a lot to you that you can think of?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Overall the quality of this place. Augusta National is pure. Every single day. Doesn't matter if it rains, it storms, it's still going to be pure.

I just think the practice rounds here are very important because every hole or every pin has its secret. Every hole has to be played a certain way.

That's why you see the veterans knowing this place around. You know, for example on 9, don't miss it left with your tee shot. There is certain spots that you can't be and you start learning with that experience.

Q. Did Camilo, has he given you any advice on this place specifically on the Masters?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, yeah. Camilo, he told me -- I talked to him the other day. He said think about hitting 2-wood to No. 2 when the pin is on the left. He's a person that knows. Obviously you don't want to get to the bunker and you're always going to get by the right bunker to chip up.

So it's one of those things that Camilo knows about this game and about this place.

Q. Have you gotten your puppy yet?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Not yet.

Q. Do you know what kind of your going to get?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Not yet. I hope we get something, yeah.

Q. The practice putting green is like so flat compared to what's out on the course, which is like crazy. Wondering how you battle that?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, I feel like you can work more technique there, and once you get to the golf course it's a lot more imagination. It's just one of those things that you have to know that putts break more, they're faster because the slopes.

This putting green has some slope so if you want to practice those you can use this one instead of the one by the range?

But it's just changing the fact that there is technique and then there is imagination.

Q. Do you have to do anything different like this week because of the slopes of the greens?

NICOLAS ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, spend a little more time on certain putts that are going to break. For example the one on 9 to that Sunday pin, if you're long there you better play it up there and trust it's going to come back.

So just imagination and hitting it and seeing how hard you have to hit it to get it there.