LIV GOLF TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP DALLAS

September 21, 2024

Tyrrell Hatton

Cam Smith

Dustin Johnson

Kevin Na

Maridoe Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by the captain of Ripper GC, Cam Smith, who with bested Fireballs GC today. We are joined by Tyrrell Hatton from Legion XIII, who bested HyFlyers GC today. We are joined by Dustin Johnson, the captain of 4Aces GC, who bested Stinger GC today, and the captain of Iron Heads GC, Kevin Na, who had a clean sweep over the Crushers today.

Kevin, did you guys ever think heading into this week that you guys would knock out Smash and then the top-seeded team, coming in as the lowest seeded team in a clean sweep today?

KEVIN NA: Like I've said all week, in match play anything can happen. I felt like yesterday, getting through yesterday coming into this week, I think we had some momentum. Guys were confident going into today and changed out the pairing today, and I think the strategy worked.

Q. DJ, you guys had a tough win out there today. You ended up winning your match against Dean 1-up and Reed won his against Grace 1-up. Can you tell us about the fight out there today and the fight that the Stingers put up?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, we knew it was going to be a tough match. The Stingers are a really good team. I liked the match-ups we had. But even Pat and Harold, who they got beat by Louis and Charl, but I think they were 4- or 5-under alternate shot and lost 3 & 2. They played really well. Obviously me and Pat both won our matches. We knew it was going to be a tough day. Conditions were tough today. Yeah, I'm really proud of the guys.

Q. You guys were another team that was on a lower seed heading in and now you're heading into the finals tomorrow. What does that say about the resilience of the 4Aces?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, this year we struggled a little bit, but I feel like everybody is playing well now, and obviously we've got a lot of confidence going into tomorrow, and anything can happen.

Q. Tyrrell, have you had a chance to talk to Cap yet?

TYRRELL HATTON: We exchanged a few messages probably 10 minutes ago. He sounds like he's doing a little bit better, which is good to hear. It was good for the team to win today.

I think whenever you're choosing a team to play, you almost give that team a little bit of an added incentive to go out there and win.

But yeah, it was nice for us to do our jobs and gave ourselves a chance going into tomorrow.

Q. How exciting was it to watch 20-year old Caleb Surratt and Kieran Vincent go out and absolutely dominate the match between Phil Mickelson and Brendan Steele? You guys must be so proud of the performance they put on today.

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, they've done well today. Obviously I was keeping an eye on the scoreboard today to see what was happening in the other two matches, and yeah, they got off to a nice start.

I think looking at how they actually scored, as well, they didn't really good many holes away. That's key in match play and especially in foursomes. They've done a great job today, and I'm sure they'll take some confidence from that into tomorrow.

Q. You dominated your match against Andy Ogletree, and then when you were done, you went out to go watch your sub-in teammate John Catlin perform. Are you liking taking on this role of captain this week while Jon is sick?

TYRRELL HATTON: I mean, I would have done the same thing if it was Rahmbo out there. As a team, I think you kind of -- if the guys are still out there playing, I think it's important, captain or not, you go out and support the guys.

Obviously sorry I delayed your press conference. I didn't realize that there wouldn't be a half point and they'd have to carry on playing. I guess you brought me into the air-con a bit sooner than I expected.

Q. Cam, congratulations, the Rippers won against the Fireballs. Leish won his match, Herby won his match. You had a tough match against Garcia and Ancer. Can you tell us about the day?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, the other two matches, actually Herby and Leish's match started off the wrong way, and we started off really hot and we were feeling pretty good, to be honest. Sergio and Abe played some pretty solid golf and just weren't able to put ourselves in the right position out there to get our match done, particularly on those scoring holes. I feel like there's only a couple around here where you can really dial in and try and make a birdie. We didn't do that well today, but nonetheless, we played some pretty good golf, as well.

Then Leish and Herby just really showed what type of players they are coming down the stretch. They dig deep, and it's nice to know that guys will do that for your team and their team.

I was happy I had them two out there.

Q. How much leaderboard watching are you guys doing while you guys are out there? There's a lot going on, obviously.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, there's a lot of leaderboards, so every time you see one, you're looking at it to see what's going on. You see how the guys are doing.

Q. Kevin, how was that for you watching your guys just dominate?

KEVIN NA: I was watching as much as I can. The nice thing was everybody was kind of never really behind, which was a bit of a relief. I was definitely watching.

Q. Tomorrow obviously is stroke play, all four scores count, totally different format. I know a lot of teams have had momentum but tomorrow is a different ballgame. Cam, talk about what we can expect out of guys tomorrow that had been performing well in match play. What might change for them tomorrow?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I think we've played well on Sundays when all four scores have counted all year. There's no reason that we can't go out there tomorrow and do the same thing. I think it's a hard test out there. It's easy to get behind the 8-ball. Probably a lot of patience and a lot of resiliency out there tomorrow given the conditions.

Q. Tyrrell, I know this is your first time at a Team Championship out there, and you guys have the chance to take it all. You don't have cap here. Do you have any extra nerves as you're on that first tee tomorrow heading out there knowing what's at stake for your team?

TYRRELL HATTON: To be honest, no. You just have to treat it like another Sunday. Yeah, just go out there and try your best. It's going to be quite an exciting finish with all four scores counting. I think the course will probably play a little bit different to how it did today. Being set up for match play, I think there was a few more tees forward than what we'll probably face tomorrow. But it was nice for us to get out on the golf course today. Yesterday was a fairly boring day, especially when you've been here since Tuesday, you kind of want to get started. Yeah, we're looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. DJ, are you hoping tomorrow is your 4Aces' chance at redemption to get back up on that Team Championship podium?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, obviously there's only four teams that have a chance, so why not. Obviously all four scores count and everyone going to have to play well if we want to win.

Q. Kevin, what does it feel like to be Cinderella?

KEVIN NA: Feels pretty damn good. I'm really proud of my boys. They fought hard. They needed -- when they needed to, they were there, and get the job done. It's a great feeling. I think a confidence boost the last two days going into Sunday. I'm telling my boys, anything can happen.

Q. You guys have struggled for results really ever since LIV started. What does it mean just to get to the finals, and what would it mean to actually win it tomorrow?

KEVIN NA: It would be huge. Yeah, I've been battling quite a bit with LIV trying to better my team. I think our team is getting better. Some of the guys are a bit young players as in the world stage, but they're only getting better every week we play in the experience they're building and the confidence they're building.

But in the last few years the friendship I've built with my teammates has been incredible, and it's something that I think we'll be friends for the rest of our lives.

Q. Tyrrell, can you kind of walk us through when you found out that Jon wasn't playing and also how the team processed it before the start of play today?

TYRRELL HATTON: Well, I mean, when I woke up this morning, I was under the impression that Jon would be playing today. Arriving to the golf course and seeing him, it was apparent that he just wasn't going to be up to it, which was unfortunate. I think we all kind of wish him well and want him to get back healthy as soon as possible.

I mean, it would have been nice to have him playing today. He's a pretty special player. But ultimately we kind of -- that aside, we still have to go out there and give it our best, and thankfully we were able to advance to tomorrow.

Q. Just the performance of your foursomes team, that was quite a win for them?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, looking at the scores, they played really well, and they didn't really give too much away, and that's key in match play, especially in foursomes. Yeah, the guys have done very well.

Q. Cam, can you walk us through your decision to play foursomes? Did you feel like it was a bit of a risky move or was it pretty easy to make that decision?

CAM SMITH: No, I don't think it was risky. I think Herby has played some great golf here the last couple of months out here. His results have been kind of top 5, top 10, one after the other, and he's been really consistent. And Leish has been playing really solid, too. Myself, I've been playing really solid.

I feel like it was really a matter of what match-up worked best really out there. The fact that Jonesy and I play the same ball was probably a really big factor. I mean, Leish and Herby play two completely different balls. If I was out there wanting to -- and I had to hit a shot that really mattered, I wanted to be hitting my ball. That was really what it come down to. I feel like Jonesy and I have very similar games, and we play the same ball, so it was really a no-brainer for us, although probably from the outside it looked like a bit of a squiff decision.

Q. DJ, obviously it didn't go the way we expected it to for the 4Aces this year, but if you win tomorrow, does any of the previous season matter?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, obviously we didn't have the best year. We were in position going into the last day quite a lot this year, just Sunday all four didn't play well at the same time. But obviously we've got a chance to redeem ourselves tomorrow. If we all four play well and we win the whole title, then yeah, you kind of forget about the rest of the year.

Q. I want to ask you to step in the shoes of a young Caleb Surratt and imagine, is this sort of a different and more conducive platform for somebody that young to double up relative to being on the tour where you're fighting for your card every week and there's no one else to lean on?

TYRRELL HATTON: I would say it's probably a nicer environment in the sense that you can maybe lean on other guys that are more experienced, whereas if you're a young lad playing on the PGA TOUR or DP World Tour and you don't know many guys out there, then it can feel more -- I'd say it would feel more lonely and you're kind of figuring it out a little bit more yourself. In this environment, you're a team, so asking questions and things like that is absolutely fine and kind of part of learning.

I guess Caleb had looked to Jon more so with Jon's experience of winning more tournaments and things like that. Yeah, I'd say that it's a pretty good environment to learn how to play professional golf.

Q. Can you give a couple of examples of how that might help the development of a golfer?

TYRRELL HATTON: I thought I just gave a pretty good answer there. I'm wondering what more you need from that.

CAM SMITH: I think there's a certain amount of learning you have to do by yourself, but I think being a professional golfer is far different, especially a good professional golfer, is far different to being an exceptional amateur. There are certain, I guess, tricks of the trade that you can really lean on guys and get stuff off of. It can be as simple as where to tee up the ball on the tee box, stuff like that, that really just goes through probably elite amateurs' heads like it's nothing, but it really does make a difference, particularly after four days.

There's a ton of stuff, just little stuff. They know how to hit the ball, they know how to chip, they know how to putt. That's the reason they're here. But the key to being an elite professional golfer is learning.

Q. Kevin, what was the rationale behind changing the lineup with you getting into the foursomes with two of the strongest putters in the league getting together for the foursomes?

KEVIN NA: Yeah, I felt like yesterday when I was watching the alternate shot hoping the guys would turn it around and win, I said, if we survive today, I was thinking I would change the lineup, that Jini and I would go out as an alternate shot and we would be pretty strong. As well as Danny has been playing and the momentum he's been on and the confidence he's got with the putter right now, I wanted to put him in singles again, and Scott Vincent being a long hitter out here, he's sneaky long, and I feel like that was a better play, and it worked out.

Q. Obviously Jini and you are very good putters, but the way Danny and Scott Vincent putted today was if they just had one club in their bag and they were just beating the Crushers. How good was that?

KEVIN NA: It's great. To watch the leaderboard and have them have control of their match throughout the whole day, it was a bit of confidence for us, for Jini and I, and Danny has been working extremely hard on his putting, and he's starting to feel more comfortable over the ball.

Scott Vincent, as well, he works extremely hard, and I know he's had a tough year, and he hasn't been too happy with his game, but in the last few tournaments I saw that it was coming around, and his hard work is starting to pay off.

Q. Cam, if I can ask you, there must have been some nervousness towards the end when both the matches, actually the Fireballs' young guys were leading and they made mistakes coming down the stretch. Can you tell us what were the emotions you guys were going through and what it says about match play golf that it can just turn around?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, after Jonesy and I got beat there on 15, I knew it was going to have to be a really big effort from the other two guys, given their position in the matches. I feel like there's not too many guys that I'd rather have out there, to be honest, in the world than those two guys.

I think Herby when stuff is not going his way or the team's way, he really steps up and grows an extra leg and really pulls something out of the hat every week. We call him "the gladiator" because it's just his personality. He always seems to come through.

Then Leish there on the last hole, I must admit I was pretty calm, but I know the people around me were very nervous. I had a feeling I could get it done.