2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel speaks after round two. Image: EPA/NEIL HALL
Masters: Schwartzel opens up on how rough it can be
Charl Schwartzel has explained the complexities of the Masters where a good shot isn’t rewarded but a bad shot is almost always punished.
2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel speaks after round two. Image: EPA/NEIL HALL
Charl Schwartzel has explained the complexities of the Masters where a good shot isn’t rewarded but a bad shot is almost always punished.
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The 2011 champion, who has lifetime playing rights in the year’s first Major, finished T50 after scraping into the weekend. He shared his thoughts on the Masters and just how tough it can be.
Schwartzel opens up on how rough it can be
Q. Masters week is always special. Could you sum up the entire experience this week?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Like you said, it’s always a special week. Just it’s nice to be back here are. It wasn’t the week — didn’t play on the weekend like I wanted to, but get to come back and try again next year.
Q. I guess that’s the wonderful thing about being a former champion is being able to come back here.
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CHARL SCHWARTZEL: For sure. It’s a privilege to come back here. It’s just this golf course does that to you. You don’t have to hit too many bad shots. I felt like even my good shots were ending up bad this week.
But the times you do well, things go for you. The putts go in, a few good bounces. So you’ll take the good with the bad.
Q. You were hitting it pretty solidly and getting close there as well sometimes, gave yourself chances.
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Exactly. That’s what I’m saying. A lot of good shots. My good shots didn’t get rewarded, and my bad shots got punished. That’s just, when you play bad, that’s how it goes, you know.
Q. Do you have kind of the shots that go bad, do you keep them in your head the whole time? How do you get rid of a round like this today?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: That’s the thing. Augusta makes it double as bad. I hit a great iron shot on 11, and it ends up in the water. So you make 6 from a good iron shot. A couple of good putts going in, but they lip out.
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That’s what I’m saying. I’ve played here many times, and your average tournaments go like that, and your good ones, things go differently. The margins are just very, very small around here.
Masters done, what next for Charl
Q. How important is it for you knowing that once a year at least you can do a major irrespective of world ranking points and all that stuff?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Yeah, that’s a great thing to have on my side, and especially to come back to this one.
Q. What now?
CHARL SCHWARTZEL: Home for a couple days and then fly to Australia on Friday.
