Media Center Interviews
April 2, 2026
First Round Interview with Mark Hubbard
Q. Mark, our leader, 7‑under 65. If we can get some comments on a great round.
MARK HUBBARD: Yeah, just kind of did everything well. The big thing for me is I drove it a lot better, I've been really struggling with the driver for the last like, I don't know, seems like forever, seems like Wyndham last year. To get that going the right direction, I mean, this is not a friendly course off the tee if you're not feeling good with the big club. So to get that going, and just even the ones that I missed, just knowing where they're going, getting that like real feedback because for a while it's been coming out of both barrels and it's been ugly. So it was nice today.
Q. Have you felt good with the driver leading into this week, these last three rounds of practice or did you find it during the round today?
MARK HUBBARD: No, it was the three days leading up. I did a ton of equipment work, new driver, new shaft, and it made a huge difference.
Q. What diver did you go to?
MARK HUBBARD: The new Callaway Quantum.
Q. And just talk a little bit about that back nine, 30 on the back.
MARK HUBBARD: Yeah, yeah, I think for me, I always thought the back nine's a little gettable out here. That front nine there's a couple tough par 4s, you're just hanging on, but the back you can get it going, especially with the wind direction. There's some downhole really scrabble opportunities coming down the 1streatch. I just hit it really well with my irons, and if you're in the fairways, just kind of frees me up.
Q. Pretty dark on the last hole. Were you good with seeing OK for that birdie?
MARK HUBBARD: No, not at all. I don't know what it is out here, we always seem to push it 15 minutes longer than we should. Not everyone's going to finish, I don't understand. But that being said, I'm super happy to get an extra hour of sleep tomorrow.
Q. Your 15th round here, I think 68 was your previous best You've got to be super pleased with a 65. Knowing that, talk a little bit about your goals for the rest of the week.
MARK HUBBARD: Yeah, I mean, according to my game and statistics, this should be a good course for me. I never played it well. Had honestly some pretty bad memories here. I hit my wife in the head with a driver off the deck like two years ago, so this place has always kind of had my number for some reason. I feel like I'm a little bit due here.
Q. That's a tough one to get over. How long did it take her to forgive you?
MARK HUBBARD: Still going.
