From The Masters, James Piot, Monday Interview Session

Highlights include following Tiger’s practice round and playing the property alone Saturday evening

Content courtesy of Augusta National Golf Club

Q. Are you staying in the Crow's Nest any other night?
JAMES PIOT: Yeah, I'll be here tonight (Monday) and tomorrow night as well. So three nights in the Crow's Nest. It's a really awesome experience.

Q. I bet there's going to be a few more tonight (Monday).
JAMES PIOT: Yeah, there is, which I'm looking forward to. It's cool being up there alone, but at the same time, part of it is being with other amateurs and enjoying the experience as a whole with everyone.

Q. Who is probably the most jaw dropping person that was eating around you when you were having breakfast?
JAMES PIOT: Yesterday, I had D.J. around me. That was really cool. Other than that, I didn't see many pros. I kind of woke up a little late and got a late start to the day.

Today just trying to figure out where I can and can't eat, that's the best part. I walked into the dining room upstairs and like am I allowed in here? They're like, yeah, go for it. For me it's finding my boundaries and just enjoying the whole week.

Q. What's waking up late for you?
JAMES PIOT: 8:00 a.m. I was a little late.

Q. The clubhouse was probably already packed by then. Did you make sure you were dressed when you walked downstairs?
JAMES PIOT: Yeah, I still didn't know the deal, if I could go down in my PJs or something like that. I woke up at 8:00, and I already saw some of the big names teeing off, and I'm like, oh, man, I've got to get going. Rush through your routine and get going. So it was really awesome.

Q. Tell me about the story yesterday for the practice round. You guys finished nine, and then Tiger jumps ahead of you?
JAMES PIOT: Yeah, so we were getting ready to go on 10 tee, and someone goes, hey, Tiger just teed off in front of you. Me and Aaron were like no way, holy crap. We're sitting there, and we're like we're going to play 10 as fast as we can because we see he's on the green. Aaron's like I'm going to go for it. I'm going to ask him. I'm like, dude, go for it.

I didn't have the courage to do it. He ran through the trees and was like Mr. Woods, Mr. Woods, do you mind if we join you? He gave him a big smile and said, sorry, I'm playing alone today. It was really cool.

I'm sure he won't tell people this, but he actually hit into them on 17 green too. So they were still on the green, and he was down in the valley, didn't see them. But he went up and talked to them after the round, which was really cool. I kind of just observed from a distance. I was a little afraid. It was really cool though.

Q. Did you find yourself looking ahead that whole back nine?
JAMES PIOT: Oh, yeah. The pace of play for us definitely changed. It was less about learning the course and more about watching Tiger Woods from a distance. Until then, we're in a practice round, the Masters, let's enjoy it. Then Tiger gets out there, what's he doing? What's he wearing?

It's crazy how much effect he has on the game, and obviously it's really cool seeing him out here today. You could hear the roars from across the course, and it's practice round day. So I can't imagine once we tee it up on Thursday.

Q. Was it surreal? There was no one out there yesterday (Sunday). Was it pretty much just you guys, caddies, a couple people here and there?
JAMES PIOT: Well, the coolest thing for me actually was Saturday I went and played nine after the ANWA finish and all the girls were out of here. It was just me and my caddie. Nobody else, no members around the course. It was the craziest thing in the world having Augusta National to yourself. For a college guy, you really appreciate it.

I mean, being an amateur and being able to be out at Augusta National alone, it was a memory I'll never forget.

Q. Is Dan (Ellis) caddying for you?
JAMES PIOT: He is. Yeah, he's right there. Yeah, he's out. He's part of the mojo. It was really cool being able to get him on the bag, and I'm looking forward to it this week.

Q. What putter do you have in the bag?
JAMES PIOT: I got one of those fancy Circle Ts now.

The PING piper, actually the insert came off. I couldn't use that putter anymore. It was non-conforming. For me it was kind of a bummer.

Q. When did it fall off?
JAMES PIOT: It was a few weeks after the Amateur, it had to be. I just remember I was putting with it at a practice trip for a team thing, and I hit a four-footer, and it went like half the distance to the hole, and I said, oh, no, this is it because I was always counting down the days, and that happened to be it.

So I've been kind of bouncing around putters since then just trying to find something, but they made me something similar to it, and it feels really good in my hands.

Q. Held off just long enough.

JAMES PIOT: Absolutely.