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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

October 7, 2015

Adam Scott

Songdo IBD, Incheon City, Korea

Q. What's the importance of the matches this year being close --
ADAM SCOTT: It's a very important Cup, and I think Nick said it, I think the amount of time that he's put in behind the scenes is probably unprecedented. And obviously a lot went into the points change this year, so I feel -- I'll speak for myself, but I feel I'm more invested than ever in this event.

The last couple years, I've really gotten into it even more, seeing from a playing point of view I guess, and understanding just what this event could do going forward if it continues to grow and try and help make the right moves for that to happen. Because I believe it can be such a huge, important event in the scheme of things for golf, after looking at the success of a Ryder Cup, if this were to really take off like The Ryder Cup has, the reach this has, being international and covering the rest of the world I think could be massive for the game of golf.

Q. No one can ever predict what happens but if it goes the way it's gone the last few times, can it ever reach a point where guys lose interest?
ADAM SCOTT: Yes, it can, for sure. I think from my point of view, anyway, I'm playing in a lot. And to see steps taken in the right direction to make it event the best it can be -- I'm 100 percent positive on all the moves that have been made. And I think we don't have a crystal ball and anything can happen in this game, but I believe we're moving closer to a great competition.

Q. If you have two teams run by the same federation --
ADAM SCOTT: Sure, I think probably in the long run, it's a good thing. In the scheme of things as it grows, and the event to be treated like it should be, that's what needs to happen and I think that's going to be healthy for the competition long term.

Q. Playing with Hideki, which ball will you choose tomorrow?
ADAM SCOTT: We're going to play both. I'll probably tee off with his ball so he can hit his ball into the green with an iron and vice versa. So we'll switch back and forth. We did that last time, so I don't see it being a big problem.

Q. How important is it for the first match to start well?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, I think it is, it's important for every match to start well, but I don't want to put too much emphasis on the first match, but it is a big boost if the first match goes out and does well. I think Hideki and I are comfortable with each other, so I'm sure that's why Nick put us out first with a bit of experience.

Every match is going to be a tough match, just because you feel good and you've played together before doesn't mean anything. It's going to be a really hard-fought week, and hopefully all the good golf out there will result in a win for us.

Q. Are you happy with your putting now?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I mean, I don't have anything really to judge off of other than how it feels. But yeah, I'm happy with where it's at, and it's going to be a great week to put it to the test.

Q. What do you enjoy about Hideki?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I think he's an incredible kid and has an amazing work ethic. And I've gotten to know him a little bit from the last Presidents Cup, and I've actually played a fair bit with him since, a few practice rounds, and we've been drawn together.

He's got that killer instinct in him, and maybe that's hard to see or lost in translation, but just from the little bit of time I've spent closely with Hideki, I've seen it. And he carried me in a couple matches last time and kept us in the match, really. I saw it playing with him when he won Memorial that last day. He got in there with a chance and he finished the job, and I could tell how much he wanted it. So he's a bit of a bulldog, even though it may not seem like that on the exterior.

Q. How do you feel about playing Bubba?
ADAM SCOTT: The same as playing anyone else out there. American have 12 great players and every match is going to be tough. Bubba's an exciting guy to play golf with. I've enjoyed playing a lot of golf with him. We're all very familiar with each other. I'm familiar with all the guys. I've played with them a lot.

We are just looking for some good golf and I think you're going to see that, the way the course is set up, soft and lots of birdies. Should be fun.

Q. How do you feel playing in front of Korean fans?
ADAM SCOTT: Hopefully the fans are going to be a huge support to the International Team. This is our home game. This week, Korea is home for us, and we are excited about that. We are looking forward to getting big crowd support, and I hear that a lot of people are going to come and watch, so that's always fun for us to play in front of the big crowds.

Q. Jason was in here yesterday and he talked about the number of Cups on your guys's bags and you having the most Cups, meaning you've played in the most Presidents Cups. Talk about these guys basically talking about you being the leader the team.
ADAM SCOTT: I'm starting to show my age. It's quite a young team, probably the youngest team ever, what I call fresh blood.

I think just the way things work out, it might be a really great injection for our International Team this year that there's a lot of new faces on the team. That could work out in our advantage in the end.

Q. Do you feel them looking to you? Do you feel that you need to take more of a leadership role?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, look, I always think that with successful teams, whether it's golf or anything else, there's always a leader or a few leaders on the team from a player's side of things, and I felt it the last couple years. Maybe more so this year, because other than Thongchai who is having his first go, I think I am the oldest bloke on the team. And it's gotten to that point in my career, where that's the reality.

But I'm good with that. You know, I think if I can get these guys excited and get them to understand what's going to happen out there with a win, which is a little hard for me because I haven't quite got there with The Presidents Cup, but I've felt it close a couple times in South Africa, certainly, and what that would mean to us all is huge.

If I can give them advice, hopefully it's helpful.

Q. You were, any opinion, anyway, one of the most vocal people on the green at South Africa when it was first said that the Americans were keeping the Cup. You protested loudly, actually. Do you have any recollections of that, and looking forward, is it surprising to you that it didn't carry on in terms of closeness?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I was right into it and it was probably easy for me to yell at Ernie, "Keep playing" when he was the guy playing. And probably being young and naÃ¯ve at that point, I had no understanding of what that real pressure that Tiger and Ernie was facing that day.

I'm sure both are probably quite relieved, actually, that it was tied in the end. But we had all put in so much that week, and we had such a great week. I felt and I understand the big picture of the game, but I wanted to win and I was willing to put Ernie on the line to win or lose quite easily (laughter). But it was such a fun memory.

And I don't know exactly when they changed the points up to 34 at some point -- in South Africa, and so I guess in some ways, I'm not that surprised, but it's easy to say in hindsight that it has not gone that way. But generally most years the American Team on paper and World Rankings is a lot stronger depth-wise than our team, and I guess as you play more and more matches, that kind of plays its way out the way you would see on paper. That's the way I kind of feel it's gone.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADAM SCOTT: I'm not really sure what -- I use a putting mirror but that's quite a standard training.

Q. What are your expectations for The Presidents Cup?
ADAM SCOTT: I always have high expectations of myself but I do have high expectations of this team. It's a lot of new faces and a very fresh feeling in our team room this week. I feel we've come together very well and we all are going in the same direction with this thing I think.

Nick has given us a great understanding of what it would mean to win this week, and he's referred to a photo, the biggest photo in our room is of the '98 team that he was on the winning team, and it's one of his fondest memories of his career.

And to hear that from a guy who has won three majors and so many other important events; that he putts it so highly and has such a great memory, I'll be working so hard for that to happen for us this week.

Q. This is the first Presidents Cup in Asia. How does it feel to be playing in Asia for the first time?
ADAM SCOTT: I've really enjoyed playing in Asia my whole career, and I think it's great timing that the Cup does come here. I was saying before, it's a home game for us this week, and Korea is going to be our home and we are looking forward to the crowd really getting behind the Internationals. It's going to be some great golf. The course sets up for a lot of birdies, so I think it's going to be exciting and momentum is going to be a big thing.

Playing in Asia and Korea is going to help us.

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