Q. Can you just walk us through your play and your thoughts on it?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: Yeah, obviously scoring-wise it was a really good day. Anytime you are bogey free and you make eight birdies, it's a good day.
I felt like the highlight for me was definitely my irons and my approach play. I felt like that was really positive. Felt like I was hitting the flights I was trying to do. I was on the correct side of the flags, those kind of things that I really like to see. Then a few putts went in on the back nine that I didn't really do on the front.
Overall, super pleased with today.
Q. How were the changes to the course, and was there anything today that you hadn't noticed earlier in the week?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: Not a ton, to be fair. They made some subtle changes, not a lot. I feel like the only place where the golf course actually played different would be the second shot on 5. That bank used to be a little bit steeper down to the right, whereas now it's a little bit flatter and you can be a little bit more aggressive on that right side.
I felt like overall the greens are rolling really nice, very subtle, and I think the changes were good.
Q. Was there a moment heading into the back nine where you kind of kicked it into gear, you locked in, or did you just keep getting progressively better?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: Yeah, I think so. I made a nice putt on 10. It was a tricky read, kind of up and over, double breaker, and that was really nice. Made a good up-and-down on 11 and then two good swings on 12 to make birdie.
But it was nice to see the putt on 14 go in. It was the longest putt I made today, I think. Obviously hit the right shot, short left, and then a good putt to end it off.
Q. How did you read that putt? Were you kind of confident about the break beforehand?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: On 14? Yeah, I kind of felt like in general, the greens I learned these past few days that they feel like they break a little bit less than they normally did. I feel like because they're new, they don't really do too much. I felt like if I can put a good roll on it and I read it as a little double breaker, left to right, right to left, went in with some speed, but yeah, it was good to see that.
Q. Having these great starts during the season, what is the difference between the hot starts during the rounds and then getting into Sunday and finishing off with your third PGA TOUR win?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: Yeah, for sure. Obviously coming off today, I'm really pleased with the way I was hitting it today, and the thing is you've got to do it for four days. The margins are small in golf and we play hard golf courses where misses are going to get exposed. Hopefully for me I'll keep this up, keep playing well, and we'll see where that ends up on Sunday.
Q. Several top-5 finishes, playing amazing going into the Masters and had a good week. How are you sustaining that level of play this week?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: Yeah, I think obviously coming off last week, I felt like I was playing well but made some silly mistakes that prevented me from having a real chance. But I also felt like in the grand scheme of things, I was swinging it nice, I was moving it nice, so I didn't have to prepare that much in terms of my golf swing on Monday through Wednesday, and I felt like good golf was in there.
To me, this week is more about sort of mentally being ready, mentally being charged coming off a couple of tough weeks. But hopefully I'll be ready to go this weekend, as well.
Q. What was the highlight for you out there today, one specific shot or a moment?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: One specific shot? My second shot on 18 was really good. It maybe didn't really stand out, but it was a number where I felt like it was right in between 8 and 7, and I knew that green normally plays pretty firm and kind of goes away from you at the front. I had the ball above my feet, but I felt like if I can go ahead and hit an 8 and get it up in the air, it should cover.
Joe was a little bit, I'm not sure it's going to cover. But it did, luckily. That was a good shot. Maybe nothing special, but those are always nice, I think.
Q. What's the biggest challenge in the transition from last week to this week? Maybe not on the golf course, but what is it?
LUDVIG ÅBERG: Yeah, it's obviously a different kind of golf course, different kind of challenge. Everything that comes with the madness of Augusta and the Masters, this is a little bit different vibe in and around the tournament. I really enjoy coming here. I really enjoy staying close to the golf course. The fans are always great, and it's a cool place to hang out.
But I think mentally having the battery full is probably the biggest challenge.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports