MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 7, 2026

Sepp Straka

Quick Quotes

Q. Just wanted to ask you a little bit a lot of Georgia Bulldogs in the field this week. Incoming with Mason Howell. Can you just explain just the benefit of playing collegiate golf in the U.S. and how it's helped you get to the point where you are today?

SEPP STRAKA: Yeah, I mean it's great. For me it was huge to have the daily competition, just every day 10, 12 guys trying to get better at golf and trying to improve so they can eventually be here. You can just beat up on each other.

And it's, yeah, it's an incredible system. Play great courses and great tournaments and you learn a lot along the way.

Q. Are there any keys to your success that you're trying to adhere to this week? So much noise and so much distraction. Biggest tournament in the world. How do you navigate the early days?

SEPP STRAKA: Just really trying to sharpen up the game. Have to be sharp with your irons out here. Got to be very precise, know your numbers exactly.

I think that's kind of the goal. A little bit is getting feel for the golf course but a lot of it is just trying to sharpen up your game and make sure you got your iron play dialed in.

Q. I know you're doing this for a living and it's one of many tournaments you play throughout the year. Is there a still a little bit of the little kid, I'm-at-the-Masters-moments that you have from time to time?

SEPP STRAKA: Oh, yeah, for sure. Yeah, there definitely is, especially this week more so than any other week you're just really grateful to be able to do this for a living and be able to live out your childhood dream.

Q. Sepp, you had a lot of -- being here in Georgia lot of Dawg fans barking at you. What's that like?

SEPP STRAKA: It's awesome. It's amazing. This one and the TOUR Championship are the two where you get a lot of the barking and a lot of Dawg fans hollering at you. It's always fun to play in front of a home crowd.

Q. You guys play a bunch of iconic par-3s on TOUR. How does 12 and 16 match up? What's it like from a professional standpoint telling maybe an average golfer what it's like stepping up on 12 or 16, especially on Sunday?

SEPP STRAKA: Yeah, those par-3s, like you said, they're iconic. On the back side they're the best par-3s I think in the game. Such a good mix. 12 is not a very long hole but it's diabolical. If you miss-hit it at all it's probably going end up in Rae's Creek and you got to get your number perfect. That's what makes it so special.

Q. For people who haven't played Amen Corner before, what do -- how do you approach playing those holes? Doesn't translate sometimes on the television.

SEPP STRAKA: Yeah.

Q. The difficulty with the wind and, you know, just the lie and can the stance and all that stuff. Talk about trying those holes.

SEPP STRAKA: Yeah, those holes have a way of making you look pretty silly I would say. 11 is such a brutal shot. Not only is it a really long shot into the green to a tiny little green, you're also elevated and can't feel the wind that well up there.

Yeah, it's easy to even hit a good shot and end up in a bad spot. You really have to be dialed in knowing exactly where the wind is coming from and your preparation, and then you got to be able to hit your number perfectly.

Q. 12?

SEPP STRAKA: Yeah, similar. 12, it's a short hole. Shouldn't be that hard on paper but even without any wind you got hit your number right on the money.

That's what is the most important thing on this golf course I think is hitting your iron shots, being able to control them, different windows, different shot shapes and hit your number with all those.

Q. Hard not to be aggressive on 13, especially when you need a number. Talk about playing that hole.

SEPP STRAKA: Yeah, 13 is probably my favorite par-5 in the world. It's really good. You got to hit a good tee shot. Especially for me I got to hit a good one to get around the corner to where I can have a chance to go for it.

Then you're standing there with a 4-iron and the ball is way above your feet and that's not very comfortable. So again, like on paper shouldn't be that hard; just driver 4-iron. But with the slope and the fairway, the precision you have to have off that tee just makes it really tough.