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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

October 6, 2015

Branden Grace

Songdo IBD, Incheon City, Korea

Q. Talk about getting here, getting acclimated to the time and everything?
BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, had four weeks off before the Dunhill, which was nice. I felt I needed one week just to get back in the swing of things and competitive mode. It was good. Obviously not as good as I would have hoped but it was a good prep I thought, and we're fortunate Mr. Rupert put a jet up for us. Made the trip a lot quicker than what it could have been.

It's fun. Most of the team are a little bit knackered but we are all in great spirits. I think the majority, we come into this tournament with some good form.

Q. Just talk about, you saw the course for the first time today. Talk about your impressions?
BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, it was great. I think it was a great golf course, a little bit soft. But I think for the weather forecast that's in store for us, it should firm up a little bit and greens should get quicker. Some guys played yesterday and said the greens already firmed up a fraction.

It's going to be good. There's going to be some low scores, some birdies out there. The greens are the tough one. You really have to put the ball on the right spots to try to give yourself some chances. Otherwise with these slopes out there, it's going to be tricky.

Q. Which holes do you like, are good match-play holes?
BRANDEN GRACE: There's a couple, like 14, depending what they do with the hole. They can push the tee up and make it a drivable hole. But you get guys like Jason, even off the back, he got pretty close today. A couple of those and some great par 3s, as well. And the par 5s; if they push it up a fraction, the par 5s are going to play a big role this week.

Q. I'm going to be dead honest with you; like an hour ago, they were showing U.S. Open highlights. You played good that day.
BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, it was good. That's just how it goes.

Q. 17, stopping an inch from the hole.
BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, that's actually I think one of the putts that I've watched a lot of. I don't still to this day know how it stopped short. It looked like it had enough to get to the hole and pulled up and actually came backwards before it got to a standstill. It's great.

It's just nice to be in that position knowing that I played well. I didn't really throw any shots away until the end with one bad shot at 16. But I think I learned a lot and I took a lot into the next two majors.

It was nice playing the way that I did at the PGA. Jason was just unstoppable that week, the type of golf that he played, and carried on playing after that. But you know, it's been a great year. I'm happy and pleased with the way it went.

Q. When you started and won big in South Africa and beating Ernie and Retief and had a big blockbuster start and a little bit down and back up this year. What was the big turnaround for you?
BRANDEN GRACE: I think I get a bit streaky out there. The same happened in 2012, got the one win and led to another and five wins that season. It's pretty much been the same this year. I've started off well and it's been already three.

Just one of those, I think the years where I didn't win, a couple of bad habits came back into my golf game, a little bit of struggling with the putting and things like that, but I've got that under control now. I think that's been the big turnaround for me so far this season.

Q. You've only got one of these under your belt. I'm curious what the mood is when you leave Muirfield Village. Is it team loss or individual loss?
BRANDEN GRACE: Well, it's a bit of both. Disappointed going away from Muirfield without a point towards the team. That's something I really want to put together this week and really try to contribute this time.

But it's one of those, you know, it's the first time, I know it was a tough one last year. I think the guys really pulled together strongly towards the end. We had a chance on Sunday. But I think when Zach beat me I think 4&3, then it was all done.

I think we've got a good start. Like I said, the players are on great form coming in. Jason has been playing incredible golf and you have Thongchai that won a couple weeks ago. All of us feel like we've got a good chance this year. Especially with the points situation with it changing there, I really think we can push on and try to win this thing.

Q. Where do you think your game has come the last couple years since Muirfield?
BRANDEN GRACE: I think I've improved quite a bit. Golf maybe being the same, I think more in the bigger picture, I've improved a lot. More under pressure-wise, when I need to perform, I've performed, and I think that's a big key to have, especially in things like this, where you really have to step it up into the next level and the next gear. And if you're able to do that, that's a bonus, and that's what I've learned so far since then.

Q. You played with Louis, Anirban and Thongchai today?
BRANDEN GRACE: It was great. Just a couple of pairings and the guys were -- like I said, we were playing nicely and we had great fun out there, great three guys, four guys together. It was good. We had a good day. It's nice to see the golf course. Louis came out there, so he played the front nine and Thongchai played the back nine. It was nice to get a little bit of in and out before we get out there for the first look.

Q. Things were different in the run-up to Muirfield because of the points change.
BRANDEN GRACE: I think everything has been pretty relaxed so far which has been nice. I know the US team probably take it a bit different. We have taken it a bit different.

Again, we are a very young team. I think we are the youngest on paper so far in history. As young guys we are hungry for it. I think we've been really relaxed and tomorrow we are going to take it very easy, just do nine holes or so and get the game plan behind us and really go for Thursday.

Q. A little more optimism because of the format change?
BRANDEN GRACE: A little bit. I think obviously with the winning rate that there was coming up to this event, the U.S. killed us. I think this time with the points change, you never know what is going to happen. There's some players that we can hide and some they can hide. If you look at every other team event, that's possible to do that. I think this year is going to be a hard one to judge, but it can go either way.

Q. So to play better, is there anything you can do to improve the fortunes?
BRANDEN GRACE: You know, I think you just have to take it as it comes to be honest. Like I said, young guys, we are all hungry and we are all in great form. I think we have got a really good chance. The US has a strong team. You can't write any of them off. There's a bunch of guys with a lot of experience. There's maybe one or two guys that's played more than twice on our side.

We've played with each other a lot of times, so we know each other's games. We are all looking forward to the challenge coming Thursday.

Q. Did they show highlights or anything from 1998?
BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, we actually had one last night with Nick Price on it, so that was great. It's nice to have a captain that's also that involved; that he has been on the only winning side out there, so he knows what it feels like. He told us last night, he said, "Guys, that was pretty much the best day of my golfing career. I want to win it again." He said, "Just believe me, you guys really want to win this." We all do and we are up for the challenge.

Q. Was it a highlight video?
BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, it was a highlight video. It was something the guys put together to psyche us up a bit and for them lifting the trophy at the end was a bit special.

Q. Inside the team room, you've got guys with different cultures, different languages. Is it difficult to develop chemistry with all that going on, especially if you contrast against the Americans that don't have to battle that?
BRANDEN GRACE: Not really to be honest. I think we've played so many times with these guys, whether it's a competitive round or practice round, we play together and we get to know each other.

For me personally, I don't know Sangmoon Bae and Danny Lee so good to what I would know Thongchai, for instance. I've been with him the last couple of years on The European Tour and gotten to know each other, played numerous times together in match-play tournaments.

But it's nice. It's just amazing how guys from around the globe can come together and just form the team and just back each other. It's one of those where I know in 2013, we did it, it worked. The guys really pulled into each other, and I'm sure it's going to be the same thing.

Q. Do you feel that Asian players can bond, being the first Presidents Cup in Asia; that it adds some meaning to them?
BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, definitely. I don't want to say they want it more. We all want it badly. But it definitely helps having them here. There are some great players.

Like I said, the majority of them are in a little bit more form than some of the other guys or some of us even. Sangmoon has been playing some great golf. Thongchai just came off a win and they really want to prove themselves here in Asia and really give it a big push. It's a big key to have them on the team this week.

Q. Did you take a look at your avatar? Thoughts?
BRANDEN GRACE: I think if I could have had an upper body like that in real life, it would have been great. But it's cool. I think it's fun. I think it's a great thing to get behind the guys and it's something that I know is very big in Asia. So yeah, I think it's cool. It's a different mix to what's going on.

Q. Any critiques on other teammates?
BRANDEN GRACE: Not really. I saw the avatar even has Louis's gap in his teeth. That was a good touch.

Q. There's been some talk that the Asian fans are not so versed in turning their phones off or taking pictures. Does that bother you at all?
BRANDEN GRACE: I think when you come to Asia, you expect it. I think us as European Tour players, we have been exposed to it a little bit more than maybe the US guys. We come out here a couple times a year, and compete in China and Korea even.

Yeah, it's been fun. I think coming Wednesday, tomorrow is going to be a bit more hectic out there. Today was still quiet. I think when tomorrow comes, then it's really going to kick in. And then Thursday, we're going to have a couple of those where I'm sure we are going to step out of shots a couple of times.

Q. As players, the world it moving on and everybody has a phone and camera which people didn't have a few years ago. Is there a time where you're just going to have to get used to it?
BRANDEN GRACE: I think so. Golf is so huge in Asia, and the people just love photos. I don't think there's any other way to put it. It really gets nuts out there sometimes but it's fun. They all mean well. I know maybe the excitement gets too much for them but you just have to deal with it and carry on.

Q. Is it a bad problem to have that they want to take pictures of you?
BRANDEN GRACE: Sometimes when you get into pressure situations, you don't really need the distractions. But just have to, like I said, we as a team, we are mentally strong and if you're mentally strong, you should be able to step back in and go through all the same processes again.

Q. How do you maintain your concentration when you're out there?
BRANDEN GRACE: I think obviously having somebody next to me in a team makes it a little bit easier so you're not there on your own anymore. You're there with somebody and they are going through the same routines, the same up-and-downs and you're trying to lift up each other. This is what we do.

We practice for this. We practice to be in this situation, and this is where we want to play. So I think it's just like an autopilot just kicks in and that takes over, so we can just do the rest.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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