LIV GOLF PROMOTIONS

December 11, 2024

Jed Morgan

Kalle Samooja

John Catlin

Riyadh Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome Jed Morgan from Australia, Kalle Samooja from Finland and John Catlin from the USA. You're all at LIV Golf Promotions this week having competed in some form in the regular season LIV Golf events. Jed, you played two seasons on LIV Golf with Ripper. Can you talk us through that experience looking back and what it would mean this week for you to play your way back on to LIV Golf in 2025?

JED MORGAN: Yeah, it was obviously a great two years there. The golf wasn't that good, but obviously the experiences were nice. A lot of fun with the boys on that team and obviously created some memories I'll never forget.

The year out here has been good, as well, though, so I look forward to trying to get back out there, obviously.

Q. Kalle, you're technically the defending LIV Golf Promotions champion; you earned your way on to LIV Golf this past season with the Cleeks. Can you reflect on this time last year and what it takes to get it done this week?

KALLE SAMOOJA: Well, last year I didn't really have many expectations, didn't know what I was for. This year of course it's a bit different, how the year was, and what's ahead of whoever wins this week. Obviously it's a great chance this week. A little less spots than last year so it makes it even harder, so we'll see what the week brings.

Q. John, you played four events with the Crushers this season and you had a win with Smash at Greenbrier being one of the highlights. Can you talk us through those experiences, and what would a card for next year mean to you?

JOHN CATLIN: Yeah, it was great to kind of get my feet wet, see what LIV Golf is about and just how amazing it is, and playing for Crushers was great. That was kind of a nice easy transition. Bryson made it very easy, and the team was very, very accommodating.

Then winning with Smash, I kind of made a joke, I was like, I'm one for one. Yeah, that was really cool.

But to be able to be out there full-time, that would be something truly special, especially after seeing how awesome it is.

Q. The stakes are a bit higher this time with only one place up for grabs on LIV Golf. What does that additional pressure bring, and does it affect the game plan going into this week?

JED MORGAN: It's still just another tournament. Obviously there's prize money to be made, but you can't -- you obviously want to go into a tournament to win the thing, obviously. One spot is obviously somewhat of a lottery ticket, but I don't think it changes. I feel like everyone in this field plays their tournaments to win anyway. Your mindset doesn't change. Obviously that last day, maybe the back nine, you're probably just going to focus that little bit more because obviously you know that the one spot is obviously what is most meaningful, but I don't really think it changes much for me. I try and win everything.

KALLE SAMOOJA: Yeah, most likely will come down to the last few holes and the last few putts, so it's something you can't really know in advance. Yeah, you've got to try and do your best and hopefully be in contention the last few holes and have a chance to get the spot. That's the only thing you can kind of control and I'll try to get myself in that mix, and hopefully it will be good enough again this year.

JOHN CATLIN: Yeah, as they've kind of alluded to, whenever we tee it up, we're trying to win. I think that's why you practice. That's why you put in all the hours, and you see what you've got when it comes down to those last few shots on Saturday afternoon.

I like my chances. I think it comes down to playing good golf, and I've done a lot of that this year, and hopefully I can keep doing it.

Q. Obviously this is a bit of a different format. Does it require a different mindset to get through this format, kind of a survive and advance the first two rounds and then 36 holes in one day? Certainly not your normal four-round stroke play format. Is there something different required from a mental standpoint?

JED MORGAN: Probably patience. I think we're lucky, actually. Earlier in the year -- a couple months ago we went through a typhoon in Taiwan and we all played 54 holes in two days. I guess I've got a little bit of experience this year in doing it because I hadn't done it since even last year.

But you've just got to be patient. You can get so worn out obviously in 36-hole days. We've had a long year, and I guess whoever focuses the most, whoever is the most patient, who hits the middle is going to win.

Q. Kalle, how did you get through it last year?

KALLE SAMOOJA: I think the first two days are more crucial. When you get to the last two days, that's where you can just go for it. You don't need to hold back. There's nothing to lose. It's only about who gets the spot this week. If you slip a little bit on Friday you might not even get the chance on Saturday. You need to have a solid day on Friday, get to Saturday, and when the lights go out, you just go as fast as you can. That's the only thing.

I think we're going to see some low scoring on Saturday, whoever plays there, and if you can keep the momentum going, that's, I think, the crucial thing. Once you get on a birdie run, you just need to keep pushing and hopefully get away from the guys.

Q. John, you've been playing at such a high level all season. How do you feel about your form coming into this week?

JOHN CATLIN: Yeah, I'm happy with where the game is at. I've been playing nicely. I think as Kalle said, the hardest part, you've got to make sure you have that chance on Saturday. I guess it's somewhat similar to how LIV does it where each day it kind of resets as far as the team goes. You've got to kind of go out there and play well each day.

I think it's going to be a great opportunity, and I think it's going to be a little bit of a battle of attrition. You're going to have to stay in it for the whole day. Yeah, I think it'll be good.

Q. Jed, there's 12 Aussies in the field; that's the most of any country. Do you feel like that might be part of the impact of the success that LIV has had in Adelaide and obviously the Rippers and Cam's popularity? Do you think that plays into how Australia has embraced LIV Golf?

JED MORGAN: Yeah, obviously Australia has done a really good job of that. That team, I think, just supports golf in Australia. I guess they all do. They've always come back and played the events, headlined obviously at the moment by Cam, but Leish has always come back and played, Jonesy has come back, Herbert obviously has been playing there the last few years, as well. It's a cool spot to see where you can get to coming from Australia. It's obviously so far away and a lot of the battle is obviously the culture move when you're moving countries and the travel involved.

But obviously LIV have done a good job of globalizing the Tour, I think, making it more viable for guys in Australia to come out and compete and change the course of their career. Yeah, it's just cool to see because Australia kind of gets forgotten about a little bit. There's a lot of good players there and a lot of good competitors, and it's nice to get shown on with a little bit of light.

Q. Kalle, what was your best moment as a Cleek this year? Was there one particular memory that'll stand out?

KALLE SAMOOJA: Well, the win in Houston for the team, of course, was something that I'll remember the rest of my life. It was a nice cool experience. Like we said in the interview afterwards, no one really expected that from us, so that was a cool experience. Of course the whole year with the team was cool. Didn't really have a great year on the golf course myself, but there's some good moments that I'll remember, and especially the event in Australia. You can't really describe that. That's something where everyone wants to go back and experience again.

Q. I think each of you have raised a team trophy, celebrated; what is that experience like when you're popping the champagne?

JOHN CATLIN: Yeah, I mean, that was pretty awesome. Definitely gives you a bit of a taste for it, and you definitely want to do it every week. It's different. When we're playing other events and you win, it's just you and maybe you've got a few friends there, and it's different when you're celebrating with a team, especially if you spent a lot of time with those guys and you've kind of built that bond. If you can hoist a trophy together, I think it would be even more satisfying.

I know those guys pretty well going into the week. We hadn't built that team camaraderie yet just because I was subbing in, but I knew them from previous events, and to win it together was pretty awesome.

Q. Jed, did you do a shoey?

JED MORGAN: Yeah, we all did. There's a couple of good photos that I've managed to hang in my house now. One of the shoey photos is right at the front door, and my mom got after me for it.

It's cool to win a golf tournament, but then all three days, four scores to come together, that's pretty cool.

Q. Kalle, were you soaked in champagne?

KALLE SAMOOJA: Oh, yeah. I think Blandy took care of it. He just blinded everyone with the champagne. It was fun. There was a couple -- I think Blandy hasn't sprayed champagne before, so I know he needs some practice for the events. Maybe we need to use sunglasses the next time it happens.

JED MORGAN: Leish told me before he did it, make sure you put your sunnies on, and now I realize why.

Q. John, I know you shot 65 on Saturday here final round. I've asked the three previous players before, but I wonder what advantage playing here last week might give you going into this tournament?

JOHN CATLIN: Yeah, I think it definitely helps, seeing the course and the new tee boxes. I played really well here in April, and they made some changes to the course, so it was good to see it under tournament pressure.

It was nice. It was nice to have a strong finish on that back nine. I turned in 1-under and it was kind of like the previous three days, just hadn't really gotten much out of my game. Then to shoot 5-under on that back nine, 65, and I was like, yeah, it's nice to kind of build on for this week. It's nice.

Q. Was it different to the win earlier in the year? Was the course different, or were there just a few things going on?

JOHN CATLIN: Yeah, it was very different. When we were here in April, it was firmer, faster. Like I said, there's new tee boxes. Made some of the holes really long. That 2nd hole is very strong because if it gets into that wind off that back tee, I think practice round, I think I went driver, 3-wood, 6-iron. I was like, well, this is definitely different. We were getting home in two in April.

It took a little getting used to, but I think I showed that I can still play pretty well here.

Q. Kalle, did you have a similar thought last week, that it helped you going into this week?

KALLE SAMOOJA: Yeah, absolutely. I haven't been here before, so it was nice to see the course last week. I played half decent all week. Didn't really get the results I wanted, but it's a bit different mindset for this week, but of course it helps to get ready.

Q. Jed, we spoke earlier this season about trying to get back to the format of a couple of years ago. Do you feel like you're on the road there?

JED MORGAN: Yeah, you've always got to try and feel like you're on the road somehow. Golf is a funny game, and the guys to my left obviously can second that.

It's one of the greatest games you're ever going to play. You've just got to keep your mind on track more than anything, so that's what I'm trying to do.

Q. Confident going into this week?

JED MORGAN: I mean, I don't really have that many results to draw on, but it's funny, you just try and get yourself in a head space where you hit as many good shots as you can, and that's really all I've tried to do in each event this year, so it's no different. I've had the same mindset going into every event this year, and I'm trying to do the same for this one.