THE MODERATOR: Pleased to be joined by Austin Ernst.
I want to get things started off by what has the last few weeks been like for you as you opened your 2022 season?
AUSTIN ERNST: Been a little bit rusty. But, no, been good to get back, get back to playing and see where I need to work on things.
Scores haven't been too good, but the game's have been way closer than the scores have been. Excited to tee it up this week and hopefully I got all that rust off last week.
Q. Last year was such a super season. Did you approach this off-season any differently, especially with all the events we had last year?
AUSTIN ERNST: Yeah, well, last year was weird because you really couldn't take any time off with how late the season went and how early the Tournament of Champions was. So last year it was kind of one of those where I only took maybe a week off because I only had a three-week break, and this year I had some time. Took a month off and felt like I could rest and get ready for this year.
Q. And also got married.
AUSTIN ERNST: Yeah, got married in October and went on the honeymoon over -- we left on Thanksgiving, so we had two weeks. Yeah, it's been good to get back going, and then I have a long break after this week because I'm not going to Asia.
So I kind of get a second little off-season to just take what I've kind of learned these last three weeks and just keep working on my game and get ready for the west coast.
Q. When did you pick up the clubs again in the off-season?
AUSTIN ERNST: Right before Christmas.
Q. Okay. So you've been out there keeping that competitive drive going.
AUSTIN ERNST: Yeah. So I try to play a lot leading into the year. You can only practice so much before you kind of need to get back and get back to doing what we do out here.
Q. Absolutely.
AUSTIN ERNST: I like to play leading into the season just to get back in that groove.
Q. Yeah. Speaking of Drive On, just in general you are a past champion; now we've had the fourth edition of that. You won at Golden Ocala. What are some of the fond memories you have of that week?
AUSTIN ERNST: I mean, just the entire week. I was in the hunt the whole week. I won wire to wire. That last day we started off -- me and Jennifer were I think separated by a shot. I ended up playing a really, really good final round and winning that tournament by five.
I have great memories of that week, great memories kind of leading up. Missed the cut last year at Lake Nona right before that week and this year I missed the cut last week, so good sign for me.
Yeah, just the entire week I played great golf and I wish we were back at Ocala.
Q. That's what Ally was saying. We had Steve ask caddies, some of the vibe is reminiscent of Reynolds Lake Oconee. She said, Oh, I would like to take that into this week as well. For you and just this being the fourth edition, it's much different than other tournaments in the year. What does it mean to be able to participate and be a past Drive On champion?
AUSTIN ERNST: I think it's great what the tour is doing giving us another opportunity to play. Otherwise you kind of start the year, especially if you weren't in Tournament of Champions. You play one week and have a break and go to Asia.
So I think it's great to get these events and to get more starts, especially since we're still in the COVID era. So the more we can play the happier we are. It's nice for golf courses like Crown Colony to open up and let us come here on such short notice.
Q. Have you done a practice round yet? What do you think of this course.
AUSTIN ERNST: I played the front nine. I am going to play the back nine and possibly the front nine again today. Yeah, it's good. It's pretty generous off the tee on some holes and then kind of necks in on a few, so it's got a little bit of variety to it.
The greens are really good. They've got a little bit more speed than we have last week, and with the wind that we saw yesterday, if it stays windy, obviously when you're downwind they have a little bit of firmness to them.
So it'll be interesting just kind of condition-wise, kind of how windy it is, to how low the scores can be. I can see scores being pretty low with what I saw on the front nine.
Q. I think I know based on what you were saying, but what was your mindset on not going Asia? Is travel and the COVID era as you mentioned part of it, or it is more you're taking advantage to have a break that you need?
AUSTIN ERNST: A little bit of both. Just with all the testing and kind of how COVID is right now, kind of wanted to not travel. It gave me a nice break to have.
You know, now this is my tenth year on tour so I like being at home a little bit more than I used to, so that was definitely part of it.
But I think for me, it'll give me a nice break and then I'll play a lot when we start back. So I think it just gives me another opportunity to rest my body and get ready for the rest of the season.
Q. You talked a little bit about your off-season. Were you testing any new equipment? What's the status quo as far as what's in your bag from last season to this year?
AUSTIN ERNST: So compared to last year, the only new club I have -- I have a 2-wood, a PXG 2-wood, the Gen 4. I had a Callaway 3-wood that I switched out. I had been using a different putter, but I'm back to the same putter that I won with last year and won Arkansas with. Back to that one.
And then the next few weeks PXG is coming out with Gen 5 clubs, so I'll start testing those. But other than that, I have the same set of irons, same wedges. New wedges but same specs.
Q. For you, being able to take that kind of week break instead going to Asia, what is some of the work that you plan on focusing on as you gear up for the rest of the season?
AUSTIN ERNST: I think just playing a good bit. I'll be able to take a week or two off and have four weeks where I can hone in on what I need to work on, do a lot of short game work, and then just really get into the playing mindset as we really kick off the season starting in Carlsbad.
Q. And for you, just off the course, the LPGA Drive On Championship is a little bit more than just golf. There is a lot of off-course activities. We were just talking with Ally Ewing and the ping-pong tournament as well and how you might have to get in some competitor's heads to cheer on your friend there. What's that like to see some off-course activities to relieve some of the stress of the week to week?
AUSTIN ERNST: Yeah, it's fun. I'm not playing in the ping-pong tournament. I know yesterday they were a little worried because it's so windy and the table is outside. It will be interesting to see how the player and caddie bracket works out.
No, it's fun to kind of have something different. I think Amy will win the ping-pong tournament. I don't know about the caddie side.
Q. Is Drew in it? Is your brother in it?
AUSTIN ERNST: Drew is not in it, no.
Q. Is he doing the closeness to the pin?
AUSTIN ERNST: Well, he's not here today, so probably not.
THE MODERATOR: Yeah, he's not then. With that, I want to say thank you, Austin, and best of luck this week.
AUSTIN ERNST: Thank you.
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