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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 26, 2017

Marc Leishman

Jersey City, New Jersey

Q. If you want to start us out with comments about playing in The Presidents Cup. You're kind of a veteran now. I'm sure that's nice, to be part of the senior part of the team?
MARC LEISHMAN: It is for sure. It's my third. Obviously playing on two losing teams, which is disappointing. But yeah, looking to change that this week, and have a big week as one of the veteran members, I suppose.

Q. I know you guys are probably worn down, having played so much during the Playoffs. But by the same token, you played so well during the Playoffs that you're probably feeling good about your game. Maybe some overall comments about that.
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, definitely. You know, been a busy month or so. But you know, having said that, like you said, there's a lot of good play in there. That's a good thing. Obviously coming in with some form. But the more you're in contention, the more energy it takes. This is that type of event where it's very easy to get up for it. There's obviously a lot to play for. The crowd buzz, just everything about it, makes it an exciting week and certainly not going to struggle with energy. Not worried about that at all.

Q. Got a good feel for the course, do you think?
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, we played 18 holes today. The course is great and the conditions are perfect. The greens are just that really good speed, smooth. I played here two times before. Played in 2009, I think it was in 2013; played both of those events. You know, it's a great match play course. There's a lot of water out there, a lot of risk/reward holes. The par 5s are great.

I think obviously either team is going to have to play really well to win. We're the underdogs, I guess, coming off -- well, oath having won it once. But you know, we're all really determined to try and make this one different.

Q. So you bonded over live octopus soup in Korea. What is this week's bonding exercise?
MARC LEISHMAN: No live octopus this week. Ping-pong last night, team dinner. We got here Sunday night. Just had a few drinks just to reacquaint with each other I guess. It's been good. The team feels really comfortable around each. There's a few rookies on the team. I feel like we are in a really good spot early in the week, which is hopefully a sign of good things to come.

Q. Do you think the weeks off -- seeing a rejuvenated Adam, he has not had this much time off coming into this event for a while?
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, he's ready to go. He's been working hard, working hard in Australia. Like I said before, this is an easy event to get yourself up for. There's a lot of energy out on the course outside the ropes, and I think that translates to a lot of energy inside the ropes. I think Scotty is going to have a good week. Hopefully the whole International Team will.

Q. I know you don't look past this year, but do you get a little more juiced up when you find out you're going back home to Royal Melbourne in two years?
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, definitely. That's extra incentive to try and be on the team. You know, to play Royal Melbourne in any event is a big deal. It's such a great golf course. Obviously to have a Presidents Cup there in your home country, I haven't had a chance to do that. That would be a highlight of my career, if I could get on that team again.

Q. Any chance you attended in '98?
MARC LEISHMAN: I attended in '98. I was about 15. Not in 2011. I was over here playing something.

Q. What do you remember from '98?
MARC LEISHMAN: '98, I went there on the Sunday and it rained all day. The Internationals won that one, actually. It was an exciting finish. I just remember being very wet and being very late back to the bus. We had about a four-hour drive home and there was no way I was missing the end of it. I was like, the bus leaves, guess I'm not going to be on it. Yeah, that was pretty awesome to be there for that.

Q. Is that Australia' s best course, do you think?
MARC LEISHMAN: Definitely one of. In my opinion, it would be probable Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath are the two best ones.

There's a lot of other great courses in Melbourne, not even five miles from both of those places in the Sandbelt. But yeah, in my opinion, those two are the best.

Q. Do you know who you're playing with this wind week? Do you have a good feel?
MARC LEISHMAN: Played with Jas today in a foursomes match. It's looking like that's what's going to happen unless Nick changes his mind. So yeah, looking forward to that. Like I say, things can change but at the moment, that's what it's looking like.

Q. How do you like the opening tee shot in foursomes?
MARC LEISHMAN: It's tough. You know, I guess everyone is going to be nervous on that tee but it's going to, it's a really hard tee shot. It will certainly sort the men out from the boys early on. Yeah, you need to be on your -- you need to be controlling your emotions for that shot.

Q. Do you guys know when you played together, you were grouped together at the BMW Championship, that you might be paired together here?
MARC LEISHMAN: No, we had no idea, actually.

Q. That really felt like --
MARC LEISHMAN: I assumed that I would probably be playing with Scotty or Jas, possibly Hideki. Yeah, it was nice to play with each other there and play well. Both of us played pretty good that day. So hopefully that can translate over to this week and have a winning record.

Q. They said you don't need any incentive to play well up here this week. For Hideki, to see his slate being wiped clean, his post PGA Championship results, he was probably the hottest player on the planet that Saturday at the PGA, and since then, there's been a marked drop.
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, like I said, I think you don't take too much into past form, especially with 18-hole match play. It takes potentially 13 or 14 really good holes, and your match is over. Or, you know, a bad nine and it's over in the wrong way.

I wouldn't read too much into that. He'll be all right.

Q. What is your most indelible memory of that singles match against Jordan?
MARC LEISHMAN: The putt on 18, yeah, definitely. I can't actually remember that many shots throughout the day, which is not that unusual for me. So I won't be able to remember too many shots but yeah, certainly remember probably having that, the 6-footer on the last, to win the match 1-up.

I remember all the boys standing over there on the edge of the green. That was a pretty good feeling. The Cup was on the line. That was a big high. Certainly one I'll never forget.

Q. Do you remember Jordan saying afterwards, "In my opinion, Marc Leishman is going to being a Major Champion."
MARC LEISHMAN: I don't remember him saying that, no. He may have, I don't know.

Q. It clearly didn't help your Q rating as you've alluded to this year but he obviously saw something in those 18 holes, combined with the British Open.
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, it's nice to play well. I think he was No. 1 in the world at the time. It's nice to, you know, play well against the No. 1 player and beat him. You know, I'm sure he'll -- yeah, he's a great player.

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