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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

November 16, 2011

Aaron Baddeley

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

Q. Some comments about coming here for The Presidents Cup?
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, this week is a huge week to get on the team. Obviously getting the call from Greg was huge. In '98, I remember being here watching and definitely it was a huge goal of mine to end up being on a Presidents Cup team and to be here in Australia and my hometown of Melbourne, couldn't ask for a better one.

Q. Where do you think it will compare with being in an individual tournament?
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, it's one of my favorite memories of amateur golf is being here on a team and with all of the boys. I was definitely looking forward to the week and having a team atmosphere and having the camaraderie of the guys and cheering on the International Team members and being out there.
I'm excited to get out there and play good and cheer some of my boys.

Q. Have you had a look at who you're playing tomorrow? Your thoughts?
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, I'm excited to play with Jason. I think it's a good pairing. I know Dustin and Kuch quite well, I think it's a good game, they are both good players, it's going to be a good game.

Q. Do you get intimidated by how far he hits the ball?
AARON BADDELEY: No, because you know how far he does hit it and I know I can't hit it that far. Doesn't really matter. Keep it on the short grass and you can beat him.

Q. What's the locker room talk been amongst the boys with the pairing with Tiger and Adam Scott?
AARON BADDELEY: I was out putting for the last 45 minutes or hour, so I really haven't spoken too much about it to be honest.

Q. Do you think it will give it a bit more edge on the first day?
AARON BADDELEY: It will be good. I think everybody was sort of anticipating the possibility of that, and for it to happen, and good to have the first day and rest of the week just carry on.

Q. In '98, were you here every day?
AARON BADDELEY: I was here nearly every day. I think I missed one day because it was too hot but just about every day, watching the guys play and dreaming about being on a Presidents Cup team.
I always enjoyed watching the top players and playing with the top players and glad that I got to watch the best players in the world when I was 17 play here, it was special and that definitely helps fuel the fire, I guess you could say to play great the following couple of years.

Q. So far, has it been everything you thought it would be?
AARON BADDELEY: It's pretty awesome, just the bus rides out, having dinner together, just being part of a team with all of the fellas, playing ping-pong, watching ping-pong, sitting on the couch; it's just a lot of fun.

Q. Is there pressure with knowing Royal Melbourne so well, is there pressure or an advantage with that?
AARON BADDELEY: I don't think so. If you look at the records, USA have pretty much dominated The Presidents Cup and I think we definitely come in here as underdogs, even though we feel we have a bit of an advantage with the golf course. Obviously you've got five Aussies and it helps, but I still think we are underdogs.

Q. What will be the plan --
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, we'll probably sit down and have a chat today before the Opening Ceremony, we have a bit of time to kill before that. So before that we'll discuss who is hitting what and stuff like that. We'll get a good game plan together.

Q. How does the Presidents Cup compare --
AARON BADDELEY: It's a little different playing in The Presidents Cup. Obviously playing in the Premiereship side would be special, they work so hard and to dominate how they have since 2007 is pretty impressive. But to win a Presidents Cup here in Melbourne would be something you definitely remember the rest of your life.

Q. How do you feel with your game right now?
AARON BADDELEY: Very good, very comfortable with the game. Played very good on the weekend up in Sydney. Feel very comfortable and love the golf course.

Q. How will the nerves be with both yourself and Jason, your first Presidents Cup tomorrow on the first tee?
AARON BADDELEY: I think it will be good. We are both going to be nervous. We are both going to be excited to get out there and we both want to do well. I think it will be good. Even though we are both young, we both have played in big events and know how to handle those and use them in a positive way.

Q. Have you guys been practicing your fist-pumps?
AARON BADDELEY: Yeah, all-Aussie pairing, which is great. Just a few rehearsals in the tent.

Q. Can you talk about Jason's game, how it's matured the last couple of years?
AARON BADDELEY: Jason is a very complete player. Drives it long, drives it quite well. Great iron player, and he's a really good putter. So I'm excited to be out there with him tomorrow and rely on him and working as a team together. I think even though we are both young and it's our first one, we still have experience playing golf in Australia, so it will be a lot of fun being out there as a team.
I think it's a great way to play because you can be more aggressive than you would in spoke play because you only lose one hole and it's not like you're losing four or five or six shots. Especially in fourball, there's obviously times where you can go out of the box and play a different game plan, just because it's match play.

Q. And do you feel different playing in a team -- how do you feel on the team?
AARON BADDELEY: The team is awesome, being part of the boys and being together as a group, I'm excited to be able to go out there and play good but also I'm excited to go out and cheer them on after they finish their matches.

Q. Were you in the team room when all of the pairings were made? What was the reaction?
AARON BADDELEY: I was in there and then I was out pretty much straight after they were announced to go and practice putting before I came in here. Didn't really talk much with the guys.

Q. Did you wait for all six pairings?
AARON BADDELEY: I did.

Q. What was your personal reaction after the last one?
AARON BADDELEY: I thought that after five, that that was going to happen. To me it's fine. Everyone is a professional out there. I know it's going to be a good match. Obviously there's that little bit of what happened between Stevie and Tiger but I think it will be fine and everyone will get on and play well.

Q. Now he's going to have to deal with the experience of taking on -- how is he coping with that on home soil? Would he rather have just been going out there care free?
AARON BADDELEY: I think he'll be fine. Last Saturday in China, I think he shot 68 when it all came out. Adam is very good at going out there and just playing golf and not worrying about things outside the ropes and just taking care of business inside the ropes.

Q. Another guy, Ryo Ishikawa, he goes out in the first pairing and he only got in to have his first real look at the course today, a lot of people look on him as a potential as some sort of golfer.
AARON BADDELEY: He's amazing, to be such a young kid and to be able to do what he does week-in and week-out with all of the attention that he has is pretty impressive. Obviously he's a great player.
He's out with Ernie who is very experienced around here. He's got the course record around here so he knows what he's doing, so he'll help him around.

Q. When did you last play foursomes or fourballs?
AARON BADDELEY: I would say as an amateur. -- no, actually me and Scotty played World Cup together in 2001. Been ten years. Should be a lot of fun. Some of my favorite memories of golf so I'm excited as a professional.
Should be a lot of fun tomorrow playing against the boys.

Q. How often have you played with Jason?
AARON BADDELEY: We get on great, we have been hanging out a bit last week and this week as well, and we get on really well. I think our games match up really well together as well, which is important. So I think it's going to be a good week.

Q. Did Greg speak to you before or you only found out when the pairings were announced shortly after lunch today?
AARON BADDELEY: No, we found out last night so we knew who we were paired with and who we already started with thinking about things and how to play the course and what ball to use, stuff like that.

Q. Which ball are you going to go with, yours or Jason's?
AARON BADDELEY: Going to go with my ball. My ball suits his game more than his ball suits my game.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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