Q&A: Devon Bling Gears up for The Masters

Sophomore Devon Bling will be playing in his first Masters Tournament next week. UCLABruins.com sat down with Bling ahead of his trip to Augusta, Ga.

UCLABruins.com: You're coming off a great T-2 finish in Seattle at Chambers Bay, a course which has hosted a U.S. Open. Where do you consider your game is right now heading into The Masters?
 
Bling: My game is definitely trending in the right direction. Finishing second and shooting 11-under at Chambers gives me a lot of confidence going into next week, knowing that each specific area of my game performed under pressure.
 
.com: How often have you been able to visit and play Augusta National?
 
Bling: I went for two days in mid-February and for three days during spring break. But during the spring break trip, I saw the course closer to the conditions that it will be during Masters week. The greens were a lot faster than the first time I went. I got to play the course in pretty tough conditions, but it also showed me that there are birdies out there to be made if you're smart. That was the main thing I got from this last week. I came in with a game plan and I'm just allowing myself to make good decisions, and I came away with a few birdies out there.
 
.com: Did you keep score during your practice rounds?
 
Bling: I kept score in the afternoon round on Monday (March 25) and shot 4-under. I kept score in the morning the day before and shot 3-under. It was definitely out there, but obviously the nerves and the look of the golf course will drastically change next week.
 
.com: Having watched this tournament your whole life on television, what is something that you saw in person that was different than what you saw on TV?
 
Bling: Just to be there and see the slopes on those greens, and the elevation changes on the holes, that was pretty special. Because it's something that you can't see on TV.
 
.com: What are your goals for next week?
 
Bling: Obviously one of my goals is to make the cut and play really well, which I believe that I have the game to do. But one of my main goals is just to enjoy the week and embrace the nerves and everything that is going on. It's going to be different than anything else I've done in my entire life. If I execute my game plan properly and with the right decisions, then I have a good chance to make the cut and finish well.
 
.com: How much family do you have coming?
 
Bling: I'll probably have about 15 family members out there watching.
 
.com: What is your schedule going to be next week?
 
Bling: I'm going day-by-day based on how my body feels. I don't want to tire myself out before the tournament starts. I'm looking to play nine holes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, along with the par-3 contest on Wednesday. And in between that, just work on my swing with my swing coach, Chris Mayson, and work on specific parts of my game that I feel I'm not as comfortable on.
 
.com: The par-3 contest the day before the tournament starts is always a fun event. Do you have anything planned for the contest?
 
Bling: Depending on what I'm shooting in the round, I'll probably let my brother, Dillon, who will be on my bag for the par-3, hit a shot.
 
.com: During your competitive rounds, will you allow yourself to take in the course at all or are you going to try and treat it like a regular round of golf?
 
Bling: I'm trying to treat this like another golf tournament, but that's going to be really hard to do especially because this has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid. Mainly I'm just going to embrace it all and enjoy it. Enjoy being out there and playing against the best players in the world on a golf course I've dreamed about playing since I was a kid. As long as I enjoy it and embrace it, that's when I'll do my best.
 
.com: How did you get the idea to putt on the Mo Ostin basketball court to simulate the Augusta greens?
 
Bling: It goes back to when Tiger Woods did that for his first Masters. He went out and putted on a basketball court in preparation, so I figured why not do that. It's actually really similar speed, so (assistant coach Andrew) Larkin and I have gone into Mo Ostin a couple of days and putted on the basketball court.
 
.com: Speaking of Coach Larkin, how important is it for you to have him on the bag this week?
 
Bling: I think it's really important because we work really well together on the golf course. Also, that comforting factor. I'm going to be around all those people and pros, and having him on the bag and by my side during the week will help keep me stay calm.
 
.com: Have any UCLA alums or other professional golfers reached out to you in advance of the tournament?
 
Bling: I played with (U.S. Open champion) Corey Pavin at Bel-Air and he gave me a lot of useful tips and knowledge since he's played in 16 Masters Tournaments. He gave me tons of insightful information. I played with T.J. Vogel, who played there as an amateur in 2013. He gave me information on what it was like to be there as an amateur. Kevin Chappell reached out to (head coach Derek Freeman) and gave me a few tips. I played with Patrick Cantlay. So I've been able to get some knowledge from people who have played at The Masters.
 
.com: Is there one piece of advice that you're looking to concentrate on the most?
 
Bling: They just said it's your first Masters, and you're going to be nervous, there is no way to avoid that. They said that you have to own it. Enjoy being nervous, because nobody is not going to be nervous on that first tee shot. I think of it as that I don't have anything to lose. I'm just a 19-year-old playing at UCLA, and I've gotten the opportunity to play in The Masters. I've got nothing to lose and I think that really helps free up my golf game.
 
.com: How do you feel, if anything, that your life has changed since you've gotten this invitation to play in The Masters?
 
Bling: It has changed ever since I got to the final of the U.S. Amateur. A lot of different people have reached out to me and obviously I've gotten the opportunity to play in The Masters and the U.S. Open. And those are opportunities that don't come for many this early. So it's definitely changed a lot. It's changed the way I've looked at the game and my career going forward. I really didn't expect it to come this early, but I'm really glad that it did and I'm hopefully going to make the most of it.