Singh, Mediate, Woods discuss their Masters' opening round

Former champion Vijay Singh got off to a torrid start in the first round of the Masters on Thursday, putting up a 5-under 67 to take a one-shot lead over Rocco Mediate, who surprised many with his stellar 68 to start.

Vijay Singh

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Phil Mickelson was one of the players to come in at 2 under, along with Retief Goosen and others. Defending champion Tiger Woods battled to an even-par round.

Here is what Singh, Mediate and Woods had to say following Thursday's round at Augusta National:

Vijay Singh

Question: It seems like you've been struggling with your putting. What have you found for this week?

VIJAY SINGH: I think I've been putting pretty good for the last three months or two months. That's been the strongest part of my game since The Match Play at La Costa. The rest of my game I've been struggling with, but not my putter.
I feel very comfortable coming here. I putted very well at TPC and Bay Hill. So the putter has been working pretty good for me. So I have a lot of confidence with that right now.

Q. How much wind is needed or how drastic could things change on, say, a hole like 17 or any of the holes they changed?

VIJAY SINGH: Well, yesterday was a harder day than today on the greens. Yesterday's greens were a lot firmer and faster and we were finding it very difficult to stop the ball as close to the hole as yesterday. They may have watered the greens overnight and it played a lot more easier this morning than it did yesterday afternoon when I played.

They can make it really difficult. They can dry it up and put the pins where it's hard to get to and we have to hit away from the pins. You know, it doesn't need too much. It's very warm right now and the ball is going a long ways. Better not say that too loud, maybe they will move it back 50 yards next year. (Laughter).

Q. Are you actually tinkering with your swing a little bit right now, trying some different things? I'm wondering how long it's been since you've monkey'd around with the basic root of what you're doing.

VIJAY SINGH: At TPC I saw a lot of bad things in my golf swing. (Laughing) I think I had nine calls, everybody and their friend started to tell me about my golf swing. It's just like my putting when I wasn't putting well. You know, everybody started telling me about my putting.

After TPC I saw my golf swing on video and I found out exactly what I was doing wrong and it was the same mistake that I've been doing forever. Worked really hard last week, tried to fix it and it's on the way I guess.

Q. Is there any responsibility just as a person that comes with winning The Masters or leading The Masters, being such a global event?

VIJAY SINGH: I don't know. I think the Masters itself is an event that is recognized globally. You don't have to be leading Masters or winning Masters to be recognized. I think just playing in the Masters itself is a big thing for us. You know, guys out there for the first time, I was talking to Thongchai Jaidee the other day. He just could not believe, he was in awe of the place. I think every player that is coming over here for the first time just can't believe how beautiful or perfect this place is.

Rocco Mediate

Q: Would you mind sharing a few thoughts with us as you went around?

ROCCO MEDIATE: I was very excited to play this week, as I'm sure all of us are out here, because I knew I was striking my ball like I used to and my body is feeling a lot better. So it's going to be fun to come into this golf tournament, this major, with some semblance of a clue on what was going on with my golf swing and golf ball. I was looking forward to seeing what I could do. I just felt just challenged myself as much as I can out there to keep playing good. You know, it's so hard and so penalizing and so good, that it won't let you lay down. It won't let you relax. It just doesn't. And if you do, pretty much the game is over.

Q. Do you wonder if your body will let you play consistently for a period of time?

ROCCO MEDIATE: I wonder every morning. I wake up, go, "okay, I'm good right now." It's just how it is. I've come to those terms. It's just how it is.

Q. Is it possible to give us a short list of ailments?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Just my back, that's the only ailment I've had and it's been a doozy.

Q. When you walked off 18, what were you feeling, surprise, shock?

ROCCO MEDIATE: No, it wasn't surprise. I was very pleased ... Like I said I'm challenging myself out there. I'm not necessarily I'm just trying to keep going. If I get something going I'm trying to keep going. My body actually did what I asked it today, and it better keep listening.

Tiger Woods

Q: If you can give us a few remarks regarding your play?

TIGER WOODS: Today I thought I played really well actually. I hit a bunch of good golf shots, and I had two bad breaks today. I got a mud ball on 10 and laid up in a divot on 15 and also threw away a couple of shots on my own with two three putts.

All in all, I thought I could have got under par today but just didn't happen.

Q. With all your experience winning majors, does today's first day feel like a first day as a major should? Are you happy with what you were able to do?

TIGER WOODS: We haven't played it like this in a while where it's been dry like this. Stevie (Williams) and I were saying that it plays more like a U.S. Open right now than it does a Masters, because lately, the Masters has been playing soft and wet and balls plugging in the fairways and picking up mud. That wasn't the case today. Today it was quick and dry and the greens are picking up speed.

Q. Having played a round, are you more sympathetic or less so to the changes in the golf course?

TIGER WOODS: It's just it is what it is. We all have to play them. The golf course, for the first time in years, it's playing fast. We're all curious, just like I'm sure you guys were and players as well, we were all curious to see how it was going to hold up playing fast. Right now there are a handful of guys under par.

Transcripts provided by ASAP Sports.

April 7, 2006