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MASTERS TOURNAMENTApril 10, 2008Brian BatemanAUGUSTA, GEORGIA Q. First Masters today, how did you feel? BRIAN BATEMAN: I feel really good. Fairly calm out there after the 1st hole and got off to a good start, made a couple of birdies early. But I hit the ball as good as I've hit my irons in a few weeks, so I was pleased I was able to keep the ball on the right side of the greens and made a few putts. That's what it takes to have a good round. Q. Is the course as intimidating as you maybe anticipated? BRIAN BATEMAN: Yeah, it's as tough as ever. You know, you can hit some good shots that really make you look foolish from the fairway. I had one shot on 6, the par-3, decent 7-iron, aimed six, eight feet left of the flag and I had 60-footer over a swale. If you make some putts you can score on any golf course. Being my first Masters I'm fairly pleased. Q. Crowds were behind you? BRIAN BATEMAN: A little bit, yeah. I heard some "Go Tigers" from LSU people, so it was nice. Q. A lot of players have talked about patience being the key. Was that very prevalent in your mind throughout the round today? BRIAN BATEMAN: Yeah, I hit a couple of putts that I wish I could have back that lipped out on the back side, but I stayed in the moment pretty much all day and didn't get ahead of myself. I played in a twosome with other threesomes in front of us, so there was a lot of waiting. Todd Hamilton and I had plenty of time in the fairway to ponder and think. So I'm proud of myself that although we had so much time today that I didn't get ahead of myself and I stayed in the moment. Q. When that putt goes in on 18, you grabbed a 69 for your first round ever? BRIAN BATEMAN: That's a bonus. 18 is a hard hole. I hit a good drive there and really had a pretty difficult putt that broke a foot or so to the right. It's just been a whirlwind day. I came here today with really no expectations for the week. Been battling my swing a little bit, and the first tee ball, I hit it so well down the middle, I felt like I got off to a good start, and then I was patient pretty much all day and in control of my game. Q. I know you obviously just finished, but do you feel like you're going to be able to hang onto this round for years to come? BRIAN BATEMAN: Yeah, this is a day to remember, obviously. I started off kind of quiet and finished with a bang, and I'm in the Butler Cabin before I know it. It's been a wild day. Q. What do you attribute to your success on 18 to? BRIAN BATEMAN: I just made a putt. You know, I hit a good drive, I had a perfect number for a 6-iron and made the putt. You know, like I was telling you earlier, if you make some putts, anywhere you play, it always makes you feel better. It's a tough pin in that back left, and I just happened to have it on the right side of the hole and hit a good putt. Q. How would you sum up the day, your first day at Augusta National? BRIAN BATEMAN: A tremendous experience for myself and my caddie. Our first trip down the 1st fairway at Augusta, and to birdie the last, yeah, we smiled a lot today. And we tried to laugh as much as we could, as nervous as we were. But it was a lot of fun and we're looking forward to the rest of the week. Q. Are the greens faster today? BRIAN BATEMAN: They are. I think not playing yesterday, I think they got a little faster Monday to Tuesday. I wasn't on the golf course yesterday, but they're going to continue to get faster as long as we don't have any rain. End of FastScripts |
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