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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 28, 2017

Jersey City, New Jersey

CHRIS REIMER: After the opening round it's 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 in favor of the United States. Let's start there with Captain Stricker, some comments on today's action.

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, it was a tough day weather-wise. These guys haven't seen any of this kind of weather this week, so it was a challenge on both team's party guess. It looked like it was tough playing.

You know, putting looked like it was a challenge. We felt good about what happened out there as far as the points won. So it was a good day. It was a good start for us. Knowing that the International Team, who I'm sure will come back strong; you know, there's still a long, long ways to go. But we very much liked the day and the way it started.

CHRIS REIMER: Captain Price?

NICK PRICE: You know, I agree with Steve. Obviously the day was a brutal day to play golf. Club selection was so difficult, and we got behind the 8-ball pretty early with a few of our guys, a few of our teams being 2-down, 3-down at the turn. But the guys rallied back great. I thought the back nine, one stage, it may even look like we may get two or three, 3-2 lead, or maybe 2 1/2 - 2 1/2, but we winded up with just a 1 1/2.

But it was, like I said, a tough day. I think we're one point better than we were two years ago, and you know this, was probably, even though we're two points behind, it was one of our strongest starts in foursomes on Thursday. So the team is not discouraged at all. They are raring to go tomorrow and just hoping for some better weather for all of us.

Q. Rickie and Justin, it's the first time they have ever played together, Justin's first time. But looks like a natural pairing and you went with them again tomorrow. Could you see these guys as sort of being mainstays for a long time, almost like Jordan and Patrick have been?
STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, very much so. They love playing with each other. They have a good time. I think Justin, you know, struggled the first couple holes from what I understand, you know, which is normal. Your first team competition and under these tough conditions, it's totally understandable. But I guess he settled down.

I guess Rickie, Rickie played flawlessly I guess today and hit a lot of great shots. They just love being around one another. So it does; it's kind of a natural pairing and you know, it's good to see them do well. Especially knowing that, you know, you can use that for future teams if they make it. So that's always good.

Q. You've been in this position before where you've gotten off, digging yourself a hole; what needs to happen for you guys to turn this around?
NICK PRICE: We've been off to poor starts for a while on Thursdays. We have a resilient team. You know, they have this ability to come back and bounce back, and they have done it. They did it last time in Korea.

You know, it's our toughest game, especially the first day, because we're feeling the pairings and that. We've got to go out and play really good golf. That's what you've got to do. There's no doubt about it. Try to pair up the guys who are compatible, and then just play their hearts out. That's all.

I mean, I can't ask any more of them than that.

Q. Phil had a 390--yard drive on the second hole, and then on the third hole, hit it to about 24 inches into the fan. Did you have a moment today where you just shook your head and thought, my gosh, he's doing it again?
STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, he's a pretty special guy. He started off the day getting a selfie with the Presidents. You just don't know what's going to come from him, and that's what makes it fun to have him be a part of the team.

He rises to the occasion, there's no doubt about it. That's why he was a pick. He so much enjoys being here and being out there with the guys and playing and competing. So it's really cool to see that.

I saw that drive on the second hole today. But it's neat to see, it is, and it's great to have him here.

Q. That last match, the Aussie boys and Phil, there was a time they were going to get dusted, and they were back and they were back and they ended up with a halve they may not have got. What do you take away from that, and is the thinking that they let one get away while you put them back up against the same team; that they will be motivated, if you will?
NICK PRICE: Yeah, there were a lot of really good shots in that match today and there were also some pretty poor ones, but that's the state of the day. That's what the day was going to produce. There was some gutsy putts made, some phenomenally -- phenomenal shots made. But you know, if someone -- I think if you have not been beaten by someone or you've got a tie, it's good to send them back out there.

We were unanimous that we were going to put them back out together again if Steve had put Kevin and Phil together. You know, both those teams played some incredible golf today but also hit some pretty loose shots. You know, what can I say?

When push comes to shove, we always go with our gut instinct when it comes to the pairings. And I said to the guys, Ernie, for the first time, I said, "You can overcomplicate this thing and you can figure out all the permutations, but what you have got to go with in the end is your gut feeling because that's what got you to play golf the way you did. You pulled a 7-iron when your caddie told you to hit an 8-iron."

So that's what we are doing a lot. We are going with gut feelings and that was certainly one there.

Q. For either one, we're coming off kind of a full session of golf, but I wonder if you can go back to the start and talk about what that was like to have the three Presidents sitting there on the first tee, plus Finchem.
NICK PRICE: Well, for us, it's phenomenal. Honestly, I was fortunate enough to go to the White House when President Clinton and President Obama were in office. I never got to go when President Bush was in office.

You know, those were three of the most powerful men of their time. Just incredible. I mean, what are they both -- all three of them did two terms. So you know, icons, honestly. It was such a great -- and you know, they all said the same thing: "Guys, we can't pull for you, but we want you to have a good match."

They were great. Of course you're not going to pull for us; you guys are Americans. You're Presidents. But they are golfers and they are great sports men, too.

And our boys really appreciate that. They are very kind and very thoughtful.

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, same on our part. Very special to have them around. We were at the Freedom Tower last night, and bush 43 and Bill Clinton gave two great speeches, didn't they, Nick?

NICK PRICE: Amazing.

STEVE STRICKER: They are so good at what they do when it comes to speaking. Bush was funny, and Clinton was, you know, amazing. The speech that he gave last night was truly moving, and funny, too. But just they are so good at what they do. You can see the position that they are in and see why they were there in that position.

But truly a treat for us to meet them and have them there on the first tee. It was a crowded first tee. It was a daunting first tee for these guys with the wind blowing like that, and have three Presidents there, but it was really a cool setting.

Q. What was moving about the speech?
STEVE STRICKER: Last night? Just talking about the 9/11 and I think if I remember right, Clinton talked about having America coming together a little bit more; and what a great opportunity for us during the matches here and golf to bring people together and support all of our countries.

It's just the way he said it, I can't even do it justice, you know. I really can't. But when he got done speaking --

NICK PRICE: It was almost like they were in a comfort zone talking to sports men, to golfers.

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah.

NICK PRICE: They weren't having to answer questions or worry about what -- it was a wonderful, wonderful speech.

STEVE STRICKER: It really was.

Q. You have Hideki going out first again tomorrow. Conditions were tough but he and Charl struggled out there. It's a team event but how imperative is it for you to get Hideki on track and find some form out here?
NICK PRICE: I think he still may be reeling a little bit from the PGA and that. And also, you know, he's had such a huge year. I think he's probably a little tired but he played so well in the practice rounds. You know, and I think today, it was a little bit of a ball issue with the two of them, which, you know, we didn't really pick up because it wasn't windy the last two practice days. So that affected Charl a little bit more than it did Hideki today.

You know, once you get behind and you start trying to push, it often sometimes backfires on you. So I don't think either of them really played that poorly. Just the circumstances, which we should have read a little better with the wind. But that's one of those things.

But he played beautifully in the practice round. So did Charl. We split them up, which was, you know, probably the right thing to do. Anirban is a great partner for anybody, but he'll be good for Charl, and Charl will take over maybe the more older statesman or the more mature guy, the more experienced guy in that group, which I think Charl will like.

We put Adam with Hideki. Adam is really quiet and he just goes about his own way, and he's also a birdie machine. So we could see some fireworks out of those two tomorrow.

Q. You just mentioned at the end there, Adam Hadwin and Matsuyama. You mentioned about trusting your gut. Walk us through the thought process of putting them together.
NICK PRICE: Well, we have to play Anirban and Adam tomorrow. Si-Woo struggled today and so did Emiliano. They didn't quite play as well as they did in the practice rounds, and again, I think it was a bit of a ball issue there.

But I think Adam, Adam will be great -- we really feel that there's going to be a good mix there. You know, we had Hideki and Adam Scott playing together for a long time, but we just felt that we needed to split them up. I think Leish needed to go with -- because they are both senior members in the team now, we had to split them up.

Obvious choice, we felt obvious choice was Jhonny Vegas going to play with Adam, which worked really well. They are strong; unfortunately they lost today. We kind of -- we got our three strong pairings -- well, we've got five strong pairings as far as I'm concerned, but we've got the three normal, what I would call our three forefront pairings that we don't want to change, and then we had to fiddle a little bit with the other two.

Trying to find that blend, more than anything else.

CHRIS REIMER: Thank you, gentlemen.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 28, 2017

Nick Price

Steve Stricker