LIV GOLF MAYAKOBA

February 22, 2023

Dustin Johnson

Patrick Reed

Pat Perez

Peter Uihlein

El Camaleón Golf Course

4 Aces GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the 2023 season of the LIV Golf league, which is very exciting, we're officially a league now, and we are joined today by the 4 Aces with a new face. We have Peter Uihlein, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, and Pat Perez, who are the reigning champs of LIV Golf. Welcome, guys. Just to kick it right off, as the reigning champs do you feel any extra pressure this year right off the bat?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I'm really nervous.

PETER UIHLEIN: No, I mean, I'm excited to be here. I'm happy to be a part of this squad. Yeah, when you're on a team with major winners and a 20-year guy, it's pretty special.

I'm thrilled to be a part of this team, and hopefully we'll repeat this year.

PATRICK REED: I wouldn't really say as much nervous, just kind of anxious, ready to get started, ready to get the year going and hopefully going out and starting the way we finished last year.

PAT PEREZ: Yeah, same. Not nervous at all, just excited to play, and try to play better and get that team trophy again.

THE MODERATOR: With a new Ace on board, do you have any different strategy? Has the dynamic changed since you guys have brought him on board?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't think so. I think the team is as strong as it was last year, if not stronger. I feel like we've got the better end of the deal here with Pete. I think he's a really nice player. I like having him on the team.

Yeah, I think obviously we've got a pretty good squad up here, and we're looking to contend every single week.

Q. A lot of the other rosters have obviously seemed to have upgraded, and I'm just wondering, you guys were so dominant last year with five wins out of eight tournaments. Do you feel like there's an opportunity for a team to be as dominant as you guys were last year, or because the league is stronger, maybe it's going to be a lot tougher fight?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, yeah, it's going to be tough. Even all our wins last year, it wasn't like they just gave it to us. We had to earn them. There's a lot of great teams. If we want to win, we're all going to have to play well and put the scores together.

Yeah, I think if we play like we did last year, then yeah, we're going to contend and win a lot of tournaments.

PATRICK REED: Yeah, I think that's the biggest thing. Not only did it get stronger but I feel like our games are improving, as well. I think that's the biggest thing when we come out is to prepare, get ready and play golf. If us four play the way we're supposed to play, I feel like we're a hard team to beat. Nothing is ever for sure. We just have to go out there and grind, and if we play half the game we're supposed to, we'll have a chance on Sundays.

PAT PEREZ: Same thing. I think I've gotten my game in shape over the last three months, and I know these guys are all ready to go, so I like our chances every week and throughout the year.

Q. Peter, can you talk about obviously joining a team that was very dominant last year?

PETER UIHLEIN: Yeah, obviously they won everything last year. I've kind of said this before, but when they had an opening, they're like the Yankees, and if they come calling, you answer the phone. I'm pretty fortunate to be in this position, and obviously I'm thrilled to be here and be a part of this squad and be with these guys. Yeah, looking forward to a good year.

Q. Dustin, have you had a chance to watch the Netflix episode that features you in it, and your thoughts on it?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have not.

Q. Will you watch it?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Probably not. I'm just being honest.

Q. No interest at all in watching it?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Zero. I watched them film me, so I don't need to watch the episode.

Q. I guess you're no longer with Adidas. Does any of that open an opportunity for the whole franchise concept with LIV because now there is space to sell for the team and possibly could you explain maybe how you envision that working throughout this year?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, well for me, obviously I've been with Adidas, I was with them for 15 years. We had a great relationship. It's still really good. We mutually agreed on parting ways. It just wasn't working how it was just with my new -- obviously playing for LIV and the way things kind of go. It was better for both of us to part ways.

For me being the captain of the team, obviously being able to go out and find a clothing sponsor is more beneficial than waiting another year. Which we probably will have something -- hopefully my clothes get out of customs and I'll have some stuff to wear by this weekend, but if not, I'll be wearing some blank stuff.

Q. In theory, though, wherever Adidas was on your shirt before, you could put somebody else there, and that endorsement income could then be shared with the team, right?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, absolutely.

Q. Which is sort of the goal?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. Everything we do, especially from now going forward, is going to be about the team and what's best for it. That's definitely the goal and will be the goal from now going forward.

Q. Captain Johnson, did Talor get traded or fired or what's the right word?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: All of the above.

Q. How does that work? Do you negotiate with the other captains?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, obviously last year it was a startup. Everything was kind of up in the air. I just remember after the first event, I had to pick my team, which I did not like the choices I had to pick from, so after that week, Pat was one of my first calls. Then Perez, then Gooch. I'm like, all right, I've got a good team because I did not like how it went the first week.

Yeah, so that's kind of how the team got started was just after the first event last year.

Talor, no, he wanted to go play with Harold, and so I said, good luck.

Q. How does that work with the captains? Do you have any say in the move?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, as of probably from here going forward I probably will, but like last year, no. It was kind of up to -- because no one had signed any contracts with any teams or anything like that. He had his option to do whatever he wanted, and I wouldn't want to keep a player that didn't want to be on the team. But it wasn't necessarily like that. Me and Talor, we're fine and we're friends, but I did tell him, though, he should enjoy being on stage in Miami because that was the last time he's going to do that.

Q. When you want to bring in Peter, do you consult with Pat and Pat and get their input?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, we all talked about it because obviously there was a few options, and we felt like Pete was the best option for our team, so then we asked Pete if he wanted to join, and he said yeah. It was really simple.

Q. How did you guys celebrate the team championship in the off-season?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I didn't do anything. I was at my house.

PATRICK REED: I did the same thing that I normally do. It was actually my first real off-season. Went on a family vacation with the kids and was actually able to have a dad. I didn't touch the clubs for the whole vacation, and it was nice. Then after that, back to the grind.

Q. What does Peter have to do to not get traded, fired, all of the above this year?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: He'll be fine. He'll be fine.

Q. I heard you guys had an off-season training camp. Is that true?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: We didn't.

PAT PEREZ: No, we didn't do that.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: The captain did not have one of those.

Q. Is this your first time playing all together as a team this week?

PAT PEREZ: Yeah. Three of us played in Jupiter one day.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I guess we played at Grove twice. If you want to call that training camp, sure.

Q. What are your first impressions of El Camaleon and how much intel you got from Pat and Patrick that they already played here?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, playing with these guys definitely helps because it's my first time here. I think the golf course is really good. You've got to strike it well around here, especially off the tee. If you can drive it well, keep it between the trees, you're going to be able to shoot some good numbers.

But I feel like it's all about driving the golf ball here, though.

Q. Golf is such a relentlessly individual pursuit, and this whole arrangement seems to be set up around the team environment. How much does that change the way you approach this game and the way you go about your work?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: It doesn't. Like you said, golf is very individual, so we all are going to practice differently, different times and amount of time. As far as the way I go about things is I still do the way I've always done it as far as getting ready for an event or at an event. Other than we might have a team dinner or something like that. But like we play practice rounds together, stuff like that.

As far as preparing differently, I definitely don't do anything different.

Q. Another way of putting it, what's more important, you winning or the team winning?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Both. I mean, I want the team to win, but I also want to win, too. Which all four of these guys do, the same. Or they probably wouldn't play golf.

Q. But in the Ryder Cup you get the environment, you get that the team is everything, doesn't matter what you do --

PAT PEREZ: There's no individual in the Ryder Cup.

Q. That's what I'm saying, so the team is everything.

PAT PEREZ: Here it's both. It's still both.

Q. But are you getting the team environment? Is that a really big part --

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yes, 100 percent. We all love being a part of the team. I know I do. I think I've said it a lot last year, talking about it. It's some of the best times playing golf for me was in college, being a part of a team, traveling with the team. Every event is individual but it's also team, too. I really enjoy this part of it, having a team and having these guys.

Yeah, I mean, I like it, and yeah, the team is definitely a huge part of it.

Q. Your feelings about starting this season doing the kickoff here in Mexico?

PAT PEREZ: I love it because we're here and the Tour is not. End quote.

Q. What does it mean to be here?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I think it's great. Obviously this is a beautiful resort. The golf course is really good. Excited to be here. It's the first event of the year.

Yeah, it's a great place to start. We've got really nice weather. It's warm, beautiful beaches, so why not start here.

Q. I talked to Abe Ancer, and he told me that LIV Golf changed the chip of every one of you in the course. Do you consider this is true? To change the chip, the way you feel about golf and the way you feel in the course.

PAT PEREZ: I don't feel any different.

Q. Do you feel in a different way, like it has changed something?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: For me, no. Golf is golf. It doesn't really matter where you play, where in the world, what tour you're on. It's still golf. I really enjoy playing it. I love the game, and I love competing. I don't feel any different, other than maybe enjoy it a little bit more.

Q. I wanted to ask you about last year was more of a beta test year. This year we've got the full 14 events. Do you feel like there's kind of a different vibe, a difference going into this year?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't think so. I think obviously last year we had a lot of success, and I think this year is obviously trying to continue that and grow the teams and grow the following and fans. I think we've gotten a lot of support, so excited to see what the year brings.

Q. With the whole league, with being on TV, that type of thing, it's obviously a difference.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, but I mean, it's a good thing. It's good for all of us.

Q. A few days ago the R&A confirmed they wouldn't ban anyone from teeing it up, including LIV Golfers. How much are you looking forward to playing in the Open and the majors?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Wasn't that a while ago?

Q. They actually released the criteria the other day and confirmed that you would be able to play in it. Is that welcome news?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I love playing the Open Championship, so yeah, it definitely would be exciting to compete there.

PATRICK REED: Yeah, it's always great to go play in the majors, especially at the Open. I feel like it's a true test of golf. It's something so different than we're used to, playing the ball in the air, letting the ball stop, and actually having to play different conditions, play the ball on the ground. It was exciting to see that news, but honestly, as major champions, you would think that you'd still be in the event.

We're just happy they did the right thing, so just go out and play well in those events again, because at the end of the day you go out and you win major championships, it all takes care of itself.

Q. Patrick, this is obviously a little more of a controlled media environment with the group interviews and not quite as much of the golf press at these events so far. Do you feel a little more relaxed out here, like you're not under siege a little bit?

PATRICK REED: Honestly it doesn't affect me either way, whether it's me individually doing an interview or with my guys up here. What I love about being up here and being a part of the team thing is it gives you a little bit more drive to do better on the golf course, play better, practice harder, try to make more birdies because you're not just playing for your team or your team at home, which is coach, family, things like that, you're up here playing for three other guys in a team aspect. I think that's what I love about it is having that opportunity.

Q. Pat, I guess the way it's going to work this year is LIV is not taking care of all the expenses; it's on the team. Does that mean you guys have to be more frugal in travel or whatever you guys are going to do?

PAT PEREZ: No.

Q. Why not?

PAT PEREZ: Just not. I mean, I traveled on my own for 25 years and I did it one way, and I don't see it changing with the way it's going.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Our team will be just fine. I have plenty of confidence in that.

Q. Patrick Reed, I see EasyPost on your shirt there. Is that an old --

PATRICK REED: Same one that's on the range?

Q. Can you talk about your relationship with EasyPost, and did that lead to EasyPost stepping up to be the first corporate major sponsor for LIV Golf?

PATRICK REED: Jarrett (Streebin) and I have a really good relationship, and we spent multiple years not just as a sponsor but more as kind of a friend. I think that's what's important is I built that friendship through just meeting him at Augusta one year.

It's awesome to see him out here and being a part of LIV as a corporate sponsor, and hopefully they continue showing support and we're able to get some more of those guys. But I think long-term that's what's going to happen. Some of the sponsors that are part of the guys now are going to start trickling down in and hopefully supporting LIV Golf and even supporting some of the teams.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys, very much.