Awk-ward … Matt Kuchar on what to talk about while playing with Tiger Woods

Sports Radio Interviews correspondent Chris Fedor not only transcribed the radio interview found below with golfer Matt Kuchar, but he was actually at the Masters on Thursday. So he witnessed first hand the return of Tiger Woods, and walked the course along with Woods and opening round playing partners K.J. Choi and Kuchar. For his part, Kuchar said that it was somewhat of a surreal experience, especially when it came to making small talk with Tiger.

“Before we played, the first tee was the first time we said hello. It was something where I had two days to think about, gosh what do I say to this guy when I first see him? On the course it was awkward. There are a number of things that you kinda talk about or chit chat about. The standard things you couldn’t say to Tiger …”

“I had things running through my head like, ‘you have a bunch of family with you this week?’ That’s how most people treat the Masters. I had all sorts of family and I think most people are like that. Family comes out of the woodwork if you get an invite to the Matsers. Can’t ask Tiger if he’s got his family with him this week.

“You go to the next one. ‘Where you staying this week.’ Well that’s private so I can’t ask him that one. I kinda went through the gamut of questions before we just talked about sports. He’s a Stanford Cardinal and the ladies had quite the basketball run.”

So, Tiger, how about those Stanford women? Um, I mean …
More from Kuchar during his interview on 790 the Zone in Atlanta.

“It was funny I was playing a practice round Tuesday. Stewart Cink and I were playing against Lucas Glover and Steve Marino and Fred Riddley is a USGA guy that’s also an Augusta National member. As I’m walking off the first tee, Fred pulls me aside and goes ‘Matt, Matt, I gotta tell ya, you’re paired with Tiger Woods and the tee times are about to come out to the press and I’m sure you’re gonna have some people curious to know your thoughts and I just wanted to let you know first.’

“Initially I’m thinking ‘oh, this is a bummer.’ Here I get a chance to be back in the Masters and I figure it’s just gonna be a zoo and be tough to play some good golf, but it was great to be a part of. I figure Augusta National must think of me pretty highly if they think I can handle it. It takes kind of a certain person to handle that kind of pairing. They stuck me and K.J. Choi with Tiger. I was amazed with the warm reception that Tiger Woods got. Everybody that I came across and every hole we walked up to, people were yelling out positive things. It was a great reception and I think K.J. and I were able to feed off it a little bit.”

“There was a little bit of rust. I think had he played a tournament or two prior, he might’ve been a little bit sharper. There were a few things. A few chips shots that didn’t look Tigeresque and a few putts that didn’t look Tigeresque, but as far as the golf game, he did some amazing things. I think in round one he had two eagles. He can hit some amazing shots, particularly recovery shots. He’d find himself in a few wayward positions off the tee and some of the recovery shots were mind-boggling. Going ‘that’s only one guy that’s pulling a shot off like that.”

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Matt Kuchar Had a Front Row Seat for Tiger’s Return to Golf [Sports Radio Interviews]