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WALKER CUP MATCH

September 11, 2009

ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA

PETE KOWALSKI: We'd like to welcome USA Captain Buddy Marucci, and in his second Walker Cup appearance from Savannah, Georgia, Brian Harman, and Rickie Fowler from Murrieta, California, also in his second Walker Cup appearance. And obviously USA Captain Buddy Marucci for the second time at his home club here as the captain of the United States team.
Buddy, if you don't mind, with an opening comment, the story today is the weather, but what has this done to your plans and what is your plan for the rest of the day now?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Well, we got out this morning early and were fortunate enough to play five or six holes. The weather has been obviously miserable. We've practiced quite a bit in the last week at Merion and at Case Valley, so I think the players are pretty much ready to go.
The difference in my mind will simply be the playing conditions are going to be altered quite a bit. At the beginning of the week, the golf course was firm, fast. Greens were receptive but not very friendly. Obviously this is going to change that. We're going to have softer greens. The rough's going to be obviously wetter. The ball is not going to roll as far in the fairways.
Not going to alter our lineup or anything. We're going to play the way we were going to play. It's just the one difficult thing I think for the players will be we've practiced on a golf course one way all week, and we're going to end up with a different golf course for the next two days.
But that's the way it goes. That's kind of where we stand right now.
PETE KOWALSKI: Thank you. We'll go ahead with questions.

Q. Buddy, could you talk about your love affair with Merion, the first time you played it, what you've come to appreciate about it over the years.
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: I'm not sure about the first time I played it. It was unofficial, I'm sure, because I snuck out when I was a boy living around the corner.
But I think what I've grown to love about it over the years is its architecture, the beauty of the architecture, the shot-making that's required here. It has stood the test of time. I think you'll see this week, even as far as these players will be able to hit the ball, how well the golf course will stand up.
This weather's going to make it a little bit easier than it might otherwise be. But, you know, just the sheer beauty of the architecture and the joy and the challenge of having to hit the different kinds of shots that are required here.

Q. Can you tell us about sneaking out on the course. How old were you?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: I'm not sure that's important. I grew up right around the corner. Used to come out here at night with my dad. We used to sneak out and play a few holes.
But that's old news. I think people know that. That's nothing exciting.

Q. Buddy, obviously you have a lot of friends and family here. Any added pressure on you to perform and have the team go as far as they can go and win?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: I'm not sure there's any added pressure. I think I'll be around here on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. You know, normally when you play, you leave. I think it's a little more intense because you know so many people and everybody's around. Obviously you engage more people than you might on the road. It's a little more private when you're away. To that extent it won't.
I think I'll put a little more heat on these two guys to make sure that we're successful. It's a little different, but I don't think it's that extreme.

Q. Buddy, you talked about the fact they're going to see a golf course different than they practiced on. There's very few people from a captain's standpoint that could offer guidance to somebody or a team. Considering you're a member here, been around this venue in all different kinds of weather, what can you impart to them that they don't know because of the weather change?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Well, they're pretty smart and they're also very good. So I think they'll pick it up.
But, I mean, obviously the rough's going to be more difficult. The greens will be more receptive. Where we may have thought about shooting away a little bit, may be able to be a little more aggressive on the greens. Certainly I think the rough will be more demanding.
But they know that. People have asked me that question about having the advantage. But I don't play the game the way these kids do. They've got to play their own game, adapt to it. But certainly if there's anything, I think hitting the ball on the fairway is going to become more of a premium just because the rough is going to be more difficult.

Q. Rickie and Brian, do you feel any extra pressure this week of being Walker Cup veterans?
RICKIE FOWLER: No, I don't think there's any at all. We've been here and done it. We know what it's all about. We're here to play as well as we can. The added pressure you may talk about we may feel as leaders, but we're the 10 best players from the U.S. so we're all leaders in our own way. We're just here to do our part and see where that puts us at the end of Sunday.
BRIAN HARMAN: I have to agree with Rickie there. I don't think any of the outside pressure is any more than the pressure we have put on ourselves to perform. We've geared our games all year just for this week. We've put off a lot of stuff just to be here. Really excited to do it. I think the pressure more comes from within and just wanting to perform for our country.

Q. Rickie and Brian, as Buddy said, you practiced on a different course all week. Now it's wet and soft. What changes do you think?
RICKIE FOWLER: Eight of us, including me and Brian, we were here, what, three weeks ago, for a little practice session. We were here for about three days. We actually saw the course fairly similar to what it's going to be.
Luckily we got to see it that ay. Hopefully it's pretty close. We've played so many different conditions throughout the years of playing golf that once we get out there, we'll kind of see how the course is, adapt to it, go do our thing.
BRIAN HARMAN: I would have to say, too, that Merion drains very well in most places. So I don't think it's going to be as bad of an issue. Especially if this wind will blow a little bit, blow some of the water off, I think it will be fine.

Q. Rickie, Brian, as two Walker Cup veterans, what have you talked about with the so-called rookies on the team to share your experience of the previous Walker Cups, to get them ready?
BRIAN HARMAN: I know I've been asked a few times what is this dinner like, who is going to be there, more stuff like that. The guys on the team, they're such good players, they've all won big tournaments, all been in pressure-packed situations. I'm not worried about them in that aspect. It's been more been sort of like logistics, what's going on, what's happening here, kind of stuff like that.
RICKIE FOWLER: Same thing. They ask what clothes we're wearing tonight, what uniform we're wearing tomorrow. It's more that. Like I said earlier, these are the 10 best players from our country. We don't need to tell them how to play golf. They got here for a reason. We may be able to help them first tee, get them ready. Other than that, they're good to go.

Q. Brian and Rickie, what would you say Buddy's greatest single attribute would be as captain?
BRIAN HARMAN: He dresses nicely. I would say we're probably going to be the best-looking United States team in history.
RICKIE FOWLER: I'd agree with that. We looked good in '07, had a lot of good clothing. He's a great guy. He's been there and done it. He's played his own Walker Cups, finals of the U.S. Am's, played the Masters. He's been in all the situations we'll be in and are in this week. We look to him for guidance a bit since he's done it. He's very calm about it. Keeps us, I don't know, calm. We're good to go.

Q. Brian and Rickie, you mentioned, Brian, earlier, that you have put off a lot of stuff for this week. Knowing that it's the last amateur event for you guys, is there any more pressure or different feeling about what's going on for you from that standpoint?
RICKIE FOWLER: I feel the same way I did in '07. I just want to win. I hope that's how all 10 guys feel on the team. It would be nice to go out with a win. But this is what I waited around for, for a lot of reasons. '07 was an awesome experience. I want to experience it again.
BRIAN HARMAN: I can't imagine a better way to finish up my amateur career than playing especially at Merion and playing for the United States in the Walker Cup. I feel extremely blessed to be here. Pressure-wise, other than just to play my game, try to go out there and win, how could you beat it? You can't beat it.

Q. Buddy, back in April you had mentioned you didn't know what guys would be turning pro, what guys would be hanging around playing amateur golf. What is your reaction to Rickie and Brian deciding to wait and hold it off for the honor of making the Walker Cup again?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Obviously, I'm thrilled. I know that the United States Golf Association is thrilled. The position has always been that you really want players that want to be here. These two gentlemen want to be here. That means the world to me. It means the world to the Golf Association.
The last thing you want is somebody who is waiting for next week or the week after and not really enjoying the experience. I mean, these gentlemen have done it. They've been successful. They know what the experience can be and how enriching it is. They've chosen to stay. We're indebted to them for doing that.
Plus it's a great example for the young men that will come down the road, especially when they talk to Rickie and Brian and some others that have done this, to help them guide them in their decisions.
You know, everybody has to do what they have to do. I can tell you I'm personally thrilled these two are here.

Q. Rickie and Brian, considering the wide array of backgrounds and experience on the team, what has the team dynamic been in playing? How is it different than '07?
RICKIE FOWLER: I think we're a little bit closer in style than '07. '07 it seemed like the team was fairly split. We would have five guys go grind on the range, or putting and chipping, we have five guys that go play. This year it seems like most of the guys play. Every once in a while we have a few that go hit balls. But we've played a lot of ten-somes this week, and I don't think we played as many at County Downs in '07.
BRIAN HARMAN: I would have to say this week has been really special because we had 10 guys with unique personalities and we all get along so well. Not that I didn't think that we'd all get along. But we get along great. The bus rides, if y'all could hear some of the jokes we pull on the bus rides, they're hilarious.
I couldn't have imagined it going any better so far, as far as people meshing and people getting along really well.

Q. Give us an example?
BRIAN HARMAN: A little too G rated.

Q. Buddy, what are your thoughts on the 10 singles on Sunday? Is that a good thing or bad thing? Should it be extended to 10 singles on Saturday? What are your thoughts on that?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Well, I love having the 10 singles on Sunday afternoon. I think it's great as a player. It's wonderful as a captain. County Down, obviously you were there, that's a very difficult decision. My feeling has always been that you want to try to give everybody an equal opportunity to be on the golf course. With 10 singles on Sunday afternoon, they're all out there. That's a very meaningful time. Hopefully the match will be in the balance. It's very relevant. Everybody is relevant so it's great.
As far as Saturday, I'm not in that room. I don't make that decision. But I'd love to see everybody play as much as they possibly can. I mean, these young men, they worked their whole lives to be here. I think the more golf we play, the better.
From my standpoint, I would love to see it. But I'm happy that we have 10 on Sunday.

Q. (No microphone.)
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: I'm not sure that works as well. That's as little more difficult format. Putting eight out of 10 together, you spend some time together, that works. I don't have a problem with two sitting in the morning. It might be a little more force to try to mesh all 10 in alternate shot. Could you do it, sure. But I kind of think eight in the morning and 10 in the afternoon is great. I'm looking forward to that on Sunday. That's going to be really a nice day.

Q. Rickie, you have two OSU teammates on the team this year. Same situation at last year. Does that help the cohesiveness of the team?
RICKIE FOWLER: It does and it doesn't. I mean, we're all really close friends. Like Brian said, we all get along really well. We spend a lot of time throughout the year playing college golf together and amateur golf in the summer. We all know each other, have been around each other a lot. But having both Morgan and Peter on the team has been awesome. I knew Morgan had a very good chance at the beginning. For him to get picked on the first date was awesome. Then Peter getting picked one of the last spots, Morgan called me and left me a message. I don't know what he was doing, but he was jumping up and down screaming or something. It was a pretty cool day for all three of us.

Q. Buddy, can you just talk about the two practice rounds the guys have been playing every day. Why two, not just one? Is it too much golf maybe?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Well, you know, I'm kind of a creature of habit. When we played the last time, we kind of experimented with playing singles in the morning and then tried to play alternate shot in the afternoon. The singles would certainly give everybody an opportunity to hit all the tee shots, try to carry that knowledge on to the afternoon. Because on County Down, a lot of blind shots. Some people were comfortable with certain tee shots. Well, Merion isn't that dissimilar. In the beginning we felt, Let's go play some singles, get 'em to know the golf course a little bit.
When I used to play, we spent three days studying a golf course. These kids, they're great. They know in a day where they want to hit it or where they don't want to hit it. Maybe not the greens necessarily, but they pick it up really quickly.
So we talked about it. They want to be out there more. So what we would do is, first day, we played singles, then alternate shot. Went pretty hard on Monday. The idea was to kind of taper it down during the week, depending on the weather. I'm glad we did it that way. Then we would play maybe nine holes or 10 holes in singles, then we'd go to alternate shot. One day we played alternate shot in the morning, which is a little lighter. The 10, they all wanted to play together.
It's their team, not mine. So I've given them that opportunity. That's what they've chosen to do. When we play alternate shot, the partners may hit the ball off the tee together, which gives them a little more information for when they play singles. We've kind of mixed it up.
In finishing this statement, I think what I've seen this time more than the last is that everyone wanted to be together most of the time, which has been great for me as a captain because it's really made -- I'm a big chemistry guy with the team. It's made that much easier. I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled with the way that part of it's worked out.

Q. Rickie and Brian, could you talk about the history of the course here. How much have you absorbed of it? Have you checked out plaque at the 11th hole? Does it matter?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it's awesome to be part of I -- this is somewhat of a major championship, to be part of the history here now. Taking pictures of the plaque on 11, probably one of my favorite holes there. Being able to hit the shots, see what has happened here. And then also on 18, I remember back in practice when we came here about three weeks ago, it was me and Adam Mitchell and Nathan Smith, we all hit a shot from Hogan's plaque and took a picture with the background the same as Hogan. Just little things like that.

Q. What did you hit in there?
RICKIE FOWLER: I think we all hit 4-irons. It's a long hole. That's going to be a good closing hole.
BRIAN HARMAN: Yeah, Hogan's 1-iron, a pretty cool spot. I take lessons from Jack Lumpkin, a guy who was very close with Ben Hogan. I watched a lot of tapes of Hogan. I probably know his swing just about as well as everybody. To be able to play the same holes as he did, just to hear the lore about that day is pretty special. So I feel it's pretty sweet to be at a place that he was so famous for playing at.

Q. What do you think of the course? There's been a lot of talk over the years about whether it's become outdated. I know the amateurs when they played here in '05 had their hands full. What do you think of the challenge of the course itself?
BRIAN HARMAN: I think you said it perfect there, the amateur, '07, stroke average was like 78. You're talking a course that's 6800 yards long. Great short holes. The short holes are short. The long holes are long. Two par-4s that are 500 yards. What else do you want? It's great. It's perfect.
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I agree with Brian. Although it is 6800 yards, it doesn't feel like that out there. I mean, you got three really good par 3s and then to match it with a really good wedge hole for par 3, you got the short par 4s. They are short, but you're not hitting driver necessarily every time. Then the long holes, you better get it in the fairway or you're not getting on the green. And the two par 5's come in the first four holes, so after that you're on a grind. It's an awesome course and it's definitely not outdated.
PETE KOWALSKI: Buddy, a general comment about the lineup.
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: I don't know what 'a general comment about the lineup' means (laughter).
The 10 matches on Sunday afternoon has changed a little bit of 'strategy' is the wrong word. The lineups are done in blind. There really is no way to know against whom you're going to play. So if you think it's that sophisticated, it really isn't because you don't really know what kind of strategy to use because when you're doing it blind, it just isn't.
Our team strategy the last time, and it's carried over to this time, is that to try to get two individuals that were comfortable with each other in the way they play golf, the style in which they play golf. Then as far as our lineups go in putting them out, try to put the people that are the racehorses out earlier because, frankly, they get frustrated if they're sitting around, especially when they get a little nervous. I like to put them out as early as possible. They pretty much agreed on that.
So what you'll see from our side is probably a complementary styling as opposed to any best player with the best player, best player with the worst player, because I don't look at it that way, never have. You have 10 great players.
When we play, when we practiced, we did this at Case Valley for three days, then we were here, I make sure everybody plays with everybody, and no two players play together for at least two days, which is four rounds, and then we all sit around and talk about how it worked or how it didn't work.
Some people click right away. Some people can't make a par. Some people can win with anybody. That's really the person or the persons that we try to identify. That's kind of the way I try to build the foursomes.
So when you see the foursomes, you'll see it's really a matter of chemistry and style. Chemistry on this team is great. Brian and Rickie have done a great job with the kids. I could put anybody with this team with anybody and I would not have one blink of an eye from everybody. They've been great. We've been able to kind of take advantage of that. What will happen tomorrow, I don't know. But I know they're all going to enjoy each other and get along.
As far as the singles, you know, I went at it about the same way. We try to put the racehorses out early. Some of the people that are a little more deliberate will probably be in the middle so that they can kind of feel sheltered and they don't feel like they're rushed around the golf course, kind of get in the deal. Twosomes in match play can go pretty quickly. A guy gets out of sorts. Player or opponent should never feel like they can't play the way they want to play. Now, that doesn't mean if one is deliberately slow that that's appropriate either. It's not. We don't ever want to be in a position where a guy wins a match because he plays faster than the other guy. You want people to be comfortable. I think that the timing allows that.
From my standpoint, I have guys that want to go, and they want to go now. They were ready Thursday. I got to get them on the golf course. So that's kind of the way I've done it. We all talked about it. I give them my suggestions. We do the lineup together. We'll do that tomorrow night. We have an hour after the final match is played to put our lineup in and we'll all sit in the team room and kick it around.
But basically it's style that I look at.

Q. Was this basically a blank slate for you when you came into this before going to Case Valley in regards to the pairings?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Yeah. I had absolutely no idea. And actually I was driving home Sunday night, driving to the hotel, and I really hadn't formulated anything other than I had two or three individuals out of the 10 that had won with anybody, anybody that they were paired with they end up winning. So you kind of say, Okay, I might have two or three captains for the team, I have two or three guys I can move around. Then I can look at the other players and say, Okay, whose style, I have a great putter here and a great driver of the ball. Of course, Merion is different, because the par 3s are on the odd holes. On this golf course, the ball-striker or your putter tees off the 1st hole, he has the first seven approach putts or seven of the 18 approach putts, the ball-striker on the second tee gets 11 of the approach putts. So it's a little different.
I think when you find out who seems to be okay with anybody, or wins with anybody, then you finally look at the styles, you can start to narrow down the different combinations. Then we play those combinations. Whichever team seems to get along the best is what we do.

Q. Philosophically you said because of the 10 singles, that's kind of changed how you do things. Could you explain why that makes a difference.
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Well, it makes a difference for Buddy Marucci. I'm not sure it does for everybody else. Whether I get criticized for this or not, I believe our players are going to play three matches at a minimum, which means in the old format, two players played four and the other eight played three. In this format, four players will play four and six players will play three. Unless somebody gets hurt, we're going to play that way.
I don't know if that's the best way, the most aggressive way. Maybe I'm not a great captain. But I feel these guys have played their whole lives to be here. If they're not hurt, I think they ought to play.
So isolating those other two, it's pretty easy most of the time if you have 10 guys to pick two guys that are right there. These are our two horses, they're going to run four times, the rest of the guys you mix 'em up. Now you have to take four horses, it's not always easy.

Q. The makeup of the team last time and the makeup of the team now, Rickie mentioned it, you mentioned it in a couple different ways. It sounds like this team has gelled a lot better than that team. I'm trying to understand that because obviously that team won. What are the differences between the two?
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Yeah, I'm not sure I would phrase it that way. The last team, when I would go around to the tournaments and compete or watch or do whatever I do, there were five or six of the guys that were always hanging around, having lunch, hitting balls, chipping on the putting green, Dustin, Colt, Webb, Chris. About five or those six were picked for our team. We kind of had a nucleus there from a chemistry standpoint, and the rest came along. We had some pretty dramatic individuals on that last time. Dustin and Colt have won two championships. Tripp being 35, that was a different factor. Eventually they all kind of came together and we had some really good chemistry. I was wondering if there was ever a way we would get a team where we have a five- or six-person start on that team, whatever that chemistry is.
This time within two hours of showing up, it looked as if we were going to be beyond that. I think part of the reason is that we have a much closer talent pool. We have exceptional players, but they're more equal in their ability. That's not to say the last time we had bad players, but we had some probably more notoriety. We a guy like Dustin who was just so dramatic, and Colt had won these two championships, Webb had shot this, Jamie Lovemark, then we had the other fellas who didn't have quite as much notoriety.
This team, they've all won. They're balanced. No one has won six times. It's a very balanced group. So they walked in the room, they all felt kind of the same. I'd love to tell you I did that, but I didn't have anything to do with it. They just were great.
Who knows what's going to happen. But it's been a very nice experience to have to deal with it because it's made my job easier.
PETE KOWALSKI: Buddy, thank you very much.
CAPTAIN MARUCCI: Thank you. Thanks for being here.

End of FastScripts

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