“What’s the main difference between Augusta in April and November?
In April, we have lies conducive to giving effect and others not. This week it will be just a little more neutral. It will be harder to give spin with the Bermuda grass which gets stuck between the ball and the club, but I think the approach areas are really regular. Approaches off the green are a bit trickier this year, I think, so I tried every type of stroke I could. I tried the hybrid, the rolled up approach lob wedge, the putter. It depends on the hole, where you are. Come to think of it, nothing very different from what we do in April!
In what condition have you found the course since Monday?
The course is flexible, especially from tee to green. The greens are a bit firmer (Tuesday) than (Monday), but we will have some rain this week. I’m a member of the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte and we use the same herb. We spotted Augusta in late September so I’m well aware of the large amount of water needed for (Bermuda) to grow. Overall, (the organization and the gardeners) did a great job giving us a golf course similar to the one we are used to, but obviously a few months later than usual.
“Since childhood, I dream of playing the Masters and the older I get, the more I appreciate this week, instead of seeing it as a job or a mental chore”
Your caddy, Paul Tesori, is one of the most experienced on the circuit …
My caddy has seen all the conditions here, wet, dry, cold, hot. Fortunately, this week it will be hotter than usual (in November). Paul is very comfortable here, with endless notes in his logbook. When we play practice rounds, we use a lot of that info that we’ve recorded over the years to remind ourselves of the trends on the greens, the way the ball rolls on those fairways. Augusta, it’s one of those courses that you shoot something new every time you play, no matter how many times you’ve been here, new lines on putts, new ways of using mounds. This is what makes this place so special.
Webb Simpson and his caddy, Paul Tesori, on Tuesday in Augusta (J. Squire / AFP)
Your state of mind for the week, you coming out of a great year with two victories in particular?
No pressure. I certainly want to end the year on a high note, but I prepared for this tournament like almost any other. I just worked on those few strokes that I don’t normally need. But Augusta is the kind of place where just being there makes you feel so good. I’m excited to be here, maybe more than most other places.
Does Augusta generate a particular well-being among the players?
Since childhood I have dreamed of playing the Masters and the older I get the more I enjoy this week, instead of seeing it as a job or a mental chore. I have a lot of fun on this course, especially the really difficult shots. On the risk / reward holes holes like 13 and 15 knowing when to belay and when to attack is fun for me so I’m excited for Thursday. “
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