MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 9, 2026

Gary Woodland

Quick Quotes

Q. Gary, just go through your round, birdies on the front nine.

GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, I told Butch when we finished there I thought I played better than that. Golf course firmed up. That back nine there was some shots that we thought were pretty good that took off on us.

Hopefully a little softer in the morning. But that was -- I think that's what you want out here, right? You want it difficult. It was that today. Golf course was perfect. Challenged you every aspect.

Fortunate I drove the ball great today. Had the putter really rolling, which was nice. I felt like I hit some better iron shots that I didn't get enough out of. Overall happy where I'm at.

Q. This is your first round you've played since you won. What did you hear from the patrons out there?

GARY WOODLAND: The same thing that I've got really since brain surgery. The love and support is amazing. Obviously here everyone is so respectful anyway, but the love and support I got, you know, obviously it was a nice crowd playing in Scottie. You have a big crowd. But to feel the love and support out there was awesome.

Q. Can you talk about 15? Looked like maybe second shot you were someplace you had never been before.

GARY WOODLAND: I had -- it was one of the better swings of the day. I thought it was perfect. Maybe got a little fooled by Robert's ball coming up a little short there. Went back and hit one more club. I hit it right in the middle of the tree where we were trying to hit it, but unfortunately I was trying to aim at the tree, not hit the tree. I have never been 35 yards over that. I had to play conservative from there.

Obviously I would like to get it up on the green, but we were trying to play the front edge. Just didn't get it far enough.

Q. Since you never been there before, did you practice a wedge shot there?

GARY WOODLAND: Not from that far. I'd practiced them from closer to where Scottie was, but not 35 yards over the green with the water and how firm it was getting. Didn't want to risk it and make a big number.

Q. Take us through 17.

GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, got a little distracted there on the tee and really big oops there. Worst swing I made all day. Got probably a little lucky where the second shot ended up. It was in a perfect spot.

Very happy with that chip. I am very happy with the chip I had on the last hole as well. Greens were firming up so much kind of took a little loft off and ran the ball back there as matchup as I could. Ended up in had good spots.

Q. What did you hit the second shot into 15?

GARY WOODLAND: 6-iron. It was 205 hole and we were trying to pitch it just to the right. I flew it 215 and over the green. That's a big 6-iron for me.

Q. Gary, we talked yesterday about the security and then just how did it go that way...

GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, we did a good job. You know, security has been with me since I got here on Sunday so I have a better idea where they are at. They were amazing today. Butchy and I are learning too. There are some tight tee boxes back there, so making sure the bag is behind me or Butchy is standing behind me really helps calm me down a lot.

Did a better job of that than we've done for sure.