THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 24, 2024

Collin Morikawa

Royal Montreal Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Collin, how has it been since you guys got here?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: It's awesome. We all decided to get here a week early and got here on Saturday. I feel like the week has kind of been just flowing really nicely. That's a big part of these team events.

We have a few functions and galas and I think just finding a rhythm in this chaotic week and being ready by Thursday is the biggest thing.

Q. Having been through a couple of these know what to expect?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Look, you never know how your game is gonna be. Thankfully my game feels really good. It allows me to get a little bit more rest. But it just kind of allows me to get on my normal schedule. I don't spend too much time on the golf course.

We're structured. We have to show up at certain time and we go around that. It's been good. I think everyone you has been able to do their normal routines and stick to that.

Q. Thoughts on Royal Montréal?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I didn't really know what to expect. A lot of small greens and undulations. I think when it comes to that you got to put yourself in the fairway. Rough is not crazy long. You can hit some and run it up. With just undulation you can hit some small targets and hit your irons really out here. Greens are running amazing. So just being able to make putts like that.

Q. See yourself as a veteran of these team competitions, being older, leader?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: A little bit. I still feel like the young guy which is weird. I think Sahith is the youngest one. Only half a year younger than me. But knowing I've had three events so far under my belt, it kind of allows me to just go out and not worry about that extra nerves or worry about do that, do that. I know what to expect, and hopefully lead by example.

Just show up when you're needed and focus when you're not.

Q. (Regarding U.S. presidential election year.) Presidents Cup got me thinking a little bit about role models. (Indiscernible.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I mean, my parents have been incredible role models. They kind of led a path for me to succeed and gave me a lot of opportunities, and I'm thankful for them.

Honestly without them I wouldn't be here today and who I am, so I have a lot to thank both of them for just doing an amazing job and continuing to do an amazing job for myself.

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

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I wouldn't put it as an obligation. I think just where we are with the exposure we get in golf and the eyeballs that are put on us, cameras put in front of us, you have to be a certain way and you expect yourself to be a certain way, and you hope to just make a kid's day or make a kid's year in some impactful way down the road.

That's all you can ask for. We're very, very lucky and we know we're very -- there are a lot of things on us and a lot of pressure in many different ways. You hope to just be able to be who you are and be able to represent that as best you can.

Q. (Regarding the mental difference/the mental side in this kind of tournament.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: You're playing for a lot more than yourself. It takes a lot out of it sometimes in a good way. It brings the best out of a lot of us. You can see that in some of the highlights of our Presidents Cups and Ryder Cups.

Yeah, it's draining, and nice to know there is only 18 holes essentially or one match that you're going to play on Thursday and one match on Friday to just be ready for the long, long hectic week.

Q. (Regarding the crowd.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, look, the crowd is going to continue to be on the internationals' side the entire week. For us, we got to go out and win as many points as we can.

Q. What is your favorite part of America?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Favorite part of America?

Q. Not geographically.

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I was going to put it like my favorite part in the world in the U.S.. I'm going to answer that geographically now. The places I've been, probably Hawai'i.

Q. Who is the funniest guy on tour?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Xander. Easily.

Q. Two or three things you think of then you see Canada?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I think of La Cañada.

Q. What's that?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: That's my hometown. It's in California. That's what I think of. My wife is Canadian so I think of her. That's two. (Smiling.)

I mean, I immediately think of Vancouver when you say Canada, even though it's one small part of the Canada.

Q. The hometown thing confuses me.

COLLIN MORIKAWA: It's spelled like La then Canada with the tilde on the end. I always get announced La Canada, so that's what I think.

Q. Okay. You mentioned Xander is a fun guy. (Indiscernible.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I don't know. Honestly I think it's just keeping people calm. Like if they look -- if they're freaking out, nervous, I think I'm just kind of the -- I'm the stone cold just kind of quiet neutral guy, dude going about my business, keep everyone happy, let them laugh around me.

Yeah, look, I think I bring a sense of ease around the team. Sometimes these events, you get tense. You don't know how the rookies are going to feel, the guys around you. But I'm always there. Always there to put a smile on everyone's face.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: What he would be the MVP of? You want me to say what he would be the MVP of? Xander is leading in energy for sure. I've been around Pat for a long time and he's kind of the smart ass comment from your left shoulder.

Scottie is always there to keep a smile on your face.

We have a lot guys on the team that honestly, a lot of just good, positive energy. You know, it sounds pretty cliche and cheesy to say, but you can kind of go up to anyone and have a good laugh and talk. That's what's great. Xander definitely wins the MVP for kind of like class clown.

Q. Sounds like the chemistry is there. You could play with anyone on your team. For today and tomorrow's practice rounds, did you go and say there is something special happening with whoever or is that already determined?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, that's how we're going through our practice rounds. Yeah, if I felt a certain way I feel super comfortable saying, yes, I want to do this, or, no, I don't want to do that.

I learned through these few events that there is nothing that you can't say and tell him, right? There is nothing off the table. You have to be honest with yourself, with the captains, because at the end of the day it doesn't matter if you're out there playing or if you're on the side watching.

You just want that point for every single match. Whatever it takes, like you're going to make sure you do that. So, you know, yes, like would every single one of us want to be out there, win five points, 1000%. But you got to do what's best for the team.

Q. And you can play with anyone to do that?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I think so, yeah.

Q. You've been around for years. Curious what's your best memory of...

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Just the memories you make in the team room. You know, it's kind of like our locker room and our behind the scenes getting the wives together, us together, captains. We've got 40 something people in a room just shooting the s*** and hanging out.

Like honestly, it's like just a family, right? You feel super comfortable around them. Your first one you never know how it's going to go and what it's going to be like. You dip your toes in the water and it's a lot of fun.

Q. If I ask you to pick one of the best memory on the golf course.

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I mean, closing out Whistling Straits and hitting the shot against Viktor and knowing I was going to secure that half point. Seemed like we were going to win, but you still got to close it out.

I won't forget that shot.

Q. You'll remember that shot?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah.

Q. What are the main challenges of this course?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Just sticking to who we are and playing our golf games. The hardest thing about team events I think for us is like changing up our golf style and changing up, you know, how we play just because it's a team event, just because you have a partner behind you.

It's just kind of being in a rhythm. Look, this is an away game for us. This is an international crowd. I haven't played an international Presidents Cup so I don't know what to expect from the fans. Hopefully we still have a good contingent being so close to the U.S.

Q. Do you think there is a shadow over this team after what happened last year?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I mean, I don't. It's a completely different event, different golf course every year. Yes, you can look back at the history, but it's a different course every single time. It's different teams.

You just got to put weight into what we have this week and hopefully it plays out in our favor.

Q. Thoughts on Montreal so far?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I have loved it. Golf course is amazing. Small greens. Kind of fits to what I do.

There is a lot of undulation. Greens are running amazing. Just got to make a lot of the putts out here, as in any match play.

Q. First time in Montreal?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah.

Q. You like it?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah. Haven't really done too much. Can't speak on behalf of it.

Q. Who is someone on your team that you're jealous of their swing?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Probably Scottie. The ball -- I mean, I'm jealous of where his ball goes. Goes super straight. Xander has a great swing. Yeah.

Q. (Regarding who is late.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Late? Probably Pat.

Q. (... least likely and why.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Least likely? Probably me. (Laughter.) Yeah. Probably me.

Q. Any reason?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I just like -- yeah, no, I think I am just -- not that I have bad taste. I just don't play the songs everyone wants to hear. I vibe to my own beat I guess. (Smiling.)

Q. As you should.

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, as I should.

Q. (Indiscernible.) Sounds dumb.

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I mean, it is dumb. Different golf course. Different team. Yes, there has been a history and that's part of it. But, look, for me, I've had one international team event and I lost. We lost.

So this is an international team event for us. This is not on our home soil. Home crowds definitely play a factor. Hopefully we have some more U.S. people just because we're so close.

But, look, I think when you look at the history, it's just a completely -- everything is different, right? There is no exact same team, exact same course.

For us, every point is going to matter. There is no given free points. We know that.

Q. Being the underdogs, can you feed off that?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: For sure. I mean, everyone loves an underdog story. Some people love to be an underdog. We know it. I mean, we know that everyone is kind of looking at us and we got a target on our back. In that case we're going to flip it and say we're going to do the hunting and go out and win those points.

Like I said, nothing is given. I've learned that not on in regular tournaments but in team events. Doesn't matter how good you guys or how good the team is thought to be, you got to go out and earn it.

Q. Driving accuracy, always something they talk about second on TOUR.

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Cool.

Q. Just particularly with the club, like I know we talked last two years about the swing being a work in progress. With the driver, has it felt like you found a little something in the past year?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, there has been a nice rhythm. It always goes back to the swing. But when I'm able to just know -- if the ball starts online you can kind of work from there and like know what kind of curve.

Even if I was hitting a draw I could at least start it on the same spot and aim somewhere. Now it's starting roughly in the same spot. I think all year it's been able to be pretty consistent just because I know it's coming out of a barrel and I aim and play for that. It's all you can ask for with the driver especially.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Not a draw. There is not even a handful of holes, only a couple holes throughout the year where you have to draw it. Honestly, those holes, like you don't really have to hit a driver.

I've had to work on hitting a straight ball and not cutting it as much. You know, bringing it in if it's a tight tree-lined golf course.

I feel like I got that shot kind of in the bag. With those two shots I can kind of play a lot of golf.

Q. Some guys sometimes are attempting to try to find a shot maybe they don't quite have. They're great at cutting the ball, hey, what if I need to draw. Have you ever had to go against...

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I still work on it. It's not like I can't hit it. It's not like I'm handcuffed and, man, I should just take iron off the tee. It's like it's there; maybe not as consistent and it's a constant process.

If I know I can hit this one cut shot and just absolutely hammer it out, like I said, there is not many tee shots that I say I can't hit to tee shot.

Yes, if it makes it a few yards tighter or doesn't fit the hole, I'm going to take that and say that's fine. I might hit the fairway a few more times. I'm 100% taking fairway than saying did I hit it perfect. Get maybe eight more yards out of it. Doesn't really matter.

Q. ...said it's kind of important for him and the team to have another day of prep. (Regarding having an extra day).

COLLIN MORIKAWA: 100%. I feel way more comfortable already. This is my fourth team event, and Rome was a lot farther than this and a lot farther than my other ones. The extra day I think has helped every single one of us tremendously, just because you have so many things throughout the week that just being there, going through all your clothes, not worrying about anything like extra curriculars, just getting pace on that has been huge.

So feels like we've been here that extra little day that has allowed you to be like, okay, you're not going to be hit by a bus on the first tee and be like, whoa, now we're playing. I think we're all pretty much ready if we had to tee it up tomorrow. Nice to have one more day to get things dial in.

Q. Do you think this will become standard operating procedure?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I think so. This is our first try at it. I think it will be. I see no reason why it wouldn't be. We all had three weeks off or some guys had whatever to play Safeway, or Napa, Procore. I was going to say Fortinet, whatever. I played it when it was Safeway.

Yeah, Fry's.

But I think all of us enjoyed being there. It's not like we did anything. We had dinner -- flew in, had dinner, relaxed, tried on clothes. Simple stuff but stuff that adds time. Time is not in your favor in these weeks.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Not really. I mean, my first two worked pretty well so you just kind of figured kind of going on that same game plan. I think Rome hit us with a lot of different kind of areas of weaknesses. Just opened up and showed us a lot of what we need to work on.

I think we all -- not we all -- but few of us showed up with games that quite -- like I would say my game is a million times better than it was in Rome. That's just how it is. Some years you're going to play better; some days you'll play better.

I didn't feel like I was playing that well and it made it hard. Didn't matter if I was playing the week before or three weeks before. The game wasn't there. Those guys played really well.

Back to the whole Saturday thing, being here a day earlier I thought has made a tremendous impact on us. Not only the prep of the golf course, but just being set. We're so used to our routines when we show up on a Sunday night or Monday morning. We also don't have a ton of media, a ton of dinners, galas opening ceremonies, whatever it may be.

That just adds to the week. I think as long as you get really comfortable and relaxed, adding that one extra day a super beneficial.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I had a about a week of just kind of like -- we were in Vancouver, LA, little vacation. Little sponsor stuff. So I stayed pretty busy.

It was nice to be home for a handful of days. Got some good, good practice and play a bunch with some guys.

Q. Do you have a preference?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: If me and that partner are playing well, just stick with it. I think last year Rickie and I didn't get off to a good start. Pat might have felt a little bit under the weather.

It was kind of a last-minute me and Xander and we didn't play well. Sam and I went out and said screw it and try and win.

Look, I think the game plan is for everyone to kind of have everything set. You just kind of roll with that. Most of the time game plans don't work exactly how you want. I think our team has a really good set on this week and going forward.

Q. (Regarding being at this level.)

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I mean, I've loved it. I've been a part of a good amount of teams through amateur golf and junior golf and into this. I feel like I got a good mix of it, of everything.

Honestly, like I love it. Like they're just a lot of the fun. But you want to win. I've been a part of a lot of winning teams. Last year honestly it sucked. It just flat out sucked.

It is not fun losing these team events. My first two iterations of pro golf team events were incredible, so hopefully we can kind of get back on that track.