LIV GOLF ANDALUCIA

June 29, 2023

Joaquin Niemann

David Puig

Sebastian Munoz

Mito Pereira

Real Club Valderrama

Torque GC

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome Torque GC to LIV Golf Andalucía. Welcome to Spain. We are joined by Sebastian Muñoz, Mito Pereira, Captain Joaquin Niemann and David Puig.

How excited are you guys to be in Spain and supporting the Spaniard on your team in his home country?

SEBASTIÁN MUÑOZ: Feeling great. We've heard a bunch of things of Valderrama throughout the years. Really excited to be here. Really excited to be hearing our language, as being the common tongue, I guess. Just ready to get going tomorrow.

MITO PEREIRA: Yeah, super excited to be here. First time in Spain for me, too. I think it's a good place to be for the first time, and the course is amazing, and obviously Spanish-speaking country, so hope they can support us a lot, and we'll try to do our best.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, also. I hear a lot of Valderrama. I always wanted to come to this place. Sergio has told me a lot how good it is and what kind of golf you've got to play here, hit different shots. Yeah, I'm excited for this week here in Valderrama, and see how it goes.

THE MODERATOR: David, do you feel extra pressure representing your home country this week?

DAVID PUIG: Not really. I'm excited to be here. First professional tournament in Spain for me, too, so I'm looking forward to the week and very excited to get going with this group of guys.

THE MODERATOR: We're now at the mid-season point. Do you feel extra pressure now with only seven events remaining to put the pedal to the metal for the individual race and for the season long race for the team, as well.

SEBASTIÁN MUÑOZ: Yes and no. I think we're third on teams. We want to secure one of those top four spots. So I think that's our goal.

On the individual, I think me and Mito are both in the top 10, and we're looking for our guys to finish the year strong so we can all make it. Feel really good, and expecting good results from here on out.

MITO PEREIRA: Yeah, same. I think we've been playing pretty good. We have two team wins. If we all four can play a week like we do, we can always be close to that leading team, so I hope we can have six or seven good weeks now and try to get on top.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, like Sebastian said. I think the goal is to get in the top four at the end of the year, and yeah, right now the 4 Aces and the Stingers are pretty solid during the season. They're really consistent.

I think we're just halfway, and we've got to finish strong to be on top of those four.

Yeah, we're all playing great. Mito and Sebastian are playing great golf for the last couple events, almost winning in D.C., and now being here in Valderrama and Spain, only David is from here. He's going to really enjoy this week.

I really like this course. I think it reminds me a little bit of kind of like the golf we play in Chile a little bit. It's a little more pretty here, though. So yeah, I'm excited for the rest of the season.

DAVID PUIG: Yeah, pretty much the same. These guys have been playing very good golf. That's why we're third. I helped a little bit, but I think I should do a little more in the next seven events so we can move to that first spot.

But yeah, I think in my case, I think there's no pressure, honestly. We just have great practice rounds. I think that our relationships are pretty good, and once we play on the course, I don't think there's any nerves, at least for me. Obviously we want to do it good and probably get better, but yeah, seven tournaments, I think we're getting better every single day, so hopefully we can get to the top.

THE MODERATOR: You guys did an activation yesterday for a local charity. I saw some pictures from it and heard it was incredible. Do you guys mind telling us a little bit about who you visited and what your experience was like?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, it was a great experience. We went to Casa Betania, and were able to see a lot of young kids that they struggle a little bit with their life. It was really cool for us to go see that reality and have some time with them. Had a laugh. It's really cool after what they've been through, how easy it is for them to have a smile.

They make us feel pretty good for us and see them smile, see them have a good time, showing them a little bit of the sport of golf.

As Team Torque, it's pretty cool to do those kind of activities and support in the community.

MITO PEREIRA: Yeah, it was a cool day. It's really nice to see people that is helping these kids and families. We go there, and we really -- I think you appreciate more what we have, more gratitude. We're really thankful, and those kids are receiving help.

Obviously they had a tough life, and these persons are dedicating their lives to make a better life for them.

But like Joaquin said, it's really cool to see those persons that have struggled and then they can laugh so easy, and they're just happy with small things that really make you appreciate a little bit more life.

Q. I was curious given Sergio's experience here, do you feel like the other teams maybe have a bit of a disadvantage because most of you guys don't have any experience playing this course?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: I mean, I think the only disadvantage is probably not having Sergio on the team. I think he's showed how good he's played during the years in Valderrama, how his game fits on this golf course.

But I think there is so many ways to play this golf course that it doesn't matter how -- there's not a way to do it. I think you can find your own way and stick to it, be confident around here, and just do your golf shots.

Q. Mito and Seb, in terms of the team competition, you guys are the only team that's won twice this year. Do you feel like going into the second half of the season that you guys are the team to beat, because you seem to get better each week?

SEBASTIÁN MUÑOZ: I feel like we're playing good golf. I feel like me and Mito have been playing -- finishing up there, and I know the two other guys are really good at golf, and they can do it just as easy as we're doing it.

Once we click, the four of us at the same time, we're going to be pretty dangerous. I feel like we're a pretty strong team, and we have one objective, and it's to finish up top at the end of the year. That's what we're aiming for and that's what we're trying to get.

MITO PEREIRA: Yeah, like I said, if us four can get a good week, we're for sure going to be on top -- I mean, probably on top. We're a strong team, and like I said, if we can the four of us play just good golf like we do, we can be a top team to win.

Q. What have you learned about Valderrama in the practice rounds?

SEBASTIÁN MUÑOZ: That it's very pretty. Super, super manicured. I really liked it my first time here. Completely different winds we played today and yesterday, so from hitting irons off the tees yesterday to today it was a bunch of drivers, it just changed the approach, and we get to know it a little bit more every day.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: We'll see if we have the same answer tomorrow.

Q. David, did you get a chance to play here growing up in Spain?

DAVID PUIG: Not really. I played twice last year in December last year, and today was my fourth round on this course, so not really.

Q. But that's four more rounds than these guys have, right?

DAVID PUIG: Three -- probably two, yeah. Well, three because they lost his clubs.

SEBASTIÁN MUÑOZ: I got them now.

Q. Was there anything you picked up those first two times?

DAVID PUIG: Just got it hit it in the fairway somehow. It doesn't matter how far you hit it. You've just got to be in position on every single hole to actually score because if you miss the fairways, you're going to be looking for a par at least in every hole. So yeah, just hit it in the fairways. There's nothing else.

Q. There's only been one team to ever sweep the individual podium, one, two, three, and that was the first tournament last year. Do you feel like with the strength of your team and the depth that you guys can do that at some point?

SEBASTIÁN MUÑOZ: We definitely take it as a challenge. We're motivated to get there, as well. What was it, in London, the Stingers?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Oh, yeah, that would be awesome. I think there's an extra purse for the top three at the end of the season --

THE MODERATOR: The Stingers won the team competition in London and three of the Stingers placed first, second and third on the individual.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: That would be pretty sweet.

Q. (On the merger of golf tours.)

DAVID PUIG: I think it's great news for everybody. Personally I don't know a lot about the topic, but great news that we're all friends again, and yeah, hopefully keeps getting better and we can find a solution or get together.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I don't really know what's going to happen. I think it's great for golf to be all on the same page, but yeah, I think it's too early to tell what's going to happen. I'm excited to see what's going to happen, though.

MITO PEREIRA: Yeah, I think they're trying to do the best for golf, getting together and trying to build something really good. We don't know much for now, but I'm sure they'll figure it out pretty good.

SEBASTIÁN MUÑOZ: Same answer.