THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 24, 2024

Jason Day

Royal Montreal Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. What have you taken from your experiences in past Presidents Cups?

JASON DAY: Well, my first one was 2011 down in Australia, and I would say over the years, just watching over the years, the guys have gotten a lot closer, and not necessarily the same guys over and over again, but I'm just saying that the actual team element, the team environment has shifted a lot since when I first started.

I know that it's improved dramatically, especially when Ernie kind of took over, changed the flag to the shield, and then we had Nick Price, as well, who was a great captain.

But I've missed the last couple, so it's nice to be able to get into a room and have guys very passionate about trying to win the Cup, which is, I think -- back in my day, maybe not a lot of the guys were maybe bought into the Presidents Cup as what I'm seeing now, myself included. I felt like I probably could have done a little bit more.

But it's nice to be able to sit in those team rooms, hear the guys talk. The tournament has improved dramatically since I first started. The way when you walk into the player area, having the locker rooms, everything like that, it means so much more now than what we had before.

Q. How important can the crowds be playing here in Canada?

JASON DAY: Yeah, it's going to be interesting. Obviously I feel like this is probably the closest home game that I've played in front of because when we go down to Australia, I think they're just so excited to see everyone because we don't get a lot of golf down there, like especially the big names. In Canada, it's obviously so close to the United States, and there's like that friendly rivalry between the two countries, so it's nice to actually feel like we have an actual home crowd, which is nice. I don't think I've ever felt like that before in the times that I've played.

So it's obviously crucial for us to get off to a good start, but I think they're still going -- I'm hoping that I get to play come Thursday, but I'm just -- we'll leave it up to the captains to see who they pick.

I know whatever they pick, they have a lot of faith in those guys to go out and get the points.

Q. (On the emotion of the International Team).

JASON DAY: I've talked to some of the guys on both sides. Now, granted, it's been around a lot longer, but I can tell how emotional they do get when you talk to them about it. You talk to the Europeans, how much they want to beat the Americans, and there is that rivalry there, you can tell, and you can hear it when they talk about it. That's America versus Europe, as well. I feel like the way the guys look at it, I think that's shifted. I think they're very driven and passionate about this tournament now. Like I'm looking at Ben and Tom now, like there's guys that -- like the young guys all the way to the top guys.

When you have experience like Adam Scott, you hear them talk, and I think this is his 11th one, so he's been on the losing end of those for quite a long time.

You can hear how much he wants to win one. I think it'll only take one. If we can get one, I think that'll change the tide a little bit.

I feel like we have a tremendous team right now from top to bottom. In the past, I'm not sure if the numbers kind of stacked up as well. But this week I think the guys are more than prepared. We had guys play Napa and we had guys playing in the BMW last week. That's a lot of commitment to go over and play the European team and then come back this way. Guys are ready to go out and play.

Q. Have you seen an emotional transformation in these teams?

JASON DAY: I think it's having an appreciation for being able to go out and play. I think in my younger day I didn't really look towards the Presidents Cup as something that I wanted to play in because it's such an individual sport, and I never really cared too much to play in the Presidents Cup because all I cared about was playing on the PGA TOUR and trying to win.

Obviously the Olympics kind of opened my eyes a little bit to know that it's a little bit more than yourself. To be a part of the Presidents Cup team -- look, if I play one match, I'm going to do the best I can. I'm just here for the team to try and support them the best I can. If they play me five times, then I'm ready to go five times. I don't care how much it is.

I just see the difference in the team room, how much the guys care, and when everyone is kind of pulled in and playing together and they're all pulling towards a goal, it makes you want to go even further, too, for the guys.

It's nice to have a team of guys that are willing to go that extra mile.

Q. Have you finally figured it out, finally figured this out?

JASON DAY: The Presidents Cup?

Q. You've matured, right?

JASON DAY: I don't know if I've matured. I just think back when I first started out, I was pretty gung ho about it, and I felt like there are some guys that just didn't quite have the drive as much as some of the other guys. When not all working towards a goal, then it hurts.

Then you fast forward to some of the other ones, I didn't have as much drive as some of the other guys, and that kind of hurts the whole team environment. You've got to have all the guys pushing towards that goal of trying to win the Cup.

I think with what we've got now, from the experienced guys to the rookies, you can just see it in our group texts, you can see it in our talks when we have the captains come and talk and the guys talk, they want it really bad, and when people want something really bad and the urgency is behind it, it's really hard not to be in that team environment and not want it with them. That's kind of what I've understood over the last Cups that I've played.

Q. Why do you think it's taken this much time?

JASON DAY: Well, I said that, like, I never really watched the Presidents Cup -- it's like the Olympics when I first heard about the Olympics. I'm trying to be as open and honest as much as possible because I could come up and give a very political correct answer. I'm not going to do that. I feel like I'm just dancing around an answer.

I've really wanted to play in the Presidents Cup. My first Presidents Cup I was excited. I'm not sure the team environment was as passionate as we have now. That kind of hurt my drive to want to compete because I'm like, well, if some guys aren't wanting to push, then why do I need to push. That happened when I wasn't as driven in, like, Korea. I wasn't as driven there to compete.

I think that hurts the team environment.

I can't be there saying, hey, these guys didn't drive and I'm doing the exact same thing, come a couple years later.

It definitely opened my eyes when I played the Olympics and how much more it means to playing the game of golf and what the game of golf has given me, and then obviously seeing the guys and how they are, that definitely opens my eyes to wanting to play as hard as I can for these guys.

Q. (On the strength of the the U.S. Team).

JASON DAY: Yes, yeah, I believe so. The U.S. Team is very strong, regardless. Every time they play the Europeans -- every time they play the Ryder Cup, they're very strong. Every time they play the Presidents Cup, they're very strong. We know that from the get-go.

I think what Ernie Els -- Nick Price, Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman and Mike Weir have done tremendously is build a team environment for us to get behind and drive and have that passion. I think that's the one thing that we were potentially lacking was potentially that, and I think since those guys have really changed the environment and what we play for, I think that's helped a lot.

Whether we play well and win this week or not, we know that we're stepping in the right direction. It's going to happen at some point. We've just got to keep doing what we're doing.

I think, like I said, this team is very strong. I like the way that the guys are, how they're interacting with each other. We've become pretty close in a short period of time.

We seem to say that every single Presidents Cup, but it seems like there's a lot more there behind it.

I'm just saying, like, all the feelings of it, the emotion of it is different.

Q. With so many guys coming from different places, what are some of the things you've sensed from the team dynamic?

JASON DAY: Well, we came up and had a scouting trip, and we played little games like what we did today. We played alternate shot potential matchups in what the teams were going to be, potentially, and we go out and play, guys are supporting each other. It's just little things. We get away with the team. We have dinners during the year. We have practice rounds with each other during the year. It's just kind of building that emotional attachment to each other and trying to drive that.

But like I said before, the teams, it wouldn't be where it is right now without what we've had, the leadership that we've had, like with Ernie, Nick Price, Trevor, Mike Weir. Those guys have really changed the dynamics of how we look at the Presidents Cup as a team, and that's kind of -- when you have leadership showing, hey, this is what we're doing and this is the way we're pulling, it's very easy for us to all get in line and start following.

Q. When did you play those practice rounds?

JASON DAY: That was like two weeks ago, I think.

Q. What are some of the challenges of your team?

JASON DAY: Yeah, obviously foursomes, that's hugely the tough one for us. But the main challenges, I think just trying to just get out there and just do the job like we can. We're all trying to do something. Like there's no apologies. If you go for a pin and you went for it, you've just got to go out there and compete the best you can. Just get stuck in your own game, in your own mind. Don't worry about what they're going to do. They've got veteran leadership. They kind of come from an old-school mentality with a new-school look in regards to their players, and it seems like they know how and what to do when they either do something, say something, how -- they're able to play the game a little bit better than us.

I think we've just got to stay in our lane a little bit and not try and pay too much attention to it and just play.

Q. What's the strongest memory from your last Presidents Cup?

JASON DAY: My last one? Well, I've missed the last two, so I haven't got the worst memory in the world.

Q. Liberty.

JASON DAY: Liberty? Oh, the fans. It was quite interesting getting heckled everywhere you go.

I don't usually say a lot to fans, but that was one week where I said a few things multiple times that wouldn't too great.

Usually it's the Sunday night -- well, we got smashed Sunday night and they got smashed again the next Sunday night. Those are the ones we remember. We definitely party a lot better than the other guys I feel like.

Q. How well do you know Min Woo Lee?

JASON DAY: I've known minute for a while. I remember meeting him when he was still an amateur and a junior. Like unbelievable game. I feel like -- I've said this to him point blank, dude, you've got all the talent in the world to be the next best player, No. 1. I think he's finally understanding that there needs to be, like, a certain work ethic that comes with that and a certain lifestyle that comes with that.

I know him and his coach have been working very, very hard. His caddie Stu has been working hard with him. His whole team environment, I think he's starting to understand what it takes to be the best.

I think he's still young. Hits it an absolute mile. He's got a tremendous game. Really good short game. I think once he starts to develop some of the other things -- he's not scared of it. That's the great thing is he's mentally tough, which is nice.

I've got a lot of high hopes for Min.

Q. (On meeting the Canadiens).

JASON DAY: We didn't meet the whole team, but it's just surprising how small you feel when you're standing next to some of those guys. When I was No. 1 in the world. David Savard used to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he walks out, and I'm like, freaking Savard is here. I didn't know Savard was playing here. We both look at each other through the glass like what the hell are you doing here, man. It was nice to be able to see those guys.

It's amazing their mentality going into it, that they're doing everything -- we were in the owner's box, so when you walk through, they're coming out of the locker room, so you're watching them standing there and pumping themselves up. We're in a game where we're trying to bring everything down because if you get too hyped you can't play well. It's very difficult to play from that. They're in there jumping up and down, screaming at each other. It was really interesting to see that dynamic.

I mean, it was pretty impressive to go through the bell center and all that stuff, too.

Q. (Indiscernible).

JASON DAY: It breaks my heart, especially his brother, as well, and then obviously his sister and what kind of a weekend they were going to have as a family, and then obviously the announcement of his brother was having a baby and then obviously he was going to have another one. So it hurts my heart.

Just goes to show it doesn't take much to just make a mistake. In this day and age, I feel like you can just call an Uber and just get home safely. Unfortunately the guy made the wrong mistake by driving.

I knew of Johnny, but just silly, silly mistakes.

Q. (Indiscernible).

JASON DAY: They won 10 grand. It happened again. So Smitty is Mike Weir's good friend. He's a local guy here. He was helpful in getting the Presidents Cup here in Montreal.

Two weeks ago we played, and we just played individual, and I cleaned up the money then. There was first, second and third. I was luckily enough to get 5,000.

Then I think Si Woo and I can't remember who the other one was, but there was like three others, so five, three and two, and then today Tom Kim and Min picked up the 10 grand.

Q. What's the game you play, is it 14 through 18?

JASON DAY: Yeah, it's 14 through 18.

Q. Just play your own ball?

JASON DAY: No, it was alternate shot, so we had alternate shot like we were playing. We played the 14th hole, and everyone hit driver, and we played it horrifically, so we went back and played it again with the irons and everyone played it better. Obviously stats are stats. When you look at the stats guys, they say, hey, get it up there as close to the green as much as possible, and stats are funny, man; it's hard because it could be Sunday and 14th hole and stats say get driver all the way up there, but you don't know what you're feeling. You could be down, you could be in front. So we all went back there, hit irons. They hit it on, and we played the hole much better. That was a good test.

But like I said, Tom and Min played great. They were 2-over I think through the first two and then came back and won.

Q. Who is your role model and why?

JASON DAY: Are we talking like golf?

Q. Whoever.

JASON DAY: I love Roger Federer. I was actually just talking about him because one of our guys on our team, Andre, he actually worked in the tennis world for a while and then actually was partnered with Roger's agency, worked with Anthony Godsick, who was manager of Roger, and got to talk to him.

He's a gentleman off the court and on the court, the way he played, he was very graceful in that. He's just someone that I look up to sports-wise is Roger Federer.

Q. Do you feel an obligation to be a role model?

JASON DAY: I try and do my best. I have my weak moments, like everyone does.

I know I'm not going to please everyone, but I just try and do the best job I can. If I can play the game in a certain way and make sure that I'm playing it for the good reasons, the right reasons, usually that kind of crosses over into being a role model.

Q. On the lighter side of things, outside of golf, if I say "Canada" to you, what do you think of?

JASON DAY: Maple Leafs, Toronto, the hockey team. "Eh?" And then Banff. I don't know why Banff, but my buddy, I've been trying to pressure my buddy into getting married, and I said, I'll only go to your wedding if it's in Banff or in my backyard. So Banff.

Q. Of the 12 guys, who's the MVP of the team?

JASON DAY: I'm not the MVP of anything.

Q. Who is MVP, whether for the energy --

JASON DAY: Who brings the energy? Tom Kim. For a young guy, you can tell he loves this environment. Scotty from the sheer experience of, like, being on 11 Cups. But I feel like there's just so many guys out there that are just so great at a lot of things. But those guys -- when it comes to passion -- I know you guys probably won't get the opportunity to hear Scotty in a team room. When you hear Scotty in a team room, it's pretty impressive.