Q. Welcome back. Third Masters. You were out there with Scottie today, right?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Yes.
Q. What was that like?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Fun. I mean, we played the Walker Cup together. Yeah, the only two things you can't really prepare for is what your peers think of you and your game. We're all human, and that's a thing. And obviously the crowds.
I got a little tired at the end, but I felt like it normalized pretty quickly. Yeah, it was a good start.
Q. Is this the best your game has been now kind of being in a warmer climate and not the Northeast or Midwest?
STEWART HAGESTAD: You live in Florida, right? So when it blows 20 and gusts 30 and it rains every third day. I grew up in Newport. I'm as spoiled as it gets from a weather standpoint -- and always -- but certainly from a weather standpoint.
Florida is great. I think the best part about Florida is just simply there's so many good players in the area.
But yeah, I'm going to get lacerated by everyone that lives in Florida, but it's been an interesting winter. Just windy and kind of rainy.
Yeah, I don't know, just playing solid and prepare the best that we know how for the rest of the week.
Q. Was playing the Azalea preparation for this event?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Yeah, just hundred percent.
Q. Is there anything similarity-wise between -- I haven't been to that course.
STEWART HAGESTAD: I haven't played a tournament since November and effectively since September. The most important part of that week was just go get tournament reps. Tournament reps matter.
If the Jones Cup had been a little bit later in the year, I would have played that. This year it was like the first week after January.
Yeah, you've got to play in tournaments. You've got to compete because that's what it's all about.
Q. Where do you rank around the green around here, just in terms of what you need to play well?
STEWART HAGESTAD: What do you mean?
Q. People talk about it being a second-shot golf course, but like 11 of the last 12 champions here have been top seven in scrambling for the week.
STEWART HAGESTAD: I think those stats correlate for a reason. I mean, yeah.
Q. What's like the specific challenge?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I think if you're going to play well, it's like saying like, if you're going to win here, you need to putt it well. Well, of course, right?
I think, if you drive it well it becomes a lot more stress free. Then obviously into the greens, that's probably -- I'll say it differently: I would say maybe leaving it in the right spots because there's certain places you can hit it and you can't go to within 15, 20 feet.
Like if you go -- let me use an example. If you go right on 16 there's just nothing you can do, right? Or if you go long on 17 then the pin's back right, there's nothing you can do.
So I think thinking your way around the golf course, which is a really tough thing to put a statistic on. Like if you look at some of the guys who have won here it's really elite golf IQ guys that think really well around the golf course and are able to kind of play their game, be really into what they're doing, but at the same time, think better than everyone.
Q. So you're saying like high golf IQ means you're leaving it in a spot where you can get up-and-down? Otherwise, it's impossible?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Totally. Like Scottie's short game is obviously off the charts. I don't follow the strokes game to know where he's at, but he's probably top -- he's great. There you go.
Like he leaves it -- if you watched him today and where he's chipping it from, he's leaving it in places where he can get up-and-down, like he thinks really well too.
So, yeah, I think the right way to think about that question is it's obvious -- of course if you're going to play well anywhere, there's crucial par saves you need to make. But at the same time, like everyone here is a really good player. You know where you kind of can and can't hit it.
Q. Had you seen Scottie or played with him since Walker Cup?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Oh, yeah, I've played in other majors and all of that. I've seen his brother-in-law at mid-ams. His dad will come out and watch his son-in-law -- or Scottie's dad's son-in-law, but Scottie's brother-in-law. So I've seen him here and there since.
But it's like when you're the No. 1 player in the world you have a lot more important people to talk to than me.
Q. You were around for kind of the Tiger Mania and stuff.
STEWART HAGESTAD: Dapped him up this morning.
Q. As a golf fan, how do you put into context the type of star Scottie is right now?
STEWART HAGESTAD: It's a really hard question to answer because when you grow up idolizing someone you kind of put them on a pedestal.
I mean, young girls, we've all watched what Caitlin Clark is doing. It's amazing. If you ask young girls aspiring to play in high school and college and one day play in the WNBA, watching what she's doing and getting ratings literally better than any other sport, they probably don't have the same appreciation for Sheryl Swoopes or name your -- what's Reggie Miller's sister's name? Is it Cheryl Miller? Same idea, right? You just don't have the same appreciation.
In that context, when I look at Tiger, that's someone you looked up to for 20 years, like to this moment. Versus with Scottie, it's like we're peers. We played on a Walker Cup team together. I'm a little older than he is. Like I just don't see it the same way. It doesn't mean I don't respect the heck out of his game, but there's kind of an intangible it factor that you can't put into words.
Q. Did he have that back then too?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I mean, it's not -- like when Tiger walks in the room, like all the air leaves, right? I think there's a lot of people that have that same effect. I'm sure Scottie has that effect to a lot of people. He doesn't to me, but I've seen him in a different light. I've seen him in different contexts. I've been in team rooms with him.
I feel the same way about Jordan and Justin. I've known them since junior golf. It's not disrespecting him at all. It's just I've known him in a different context.
Q. You've stayed here a couple of times. What is this place like?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I stayed here last night.
Q. What is it like at night?
STEWART HAGESTAD: It's really cool. It was a really, really cool moment. Yeah, I was the only person upstairs. I had dinner. I had a cocktail and a cigar. It was great.
Q. You stayed overnight in the Crow's Nest?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Last night.
Q. Did you do that last time you were there?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I did it on Monday. I wanted to do it Sunday this year because I had a feeling no one would be up there.
Q. You didn't want to share with Christo?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I should shut my mouth. No, it's a cool, intimate place. It's a cool spot. Obviously historical for all the important reasons. If someone wakes up, everybody wakes up.
The older you get, between magnesium and melatonin, falling asleep and staying asleep is hard enough. I don't need to make it any harder than it already is.
Q. What do you do up there? Are there little books and games and things like that? What's your favorite thing to do up there?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Sleep. I don't know, they have a great bar selection up there. I dipped into the Añejo. Please don't bill me. I had a cigar. I had a nice steak. I had apple pie. I went to bed at 10:00. It was awesome.
I sent a text to a couple friends last night. I was like, I'm very happy. I mean, being content and being happy are quite different. I'd love to run that program back a week from last night, but it was a really cool moment kind of before everything takes place.
Q. Did you see the eclipse?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I took a look, yeah.
Q. You seem like a fun guy to ask.
STEWART HAGESTAD: I should probably say less than more. Right now it's about half.
Q. Half?
STEWART HAGESTAD: How would you describe it? Is it a crescent? I don't know my shapes.
Q. We were saying about 40 percent?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I work for a guy named Byron Trott and Greg Lemkau at a place called BBT and MSD. Byron opened up a place down there. So we're living on the island.
Q. How has living down there changed for you with all those talented players? Do you get to play with them?
STEWART HAGESTAD: Do you want like the politically correct answer, or do you want the real one?
Q. What's your favorite?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I've spent too much time in New York for that, to be sarcastic. Honestly, it hasn't really affected it at all. I grew up in what could be the nicest climate in the world, like 280 days a year is how it is right now in Orange County, California.
In West Palm, it's great. It's Florida. It's great for a number of reasons. I wouldn't put weather as one of them.
Q. But does having all the PGA guys around --
STEWART HAGESTAD: They're never there, though. They're traveling. They're busy. And when they are home, they're doing their own thing. They want to be with their families or take time off.
Like so if I a going to text one of them, hey, let's go let's go rip it and play 18, a lot of times they're like, no, I just completed a four out of five week stretch. I kind of just want to kick it with my dogs and watch college football. Actual dogs, not like their boys. So it's a little different.
The best part about living down there is Byron spends most of his year down there, so we get to spend one-on-one time. He's the founder of our firm. That's the honest answer. I didn't put my foot in my mouth too much, did I?
Q. Have you played Abacoa or Fountains yet?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I've hit balls at Abacoa. I haven't played Fountains. Usually after work I'll go and putt and chip at the park. I'll hit balls at a place that's on a simulator across the street.
Q. I saw you and Scottie looking up at the eclipse. Just how fun are those non-golf moments, the moments between?
STEWART HAGESTAD: I personally think those little moments are part of what makes the week so special. There's so many things that go into this week outside of the golf that you'll remember.
And like just to have the little girl come over with the glasses and to basically be like, hey, check out the eclipse, like that's neat, right?
I certainly didn't make her day, but hopefully Scottie did. Like, yeah, that stuff is really cool.
Q. (No microphone.)
STEWART HAGESTAD: I'm not super into the signs and all that stuff, so no, but it's really cool. Right? That's rad. Apparently, I wish I was more into it to appreciate it more than I do, but it's really cool, totally. I'm an Aries if that means anything.
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