A look at some of the quotes from the top players after the second round of the 2018 Masters, where Patrick Reed leads by two shots over Marc Leishman.
PATRICK REED
On his three-straight birdie start.
“To be able to get off to 3-under through three, you know, couldn’t really have built my confidence any higher than that.”
On the ability to win a major.
“Everyone wants to win, and if you don’t believe you can win them, then you probably shouldn’t be playing in them. I believe that if I play the golf that I know how to play, that I can win majors.”
On what this tournament means to him.
“I mean it’s Augusta National. This golf course is one of the best that we ever play. It’s a place that with the history around Augusta, and Augusta National, to be able to drive down Magnolia Lane and see just perfect grass, and really just the lush green fairways, it’s basically golf’s heaven.”
Did he ever think about winning the Masters while in college (at Augusta State).
“That was always something that I thought about ever since I was really small, as a little kid – just growing up through my whole entire life. I don’t know how many times, I was on a putting green and saying (to myself) alright this putt is to win a green jacket. It’s one of those things all kids growing up think about. To have the reality to be able to be able sit up here after Friday with the lead in the tournament, you know it’s great.”
(1, -9, 69-66)
MARC LEISHMAN
On playing with Tiger Woods in the first two rounds, and dealing with the large galleries.
“When I saw I was paired with Tiger, I really did look at it as a positive. If you’re going to win this Tournament, you’re going to play in front of some really big crowds and you’re going to have a lot of energy around your group, whether it’s in the crowd or inside the ropes. I really look at it as preparation for that later in the week.”
On being paired with countryman Adam Scott in the final round of 2013 when he won the Masters.
“I saw first hand what it takes to win around here. I think I feel I learned a lot that day, and hopefully it will put me in good stead for this week.”
On being prepared for the weekend as one of the leaders.
“I’m always pretty relaxed. Obviously been through a lot off the course, and I feel like that helps me on the course. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the world, if not the biggest, the one I want to win the most along with the other three majors. But at the end of the day it’s a game of golf.”
(2, -7, 70-67)
JORDAN SPIETH
On being able to come back after such a tough start (double bogey-bogey) to the round.
“I just had two really bad tee shots to start the day, the conditions made it challenging as well. I felt like I hit some really good shots on a lot of holes but just got kinda gusted by an opposite wind or were one or two yards away from being pehnominkla. Therefore I just didin’t have many good birdie looks. I only had less than half a dozen – four or five decent birdie kooks the entire round so to come back from three over through two hjoles and only shoot two over with a limited number of looks it’s not so bad I’m still in this golf tournament. With the way the back nine was playing today, the wheels could have come off there,” Spieth said, “but I made some nice par saves and was able to grind out some phenomenal second‑shot iron shots and good two‑putt birdies.”
His most important hole in Friday’s second round.
I thought my two-putt save on number nine was really, really big today. I would have shot a five over on the front nine. I hit a really good tee shot down the right center of the fairway and I got up there and it was sitting down in the right rough. And it just kind of seemed like that was the way the day was going. And I played a shot left of the hole so that I knew that if it did catch a jumper I could at least get it down from there with a good look at par. And it did fly out of there and I had just a fantastic two putt from over the green – I say two-putt but it really was an up and down. When that went in I said, ‘okay, forget about everything that’s happened here let’s try to shoot two under on the back nine’ and that was the goal.And I almost did one better there – just the putt on 18 slipped by.”
On what Jordan was saying to Jordan on the third tee (after starting 3 over par).
“This is an easy tee shot you can’t screw this one up. (laughter). It was. ‘hit a fade from that TV tower to that TV tower and get up there and hit a pitch shot close.’ That’s what I said to myself.”
Was Jordan mad at Jordan after starting off like that.
“I’ve taken a lot of punches at this golf course it and in tournaments in general and I told Michael (Greller, his caddie), ‘look when this course plays tough I’m good for a double here, you know some bogeys there, let’s make these the only ones.’ He was really good at saying, ‘man you always take punches here and come back stronger’ that’s kind of what he was saying.
(T4, -4, 66-74)
RORY McILROY
On his experience from 2011 when he collapsed on Sunday with an 8-over par 80 after leading wire to wire, and holding a four-shot 54 hole lead.
“I place a lot of importance on what happened here in 2011. I feel like it made me a better player, I feel like it made me a better person; it definitely was a character builder. And it took me a while to get over it, but I knew if I looked at the big picture it would serve me well in the long run. And I don’t think I would have had the career I’ve had so far if it wasn’t for that day.”
On his injury-riddled 2017 campaign.
“I was turning up to golf tournaments not feeling 100 percent prepared, Doesn’t matter how good you are or how much talent you have or whatever it may be, you’re never going to compete out here if you’re not prepared.”
Was he pleased with his second round performance.
“Being up there around the lead is a good position to be in. But I’m happier with how I’ve felt – how I’ve handled certain things – you know, my thought process. That’s been a pleasing thing.”
What is that thought process like.
“I’m constantly having a conversation with myself about staying in the present – one shot at a time – all the cliche stuff that you hear about, but it’s true. That’s all I’m doing. I’m trying to get up there and hit the best shot that I can and after that I’ll go about what’s the best way to hit the next shot and the putt and so on. It’s very much being that way, which is what I said, talking about how I’m pleased with how I felt my thought process – where I am mentally.”
On being near the top of the leaderboard heading into the weekend.
“It’s such a hard golf course to chase on. You know, you start to go for pins and you start chasing it and that’s when you can bring in some trouble, and make some mistakes. So, happy with the position I’m in, and whatever weather comes our way tomorrow, I feel like I’ll be able to handle it, and keep myself near the top of the leaderboard. It’s going to be an exciting weekend.”
(T4, -4, 69-71)
Credits: ASAP Sports, Getty Images
