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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

October 11, 2015

Songdo IBD, Incheon City, Korea

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: We'll go ahead and get started. I'd like to congratulate the U.S. Presidents Cup team led by captain Jay Haas on the victory here at the 2015 Presidents Cup.

Captain Haas, if you would like to start with some opening comments, and we'll go right into questions. Again, congratulations.

JAY HAAS: Well, first of all, I said it outside, that congratulations go to the International Team, Nick, his assistants and all the players. They played phenomenal golf and made us play phenomenal golf. It was pretty uncomfortable at times today but the guys stepped up and played amazing golf when they had to. And couldn't have done it without a group effort. There were no individuals; everybody came together as a team; a moment I'll never forget.

Q. Chris, can you take us through 18, not only your thoughts but before that, just the pressure of what was going on and the chip shot and everything else after that?
CHRIS KIRK: Yeah, after Anirban had the a really nice chip-in there and I had to get up-and-down, it was obviously to halve the match. Where I was, the angle I had was really not very good, and the real key is to make sure I gave myself a putt at it.

Obviously I would have liked for it to be a little bit shorter putt, but didn't hit a terrible chip and it was not the easiest putt, double breaker left-to-right and coming back right-to-left.

But thankfully -- I was very nervous. The nerves I've felt this week have been very different than any other golf tournament I've ever been in my entire life. So I was obviously very nervous, but I feel like I had a very clear mind and was able to just step up and hit the putt like I normally would, and I'm very thankful I managed to sneak it in there.

Q. Jay, obviously it's a nerve-wracking thing to have to watch your team and every individual and so forth, and then the deciding point comes down to Bill. Wondering how much more nervous you were, your thoughts, and of course thoughts in general about how he came through.
JAY HAAS: Well, I believe I would have been just as nervous no matter who was out there, but I was more emotional I think because it was Bill. Didn't expect that, you know, as the day went on, and we had a lot of red up on the board early.

Then all of a sudden, some of the matches turned a little bit different. And I thought, Bill's match is probably going to matter in some way or another.

But it just so happened that that's how it played out, and certainly did not -- I didn't come in and say, Bill is going to go 12th no matter what, nothing like that. Fortunately, he was able to hit some great shot down the stretch, like a lot of guys.

But I was much more emotional I think than if it would have been anyone else on the team, but no less proud. They all, they all are fantastic, I just can't say enough. I feel like, except for maybe Phil, they are all like my sons (laughter) age factor, age factor.

Q. This question is for Mr. Mickelson. You are writing the history of The Presidents Cup. Do you want to play in the next Presidents Cup again, and what has been going through your mind this week?
PHIL MICKELSON: I love these team events. They are my favorite weeks of the year. I love playing with these guys. I love the emotions that we share and the intensity and the pressure that we deal with each match throughout the week. I hope that I have an opportunity to compete in more Presidents Cups.

I'm certainly looking forward to next year's Ryder Cup, as well, and I hope that I don't put the captain in a position where he has to pick me this time. I hope that I will be able to make it on my own.

Q. At what point late in your match did you feel that it was probably going to come down to you, and can you walk us through that last hole and your emotions?
BILL HAAS: When I was on 13 tee, the par 3, I looked over and the scoreboard on 15, I saw I think we were maybe up in two, down in two, all-square in one at the time or something like that.

And I knew that the way the points worked out right then, I knew maybe we would win. But I knew my match was one of the ones that I was up in. Right then, I was like, man, it's definitely on -- all of a sudden it's on me, or my match is a big -- it's going to matter.

I was certainly hoping that those ones that were down or all-square, I would have loved for it to work out. But last night I had said something to Zach Johnson about how, "Man, I hope you guys go out and take care of business before it comes down to me."

And he says, he goes, "You want that. That's what you want. You want to be in that position and you should go get it."

It feels really amazing now the way it all worked out. At the time, I would probably -- those holes down the stretch were very difficult. I can't even imagine these Major winners up here, what they are feeling like down the stretch, having felt that.

But to be in this position and the way it all worked out was a very great moment for me and my dad, and certainly the whole team. I'm lucky to be a part of this team and to get picked, and I'm just happy I could help the team out with one point there on Sunday. It feels great.

Q. Congratulations on the fine putt on the 18th. After Anirban missed that putt, did you have anything to say to him, and do you feel that the focus has been more on the three-foot miss rather than the great 16-footer by yourself?
CHRIS KIRK: I don't know about the focus necessarily. I kind of said to Anirban, I said, sorry, basically. I didn't really know what to say. You don't ever really want to win a match like that. I was still really pumped up and really excited that I made my putt, but Anirban is as nice and as classy of a guy as you'll see out on TOUR. We had a really great day today.

I don't know how every match goes in these type of events. Obviously we're really competing really hard and really trying to win, but Anirban and I spoke a bit today, and I feel like we're pretty good friends and I'll always pull for him. He's just a really, really nice guy.

I hated to see him miss that putt, but at the same time, I was still just sort of beside myself and excited that I made mine.

Q. I'm curious, when you talk about the nerves for your team and the emotion with Bill, if any of it was affected emotion-wise, from being able to relate to Bill, when Bill was in that situation, since what happened to you at Oak Hill in '95, same situation?
JAY HAAS: I thought of that, I believe Phil and Jim were on that team. It wasn't pretty down the stretch there, if I could have parred the last hole, beaten Phil Walton; not that I remember his name very well.

But yeah, I thought, that's 20 years ago. And Bill was there watching me play, and I remember -- I've told the story many times, that I wish I would have just gotten up on the 18th hole and swung as hard as I could like I was in a driving contest and maybe hit a better shot. He's heard me say that.

So for him to do that down the stretch, is not vindication or anything like that, but just how things work out, and 20 years went by in a blink. Glad it worked out.

Q. You've been at this event since the beginning, '94, and it's now 9-1-1. Do you think that this close match has breathed new life into this event?
PHIL MICKELSON: I hope so. I notice that the interest on the outside might not have been as great as you would think when you have this many great players in the world competing against each other. But for us, we still feel the pressure. We still feel the emotion. We still feel the excitement. It still means that much to us. Always has and I hope others see what a great event this Presidents Cup is.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: I'll let Captain Haas make one closing remark.

JAY HAAS: Well, I just want to say on behalf of all these gentlemen up here, we want to thank everyone for their hospitality and especially chairman Roy Ryu and his wife, Helen, in the background there. Helen is sporting a red sweater. We love that. (Entire U.S. Team applauds Chairman and Mrs. Ryu.)

We couldn't have had a better time: Accommodations, golf course, the people, but especially you two, and it's been a wonderful, wonderful week for us. Thank you so much. (Applause)

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

October 11, 2015

Jay Haas

Chris Kirk

Phil Mickelson