LIV GOLF ADELAIDE

April 20, 2023

Cam Smith

Marc Leishman

Matt Jones

Jed Morgan

The Grange

Ripper GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome Ripper GC to the press center. We are joined by Matt Jones, Cam Smith, the captain, Marc Leishman and Jed Morgan. Welcome, guys. What is it like to be doing your very first LIV press conference in Australia? Are you guys excited to be here? What's the reception like? Tell us about this week so far.

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, it's great to be home. All four of us are pretty pumped to be here. Obviously excited to get started tomorrow. The support that the Australian people and people of South Australia have shown for LIV and us so far has been pretty awesome, and obviously it's going to be a lot bigger and better during the tournament.

Yeah, happy to be home. A lot of familiar faces, familiar food and drinks.

JED MORGAN: Yeah, it's great, isn't it. I think Australians have -- I'm sure it's been said many times this week, been deprived of these two boys here and Jonesy and myself playing golf in Australia for the last few years. I guess basically the standard of tournaments here haven't quite met what Australians love, so it's cool for this type of tournament to be back in Australia.

MATT JONES: Yeah, we don't normally get to come to Australia this time of year, so for Cam, Leish, myself, we've been on Tour for a long time, we don't normally get to come back in April, normally back here in December at the end of the year when we're exhausted. To come back here in April when we're enthusiastic and excited to play golf, it's kind of exciting.

CAM SMITH: Yeah, it's great. I think like Leish said, the Australian public and definitely Adelaide I think has embraced the golf tournament.

Yeah, I can't wait for tomorrow. I think it's going to be the benchmark for LIV Golf going forward.

THE MODERATOR: Do you anticipate the 12th hole -- what's the rowdiness level you anticipate there on a scale of 1 to 10?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, there's definitely going to be a few people around the stands. It looked pretty remarkable there. It's a great hole for people to watch, as well. I think it's like an 8- or 9-iron into a relatively kind of bowly green. Hopefully we get a hole-in-one, hopefully it's one of us boys, and yeah, I think it's going to be pretty rowdy nonetheless.

Q. Do you guys feed off of that energy? Are you looking forward to the rowdiness and the chanting and cheering?

MATT JONES: Yeah, I think as golfers we love to entertain, and when you get a hole like that where you get a chance to really do something with that many people around a green, it can be really exciting, and hopefully, as Cam said, we can get close to a hole-in-one or just hit some really good shots.

Q. Have you guys had a lot of opportunity to play this course and get to know it, or is it fairly new to you? Do you feel like you have the home field advantage here?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, I think we all got here Monday, played nine Tuesday, nine Wednesday, nine today. I think we've all done a fair bit of work on the greens, on the chipping green particularly.

It's nice to be back in Australian turf conditions, too. It's great turf conditions all around the world, but you can just tell when you're in Australia. It's firmer, it's fast around the greens, and it's just different.

I think just our years of playing on these turf conditions might be a little advantage rather than knowing the course well, if that makes sense.

JED MORGAN: Yeah, I think growing up as an Aussie, you learn so many different shots around the green. It's nice to come back and actually play and have the opportunity to play three different shots from the same spot. So I think, yeah, that's so unique. Playing golf in America, depending on when you play, what time of year, but the majority of times, shots overseas, apart from obviously the UK, present one option, and that's pretty much the shot.

But here obviously with how perfect everything is presented to us, there's four different ways you can hit it. You can hit the same shot with a lob wedge as you can with a driver around the green. It's really good. Probably not a driver, but you know what I mean.

Q. Yesterday, you were Cam's kind of last pick for the team. What's it like to be part of Ripper GC --

JED MORGAN: Last pick.

Q. What's it been like playing with Marc and Jonesy --

JED MORGAN: It's actually a really good question. No, I mean, it's obviously an honor to be picked. No, it's been good. I mean, an opportunity like this, I couldn't turn down, obviously, and it was something that once I played last year in the eight series events, yeah, I just couldn't wait to get back, and luckily he gave me the opportunity to do so.

Q. How are you guys enjoying being part of a team and getting to play with your friends day in and day out? How does that change the dynamic for you guys out on the golf course week in and week out?

MATT JONES: I mean, the dynamics -- we get to practice and play a lot together, so we get to talk to each other about how we play a hole, certain shots you hit on a hole, where you don't normally get that a lot on the other tours but more so after the rounds and before the rounds we spend a lot of time together having dinner, having breakfast together and just talking. It's just good to be with three other guys, three friends, and having a good time together traveling the world playing the game we love.

Q. Marc, how has the team aspect been for you?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, the team aspect has been probably one of the best parts about it for me. It doesn't really change the dynamic on the golf course for me because we're all competitive, we want to win, we want to beat each other, but off the golf course, it's been like -- well, better than I could have imagined. It's been a lot of fun spending a lot of time with the lads and everyone in our teams, as well.

Yeah, I've really enjoyed that, and looking forward to doing it for hopefully a lot more years to come.

Q. Cam, what's it been like being a captain? Have you embraced the leadership role or do you guys have more of a democracy?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I think we kind of run everything off our backs anyway. I think the way I describe it to people is being a part of this team is like we're four brothers that all hate each other and love each other at the same time.

Yeah, no, it's really cool. We spend a lot of time together. We talk about a lot of stuff, but there's definitely no, you've got to do this, you've got to do that.

Q. I wanted to get your reaction when you guys first got to Adelaide and you saw all the signage around the city. Cam, I don't think I've seen a tram or a bus that doesn't have your image on it. Just kind of that first initial reaction that it seems like Adelaide has basically turned itself over to LIV this week.

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I think there's definitely -- we're staying in the city this week, and there's definitely a big buzz around the city. There's lots of signs. You can't walk through the city without knowing what's happening out here this week, which I think is great. I think LIV do a really good job around the world with that, but I think it's been definitely stepped up a little bit this week in Adelaide.

I think the reception that we've got from everyone, obviously being the Aussie team, has been pretty special, and yeah, I think it's going to be a really special weekend for us.

Q. You guys right now are eighth in points, and yet it feels like you have a target on your back this week because of the home course advantage and the fans and whatnot. Do you guys feel like you're the team to beat this week because of all these intangibles?

MARC LEISHMAN: I mean, there's so many good teams. There's so many good players here, and golf is such a good game for that reason, because anyone in the field could win this week.

Yes, we might have the home ground advantage and the crowd support, but at the end of the day, you've still got to get the ball in the hole as quick as possible, and if we don't play well, we're not going to win. If we play well, we've got a good chance.

I think we're just -- we can't really worry about whether we're favorites or whether we're not favorites. I don't really know, to be honest, but Cam has been playing great. I think if we can play good, we've just got to let things unfold and see how it turns out.

MATT JONES: Yeah, I agree. I don't think there's favorites or anything -- I don't think we're favorites this week. I think we know the capabilities we have as a team and as players individually, and if we play with our capabilities and abilities, I think you'll see Rippers up there close to the lead come Sunday.

CAM SMITH: I think like Leish mentioned before, we spent a fair bit of time out on the golf course. I think it's nice to be on those -- on the stuff that we grew up on.

I think, like he said, there's a little bit of an advantage there, but anyone gets the putter hot, they're going to be hard to beat.

Q. Just flowing on from the previous question, when you do see your face around town so much, is it weird? How do you respond because you seem such an unaffected guy?

CAM SMITH: Not that much, as well, so I've seen a little bit of it, but the focus here this week is golf. I think it would have been easy for us kind of being the local kids to be distracted by that, and I think we've done a really good job so far at focusing on what we need to do here to win, and that's always been the priority.

MARC LEISHMAN: I think it's probably harder for us, for me, Jonesy and Jed, because we keep going like everywhere you look there's Cam.

Q. Can I ask about your game and reflections of Masters week; how did you reflect on your performance at the Masters and I guess you're always looking to improve, but what sort of shape are you in and what's your focus this week on course?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I feel as though Thursday at the Masters I let -- that was basically my only day I had where we had kind of good weather, and I only had a couple under there, and the course was a little bit soft, and I feel as though I left a few out there.

Then from there, I was on the back foot the rest of the tournament. I feel as though I played really good in spaces and not so good in others. It's kind of been, I guess, a reflection of how my game has been so far this year. That place for me, I always find out something about myself and something about my game, and come down here early on Monday and got to spend a little bit of time with the coach and just sort a few things out that weren't quite 100 percent, so the game is definitely trending in the right way, but like you said, we're perfectionists. Golf is a very weird bunch of people. We'll never stop until we get it perfect, and I don't think there is a perfect in this game.

Q. There's been a lot of talk during the practice rounds of how great it is to play with your teammates in the practice rounds. Starting on Friday, you're going to have that opportunity when you're out there playing. Cam, you're going to be playing with the other captains, and the three of you are going to be playing as a three some. Is that an advantage for you guys and the other teams, or do you think it's a disadvantage?

JED MORGAN: Well, I've had the opportunity obviously to play with one of the boys, me and Cam in Mexico, and that was definitely an advantage, I think. Anytime you get to play with someone familiar, just kind of familiarizes the whole thing you're doing, I feel, and the fact that the three of us get to play together tomorrow obviously in front of a home crowd to me is a bit of a dream come true. I don't know what these guys think, but I'm hoping they would think the same, because yeah, it's just unique.

I was kind of thinking how are they going to draw us in the field because Aussies just kind of want to see us play golf, and the fact that we're playing together I think is just awesome, and obviously right behind Cam, and hopefully we all play well and just follow each other in and whip us in pretty much.

CAM SMITH: I think, especially for us, we're a pretty tight-knit group, so I think -- I don't know, there's obviously a lot of teams that get along with each other, but I'd say we get along with each other the best.

JED MORGAN: Yeah, the cool thing with us is it's barely about the golf other than when it needs to be, and that's a pretty unique thing. I hope that trend kind of continues to go forward for us because I think it's what makes us good.

Q. With the three of you out there, are we going to need some extra crowd control?

JED MORGAN: Hopefully.

Q. You're going to have the biggest galleries for sure.

JED MORGAN: Yeah, I would say so. I'm not going to sugar coat it. It's going to be loud.

Q. Ripper was one of the teams that went through a rebrand this year. You changed the name and the logo. Tell us how involved you were in that process. Tell us about the team Ripper, what does it mean, and the details of the logo for those that don't know about it.

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I was actually very involved in that process. I actually had a lot of sleepless nights thinking about what I could come up with. I wouldn't say I'm a very creative person off the golf course, so it was tough. We spoke about it a little bit, I think, as a team, but yeah, basically I wanted to get the Southern Cross in there somehow, some way, that's on our flag, and it's basically I'd describe it as like a fast Southern Cross. Looks like it's going somewhere.

Yeah, no, it was awesome to do that. It's something I've never done before. It was cool to be a part of.

I think Ripper for us is kind of like a slang word. I think you'll hear it a lot out there, probably on TV a lot this week, as well, so yeah.

Q. Were you guys -- how involved were you guys in the process, and when you saw the final result, were you guys happy?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, I was very happy. I wasn't too involved to be honest. We sort of over a few beers one night, we threw a few names around.

Q. Leishman lagers?

MARC LEISHMAN: I can't remember what we were drinking, to be honest. But we'll say Leishman Lager. Yeah, we mentioned a few names, and then Cam came up with the Ripper, so it was good.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you guys so much for joining us, and good luck.

Q. Cam, if we are to expand next year and play two events in Australia. How much would an event go off in Queensland?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I think it would be unreal up there. Coming down here this week just to Australia I think means a lot to everyone, and I think it's going to be a great event. If we can squeeze two in, it's my home state, so it would be kind of a personal preference. I know we're kind of from everywhere around here, so we're going to, I guess, wait and see what happens. Like Greg said before, our main priority is making this the best event that we can make it, and yeah, we'll go from there.