Simon Dyson Interview

Nervous on the 1st tee?
Nervous? I was a wreck. My legs were gone. I was telling myself 'just make solid contact with the ball, and let’s get moving’, and fortunately I nailed it. By the time I hit my 9-iron second shot at the 1st on Thursday I was totally settled, hit the green and made two putts for a four. My dad said he was choked up as they announced me onto the tee. It gets you.

What were your first impressions of the course when you arrived?
The sheer scale of it all. After playing in the WGC tournament at Doral in March I stayed on in Florida for a couple of weeks so that I could work on my game and prepare for Augusta. I actually went up there two weeks before and stayed for four days. I couldn’t believe how wide open the place was; I walked through the clubhouse, out underneath the big oak, and the magnitude of the place just hits you. Everyone always tells you before you get there how hilly the course is, but it doesn’t prepare you. I was on the phone texting all my mates and sending pictures. It was everything I thought it would be.

How was your first practice round – did you start at the 1st or head down the 10th?
Straight up the 1st. I played it on my own with a local caddie. I practised all day Tuesday, then played 18 holes on the Wednesday and Thursday. My own caddie flew in to join me, so he could pick up some local knowledge, and then we both headed down to Houston for the Shell tournament. Continental Airlines put on a direct flight back to Augusta for all those heading for the Masters, apparently they do it every year and it certainly made life easy.

Having played the course, what were your expectations come the tournament?
Well, you’ve only got to look at the leaderboard on the opening day to realise that experience counts – it was packed with guys who have played Augusta for years,most of them: Watson, Couples, Poults, Tiger, Westwood and Mickelson. And it was the same story at the end of the week, packed with experience. So that tells you this is a course you need to be familiar with. If I had played it a few more times I would have hoped to have done a little better. But I only missed the cut by a couple of shots, and with a little luck I could have been there at the weekend.

Who did you play with?
I played with Michael Campbell and Ben Crane. It was tough to see Cambo struggle the way he did. It’s weird. He strikes the ball so beautifully but then every now and again a shot goes off at a strange angle and you just don’t understand it. He’s a great bloke and I hope he gets it back soon. Ben made the cut, right on the mark.

I saw you out on the course watching the golf over the weekend – was there ever any question that you might go home early?
No, never. I booked the flights for all my mates and I asked them if they wanted transferrable tickets – to a man they all said no. We had an amazing weekend out on the course. They all said it was the best week of their lives (they are all golf perverts). Having my dad there was special, too, as he hates flying and hadn’t been on a plane for 20 years or more before we took him on a trial flight down to Spain last year, when I had an inkling I might get in to this year’s Masters. I knew I’d made it at the end of December, when I made the Top 50. Dad told me the other night that he wouldn’t have missed this week for a million pounds. It’s been brilliant.

You’re a fellow ISM player alongside Lee Westwood – did you socialise through the week?
I had 15 friends travel over and so hired out two houses close to each other, just 5 miles from the course. It worked out great, we had a BBQ a couple of nights – the weather was perfect for that. Probably for the first time in my career I wasn’t upset about missing the cut. We knew we would stay on and soak up the atmosphere, especially with Westy up there. I wanted to support him.

The way they run this event is like no other in the game – the best you’ve played in?
Without a doubt. It’s the best-run tournament I’ve ever been to. And definitely the best event I’ve ever played in. We were sitting by the 8th hole on Saturday, along comes Tiger, and then Westy up the 8th hole, and we couldn’t believe how easy it was to watch the groups go by. You get so close to the action. And it’s just players and caddies inside the ropes. I was sat there thinking how on earth do you explain this place to people at home? It’s another world. I love St Andrews and I’m looking forward to the Open because it’s a unique event, but the viewing there is horrendous – my dad always says it’s the worse golf course for watching that he’s ever been to. And he loves watching golf. For him, Augusta was the best.

Anything about the place you didn't like?
No, absolutely nothing at all.

What are your best memories you took away from the week?
I got myself a good birdie run going on Friday. I was 5 over after the first round and made double on the 1st hole on Friday. So there I was, 7 over, and I needed to make something happen. Then I birdied 2, 4, 5 & 6, bogeyed 7, birdied 8 and bogeyed 9. So I was back to three over after nine. I made bogey at 10, parred 11 and 12 and then made birdie at 13 to get back to three over again. I was buzzing and, thinking the cut was going to be around 1 over I was still in the hunt for birdies. That was where the ‘incident’ happened. I was in Rae's Creek for two on the 13th, but able to play it out. I hit it to about 30 feet and canned the putt for a birdie. While I was on the 14th tee a referee came over and said there was some doubt as to whether or not I had grounded my club in the hazard,which I definitely hadn’t. He told me there would be some investigation into the matter after the round, and it unsettled me. I wish he hadn’t said anything. Left it alone until later. Anyway I then left myself a horrible putt on 14, caught the wrong side of the slope and stuck it right on top of the ridge. I touched my putt and it went 30 feet past the hole. Made bogey and that was me done for the week. Shot 73 in the end. Next time it will be better.

The course tolerates nothing but 100% concentration?
The fairway are generous, but hitting into the green you just have to keep it on the right level. If you don’t you can 4-putt. It’s that simple. It can make you look stupid. They like to vary the tee boxes around, too. I hit 8-iron both days to the 16th, but growing up I always thought that hole was so much longer – like a 5- or 6-iron. Which I suppose it might be from the very back tee. On Saturday I noticed it was well forward – 130 yards or so. A wedge. It all adds to the variety. I can’t wait to go back.