LIV GOLF TUCSON

March 18, 2023

Sergio Garcia

The Gallery Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We have Sergio Garcia, finished 6-under for the day, minus 9 for the tournament. Captain of Fireballs GC, also happens to be atop the leaderboard. Sergio, two days in, how do you feel not only about your performance but also for the team?

SERGIO GARCIA: Great. Obviously super happy about how the team has done the first two days, even more so today, very, very strong day. So very proud of them.

Obviously I'm also happy that I was able to help, and it was a nice day.

Q. Coming off of yesterday heading into Saturday, is there any change in mindset for you or the team, or you stick to the game plan? And then also looking ahead to tomorrow knowing that you are top of the leaderboard?

SERGIO GARCIA: We still have to do more of the same. If we think that it's done, that it's over, then we're going to get passed left and right.

Everyone can see the quality of players that we have here. Anybody can make birdies or eagles any given time. So we have to go out there and put another solid three rounds and see if we can win the whole thing.

Q. Sergio, you guys won obviously in Bangkok last year. Do you remember what went on that night before the final round? Was there anything special that you guys did? You obviously had kind of a bigger lead then than you do now.

SERGIO GARCIA: No, not really. It wasn't anything special. I think that we've all been here and done it. So we know what to do to help us go out there with the best options.

So I think it will be more of the same tonight. It's just a matter of going out there and believing and playing well and getting it done.

Q. In terms of individually, you're only two shots back. Do you see this course as being something, a course that you can be aggressive on, or is it a little too penal, you know, trying to chase down Marc?

SERGIO GARCIA: It depends a little bit. I think it's just a matter -- obviously if you drive the ball well, you get some chances, but the greens are very firm and some of the flags are very difficult to get close to even with a short club. So you have to be careful where to go for it and where to not, so it's just like that.

But the course is playing beautifully. It's in great shape. The greens are beautiful. It's a great test.

Q. And how much different do you feel now? I think you changed your putting grip, is that right, before Mexico? Or did you change anything with your putting?

SERGIO GARCIA: No. I've done it before. Obviously these last couple of weeks, I was practicing at home. I was trying the conventional grip, obviously trying to get the best feel possible.

With some of the things that I worked with my putting the last year, year and a half or so, it feels much better. So I was able to hit a lot of good putts. Obviously a couple bad ones here and there, but no one is going to go through a tournament without hitting one or two bad putts.

So I'm very happy with the way I rolled the ball, even some of the putts that missed. We've got to do more of the same tomorrow.

Q. Abe was in here yesterday, and he was talking about how much support that he got from the community around here. Obviously you got a lot of support in Mayakoba. Do you feel it's somewhat similar to Mayakoba in terms of the support the Fireballs are getting?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yes. Maybe not quite to the same level because obviously we're playing in Mexico and two Mexicans in my team. But, yeah, I definitely feel like there's also a lot of Latinos, not only the American crowd, but there's also a lot of Latinos here pushing for us and then cheering us on.

It's been great, but it's been great everywhere. So we're super happy and super excited about what LIV is doing and the crowds that we're getting and everything. So we're just enjoying it as much as possible.

Q. First off, I want to say great round today. We've heard recent comments from Fred Couples, and guys like him and Rory McIlroy have been very vocal about this Tour. They've called it dead in the water. Do you think the sold out crowds and the pattern we're seeing, not only for here, but already for Orlando and Adelaide, but do you think they wouldn't be talking about it if it was dead in the water? Are they just bitter? What are your thoughts on their comments?

SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know. You'd probably have to ask them. I think, at the end of the day, we are where we want to be. We're happy to be here, and that's the most important thing for us.

Everyone, what do they say? Everybody has an opinion, the same as the other thing. Obviously everyone is going to talk. At the end of the day, we're very happy where we are. We love the product. You just have to see what's going on out here. So just go and ask them.

Q. And also with the recent changes that the PGA has made -- the only way they wouldn't be able to see is if they were blind. They're obviously copying most of the stuff they're doing here at LIV Golf -- do you think a bunch of the younger guys on Tour that don't make the elevated events will be trying to flock over here every chance that they get here in the near future?

SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know. It's a good question. I guess we'll wait and see, but not anybody can get in here. You have to be a great player and a big supporter and believe in what's going on here.

I'm not going to lie. I'm happy about what's happening on the PGA TOUR because I have a lot of friends there and they deserve to get everything that they're getting, and I'm happy for them. The same way that they're happy that I'm here and doing what we're doing.

So I guess we'll see what happens in the future.

Q. Last season you had a nagging knee injury, and I talked to you a couple times, and you said you couldn't really commit to the swing because of the knee. I know you had surgery in the off-season. Are you 100 percent? Because you look 100 percent today. You were playing lights out.

SERGIO GARCIA: No, it feels great. It feels really good. At the end of the day, it's just about being mentally strong and confident.

But, yeah, everything -- the surgery went great. Obviously all the work I put on throughout the off-season on my leg and my whole body, it feels good. The ice baths, everything, all those things, they really help.

So just really, really excited about the way things feel and just got to keep building on it.

Q. I just wanted to ask about your relationship with fans. Watching you from Tiger chasing it, and then it felt like it sort of flipped at some point where the fans maybe were Sergio guys, maybe they weren't. I'm just kind of curious what your relationship is like with fans today and if the LIV Tour has changed that for you, if you see a difference?

SERGIO GARCIA: I've always said it, I've always felt very lucky about the fan base that I have and the support I have gotten from the fans. Obviously not every fan is going to cheer for me, and I know that. When you're playing against the greatest player ever, obviously he's got a lot of fans.

So obviously when I'm playing against him, or when I was playing against him, his fans wouldn't cheer for me. But I'm pretty sure that, when I wasn't playing against him, some of his fans were probably cheering for me.

At the end of the day, like I said, I'm super happy about the support I get everywhere in the world, not only here in the U.S., and I can't thank the crowds enough for cheering on for me.

Q. You talked about the guys on the PGA TOUR. In a few more weeks, there will be a dinner. What kind of do you expect? Do you think it might be -- I know guys are still friends, but could there be some awkwardness?

SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know. You'll have to ask whoever is going to feel awkward. I'm going to feel fine. I don't have any problems with anyone, and I try not to make a big deal out of it.

I'm going to be there because I earned it, because I deserve it, and I'm going to enjoy it. I hope the rest of the guys do the same.