MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 10, 2026

Nick Taylor

Quick Quotes

Q. Nick, under par through two rounds on this course in these conditions. How do you feel about Thursday and Friday going into the weekend?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, I felt like I almost played a little bit better than yesterday overall. You know, through four holes I felt like I could have been under par and I was 2-over, so it was a fine line mostly on the greens.

But, yeah, settled in after that. Hit a lot of great shots. Had some opportunities, but a lot of easy pars, which is what you want out here. Don't want to be grinding all the time.

So, yeah, if I could pour in a couple mid-rangers on the weekend and clean up a few short range putts, I feel like I have a couple rounds in the 60s. Again only going to get harder. That will go a long way.

Q. On 12, that was -- had you ever hit a shot in a practice round or in a tournament round that good and how does that spark a round when do you that?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, no. You know, walking up when it's one of those when it gets closer and closer as you walk up is always a good feeling.

You know, yeah, a two there is a bonus I feel like. It was one kind of over the bunker trying to fade a little 9-iron and over faded and went perfect.

Yeah, it's great feeling to kind of I wouldn't say kick start the round because you're still just trying to plot along, but to get me back to even for the day and kind of cruise along was a huge shot.

Q. The thought on that shot, sometimes begins on 10 tee when you're trying to judge the wind. Take us through I guess the club selection, were you in between clubs, and how you chose that one?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, today the wind was very benign but it was enough where it was changing directions almost every hole.

So yeah, I wouldn't say -- you're thinking 11 more so on 10 tee than 12. Kind of gauge the wind on the second shot on 11, bringing that to 12. I had a wedge initially kind of going probably more left, but was more comfortable taking a little off the nine.

So it panned out great there. That's going to be a similar line the next -- for sure Sunday. I'm assuming the pin is back right there.

Yeah, it's nice to get back to even. I played great coming in. Would've loved to stay under par, but I hit a lot of good shots.

Q. When it was in the air on 12 what were you thinking?

NICK TAYLOR: Go to a foot. (Laughter.)

Q. Not go in?

NICK TAYLOR: No. Can't get greedy.

Q. The putt on 15, what did you see there?

NICK TAYLOR: You know, I got a little help from Keegan to kind of gauge the speed. Looked like he hit a great putt. I was a little bit short. I knew it wasn't lightning, but to make one finally I felt like was great to get under par for the day.

Made a good two putt on the next hole.

18 I felt like I hit a great drive. It was an inch in the rough which made it impossible to try to hit a shot out of the green.

It was in the bunker, which is a poor spot. Sat in the fringe when it could have gone down five or six feet.

So again, it's close obviously. It's a game of inches. But it was a good day.

Q. The putt on 16, have you ever hit a putt that soft before? Looked like from watching it inside like you barely kissed it.

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, it's one of those you're just hoping to hit it within five or six feet. The err there was on the low side, to have an uphill putt coming back. Thought it was a great second putt.

Q. On eight, what happened on eight? You had an eagle putt?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, hit a nice drive, great 3-wood on the green to probably 25 feet and two-putted. That probably settled me down. I was 2-over and still hitting decent shots.

To get one back finally and make a quote/unquote easy birdie was nice at that point.

Q. Saw you sort of raise your head to the sky after the eagle putt. Was it close?

NICK TAYLOR: It was tracking. It was a very tricky putt. It was up and falling away. If you get greedy could blow five, six feet by easily.

It was tracking, but an easy birdie was nice.

Q. ...amount of risk to take is obviously a big part of golf. This course and especially the next two days if it gets harder, the balance between conservative play and any amount of risk, how do you -- is that going to change? Will there be a discussion with the caddie a lot? Can you get too conservative?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, certainly. But for how it's playing, I don't know if that's the case in these conditions. 13 and 15 are the only ones for me personally that I'll potentially take a little more risk on on the second shot.

But again, if it gets as firm it's does over the green on 15, which is where every shot is going if you're going for the green, is no bargain.

You know, 13 I can maybe try to take that tee shot on a little more and go for that green. You know, you got to weigh your options and just got to hit quality iron shots and get the putter hot. That's essentially my recipe.

Q. Five wins now on Tour, the next step getting in the mix at a major championship on a Sunday. How are you more prepared to do that now than maybe you were a couple years ago?

NICK TAYLOR: You know, just playing in more and more of these, feeling more comfortable. You know, realizing that my game is good enough to shoot good scores and just got to keep stacking that on top of each other.

This week was probably my best week of preparation just continuing last week, knowing what I needed to kind of work on. Didn't try to reinvent the wheel with anything. Just kept it going.

If I can keep doing that, hopefully got a couple solid rounds ahead of me.

Q. To follow on John's question, talked about saying inside your comfort zone. At what point do you have to go outside your comfort zone to make a real run?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, it's a balance. If you're chasing something outside of your skillset, that's kind of when probably big numbers happen, especially here.

Like I said, I think these last two days probably could have been a few shots better, which would be -- only be a few back. I'm still right there. Again, assuming the cushions are going to be, it's only going to get harder. Under par rounds are going to do a long way on the weekend.