Chubb Classic presented by SERVPRO

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Naples, Florida, USA

Tiburón Golf Club

Mike Weir

Press Conference


Q. Good finish at Cologard and you're back here and played the Masters last week. Can you talk about where your game is at right now?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, my game feels very good. If I can drive it like I have been and make a few putts around these greens, the greens are in fantastic condition, and I think guys will be feeling good on the greens, so got to roll a few in, but my game feels good.

Q. How do you adjust going from a course like Augusta to one like this?

MIKE WEIR: I would say --

Q. In a tournament where you're playing against younger guys and everything.

MIKE WEIR: Right. I think the adjustments are a lot of my preparation going to Augusta was hitting a lot of young clubs because I knew I was going to have rescue clubs and 5-irons and 6-irons and 7-irons into a lot of the holes there at Augusta where here you're hitting a lot more wedges, so it's just putting in a little more time in on the wedge shots. And we're in some Bermudagrass around the greens, so that's difficult pitching, probably more difficult than Augusta because of the grain.

Spending time around the greens I think is really important.

Q. Is it still always a treat to go play at Augusta?

MIKE WEIR: Oh, every year, yeah. I look forward to playing Augusta.

You know, I felt like my game was really ready to contend there. I was kind of shocked that I had such a bad short game day Thursday. That's what really set me back. Otherwise if I would have shot 1- or 2-over, and Friday I was 1-under, it could have been 3, 4, 5 easily, and I would have been right in the mix. But yeah, I love playing there.

Q. Any thought on Hideki winning?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, I mean, incredible for Hideki. I've gotten to know Hideki through the Presidents Cups and really like him. Really a very strong player, and I think for all of Japan it's really cool, especially good for him. He's knocked on the door a few times. He's had little struggles the last couple years not getting any wins, but always been a very fine player.

Q. What are your thoughts on José María making the cut?

MIKE WEIR: That was great. That was great to see José come back and play so well. That had to be a brutal golf course for him, very long. For him to make the cut there just shows how good his short game is. His short game is just phenomenal, world class. Still is. It helps to have length around there, but it just shows that if you have a good short game you can score.

Q. Anything about this golf course that you've figured out so far?

MIKE WEIR: Like I said, I think the -- there's some tight driving holes. You have to drive the ball well, no doubt. But if you're driving the ball well and in play you've got to take advantage when you have a wedge in your hand. I think putting is pretty difficult out here. There's a lot of grain you have to pay attention to, and there's some fairly good sized slopes on the greens. I'd say guys that are sharp around the greens are going to do well here.

Q. Did you see this course at all when you were here for the Shootout?

MIKE WEIR: I remember we played nine holes. I think this back side we played, or it was like a mix of some holes. It was a mix, right? So I saw some of them. But yesterday was the first time I saw all 18. It's a good course. It's a very good course. Demanding on the tee. It's not as long as the other course, but it's a really good course.

Q. I know you played in Ernie's event Monday, just what he's done for that cause and also your thoughts on being involved with it.

MIKE WEIR: Well, you know, Ernie has been an incredible champion for autism with his son Ben, and whenever he asks and has something that's close by to Florida here and we're in the area, glad to be able to help out. He's really doing some great things with that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
106718-1-1002 2021-04-14 19:40:00 GMT

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