PIF SAUDI INTERNATIONAL POWERED BY SOFTBANK INVESTMENT ADVISERS

February 6, 2022

Harold Varner

Royal Greens Golf and Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for all joining us in the room and online. Harold, thank you for joining us too. Congratulations. How does it feel?

HAROLD VARNER III: Awesome. Still -- it's been pretty crazy since it happened. I'm just trying to take it in. Winning just never gets old. I just know that there's been times where it just didn't go my way and today it did. I'm super thrilled not just for myself, but everyone that's either on my team or in my corner.

They know who they are so I don't have to thank them. They know who they are. My mom's already called. Yeah, I'm pumped.

THE MODERATOR: Tell us about the putt. Your caddie said it was 92 feet on the 18th.

HAROLD VARNER III: He doesn't know if it was 92 feet. It was awesome. Obviously that it went in kind of helped. When I was coming down the hill, I for sure -- worst case scenario, we'll go to a playoff and I'd get him there.

And then it went in, and emotions came out. I love that. When I play with my boys, that's the emotion I want to see. That's why you play. Competition, it's the greatest thing in the world.

Q. Harold, that was just amazing. But just tell us what was your thought process on the 17th when you saw on leaderboard that Bubba had made that eagle. What were you thinking? Can you just take us down that stretch?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yes, obviously you just want to keep it out of the water on 16. I thought worst case scenario I'll get it up there and make it. I hit a great putt. As I'm walking to 17 and we're tied at 10, I'm like he's going down to 18 -- sorry. My wife is calling.

Q. Take it.

HAROLD VARNER III: Hey, what are you doing?

AMANDA SINGLETON: We're just rewatching your putt over and over again.

HAROLD VARNER III: You want to see something cool. Watch this.

(Cheers and applause.)

All right. I got to go back. I love you. All right? Thank you. Don't cry. It will be okay. Bye.

So I walk up to 17, and it's -- yeah, we're tied. We have to wait until they get off the green. While we're on the tee, I see he goes to 12. So I'm like, damn, all right. So I'm two back. I'm like just get something up there, give myself a chance to make birdie. 18, you know, obviously anything can happen.

I just never doubted myself. I never questioned that, hey, we can't win this. I think that's what the greats do. I would think a couple years ago I would have had a hard time taking that in and being like I have to do this. No, just play golf, do your job. That's what I'm supposed to do.

Q. What has changed in your attitude in these last five years? You have had -- you're always one of the talented guys who's expected to win. You've been doing very well on the TOUR, very solid. The wins never came after the 2016 trip to Australia. Was there any down moment where you thought what I'm doing wrong? How did you really boost yourself up?

HAROLD VARNER III: I can answer this so easily. I've never questioned my ability. The only people that question it are the people that sit right in here, and they're like, man, he needs to be winning. But I don't march to anyone's beat in here. I do what I'm supposed to do, and things come.

Life happened. My wife, my girlfriend at the time, her brother died a week after that and we were celebrating. Things that I wasn't ready to be a man about. I can sit here and tell you like I just didn't know how to handle it because, I don't know, I think it's a hard thing to deal with. Those things get in the way of just focusing on golf.

When you're a kid and there's nothing else to do, it's only golf. No, I wouldn't change a thing. How cool is that? It hasn't happened in a long time, and the way it happened right there, it's frickin' awesome. I could say something else, but I can't say that here.

Q. Where is your wife at the moment, and what time is it over there?

HAROLD VARNER III: I don't know what time is it over there, but I know she's in Charlotte, pretty good chance wherever that kid is.

Q. How great was it to see Bubba, your good friend out there, being the first to congratulate you?

HAROLD VARNER III: I think he was only out there because he heard a noise. We talked about it. It was good. We've shared a lot of time together. He's always been in my corner. I said this as soon as it went in, it couldn't have happened to a better person.

That's rude. But if I could beat somebody that I look up to, how cool is that? And the way it happened, hate it for him. He's won plenty (laughter).

Q. What does Bubba Watson mean to you? He ran from here, saying it's amazing, it's amazing. He ran from here, and when we were talking to him afterwards about you, he had almost -- he had tears in his eyes talking about you.

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, that's pretty weird. I think he's a pretty teary-eyed person. This would be 2018. He just pulled me to the side, and he invited me to play in this QBE Shootout that you guys may know about. We just really hung out, and we bonded.

We see life pretty similar, and we just hang out. This week we've hung out a lot. But we also know how to give each other slack. That's the kind of friendships that I have. I'm not really good at just always being your friend. I want to talk smack. I want to be in your face, and I want you to do the same to me, and he's really good at that. So it means a lot.

It meant a lot more it went in, though, on him (laughter). Butch is calling.

Q. Now heading back to the PGA TOUR, what does this do for your game, your confidence, and heading back to the States for the start of the season?

HAROLD VARNER III: This is so bad. I'm just as confident as I was when I teed it up this week as I will be next week. I believe I can win. I've just got to keep focusing on the stuff that I'm good at, and that's just not caring what anyone thinks or what they think of me.

Q. Harold, this takes you back inside -- this takes you for the first time inside top 50 in world ranking. I think you will be 44 most likely when the rankings come out tomorrow.

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah. I was wanting that. That is awesome. I was wondering that. Yeah, that's the goal, man. That gets you in the things that I haven't played in. I've played in some big events here and there, but yeah, that's why we play.

I was on the cusp of it after Hilton Head and didn't execute, played a lot of golf. Frickin' A. That's all I wanted to know when I was sitting out there. What does -- this has got to get me close. So yeah, that's awesome.

Q. And who is one player or somebody from whom you would love to get a text message right now about your win?

HAROLD VARNER III: I'm sure there's going to be two people that are going to make me laugh. I don't know. They might be asleep. My mom already called. My dad's going to text me. Willing to bet I'll probably get a text from M.J., maybe T.W.

I don't know. I haven't looked at my phone since I've been here. Yeah, Will Zalatoris is one. I think a lot of people are going to text about the celebration more than anything.

Q. Which one would you cherish the most who has made a difference to your golfing career as well?

HAROLD VARNER III: Between those two? Oh, anybody? This guy named Bruce Sutter. He basically taught me how to play golf. I'd never had a lesson. I was pretty gifted. My dad taught me how to grip it. Yeah, I'm pretty sure -- I'm sure he's pumped.

Q. Congrats for the champion. This is the fourth edition of Saudi International, and the field is getting stronger and stronger. You have just won the strongest field so far. So how does it feel?

HAROLD VARNER III: It feels like I won. I don't care who's -- everyone showed up. I don't really -- I just like winning. I think everyone likes winners. You want to gravitate towards winners, and today I'm a winner, and it feels frickin' awesome.

Q. How was your experience in Saudi International, and are we going to see you next year, next time?

HAROLD VARNER III: I think one of those you can answer. I hope so. If I get the invite, I'll be here. And I've had a great time, but how good was that? That makes you want to come back, you know.

Q. How was it? Just tell me.

HAROLD VARNER III: It was great. The hospitality was unbelievable. I had a great time here. I just want to come a little earlier next time. I felt like I got here and I just played golf and ate well and hung out with people I'd met before, but I want to see as much as I can. I think that's really good in any culture is to leave it and figure out what's important in other cultures.

I think we're really good at making opinions without going to someone else's home.

Q. Harold, your expectation for the Saudi golf future, new challenge, new Saudi professional players. Your expectation?

HAROLD VARNER III: Of this tournament? I'm sure it's going to be pretty awesome. They keep bringing better and better players. It's only going to make the players here better if they see that, like, oh, I want to be that. Competition's everything.

Q. Harold, great energy. Great win. Great energy like always. About the top 50, Harold, you're going to have a good chance to be in all the majors this year. So it's something that you have visualized before. Are you going to be able to control your cursing at the majors?

HAROLD VARNER III: I don't know. That's not my problem. I'm there to play golf. I'm sure I can handle myself. I'm sure I'll be fine. If they don't like it, I'm sure they'll tell me, and I'll be all right.

Yeah, that's what you want. You want to play in the big ones. I feel like I'm getting better. I feel like I can win. That's obvious.

Q. So talking about that and your win which is an amazing win, what would you say to the people that might downplay this win because it was the Asian Tour, because it was the circumstances of this week and all that? There might be people in America not considering this a win like the PGA TOUR win. What would you say to them?

HAROLD VARNER III: Nothing. I don't have to explain anything to anybody. That's what's awesome about competition. I don't mean it like that, but I really don't have to express anything. You either want to play and you go play or you don't. I wanted to play, and I showed up, and they gave me a trophy. No, I'm joking (laughter).

Q. My last question is it looks like people have come to you as a spokesperson for different things and all that, but it looks like more and more, Harold, you're becoming a spokesperson for Harold Varner, and that's it, no?

HAROLD VARNER III: Amen to that. I am learning that. I think it comes with maturity. I think just learning how to articulate how to say no, like I've been struggling saying no to these little kids every time I walk around here today, and it's going to be okay, but I'm going to get them when I leave.

You couldn't have said it any better, be a spokesperson for Harold. I might use that again.

Q. Harold, you entered a win after five years and two months. How do you feel? It's a long day. It's a long week.

HAROLD VARNER III: I am ecstatic. I'm pretty calm right now because I want to watch my swearing since Juan's listening. Right now I'm good, but I want to enjoy it, but I also want to get back to work. I want to get that feeling again. That was awesome.

Q. Throughout these four days of the tournament, how was your experience inside of the course and outside of the course?

HAROLD VARNER III: Oh, unbelievable. Obviously on the course was good because I came out on top, but the conditions were so tough and I get really excited about tough conditions. I think everyone's got to deal with it, suck it up, and figure it out.

Outside the golf course, I spent a lot of time with Bubba. I don't know if that's good or bad. I've had a great time. Yeah, it's been great. Yeah, it's been awesome. I can't tell you specifically everything I did (laughter).

THE MODERATOR: On that note, if you're happy for me to wrap up, I think we're all good. Congratulations again, Harold.

HAROLD VARNER III: Thank you so much, everyone.