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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

November 16, 2011

Ryo Ishikawa

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

Q. Ryo, first how did you find the golf course? It's your first time here, and then obviously in the first group with Ernie tomorrow, how excited are you to play with him?
RYO ISHIKAWA: I played this course for the first time, and I find the greens very difficult.
As far as tomorrow's pairing, I'm really happy that Ernie is with me and that he knows a lot about the course, and he tells me a lot about the course, how to attack the course and the game plan, so I'm really happy that he's with me.

Q. Are you able to explain to us about the Sunday/Monday thing, how it came about with the delay, please?
RYO ISHIKAWA: First, my plan was to come over here on Tuesday and play a practice round. But my flight got delayed and I was supposed to get on a flight Monday night, but the flight got delayed, so I had to take another flight.
So my first plan was I had to play the Japanese tournament on Sunday, and on the following Monday, I was just going to do the packing and go. But since the flight got delayed, that's how it all came about.
And I played this course and I know that this is the first time, but I'm ready to go out there today.

Q. This is your second Presidents Cup; what's your determination for this week?
RYO ISHIKAWA: It feels like time flies since the last Presidents Cup. It's been two years.
But for the past two years, it's packed with a lot of experiences that I got back home, and I'm happy to be where I am right now. I'm also happy is that Mr. Norman is captain on the team and I'm happy to play here.

Q. Is there a difference being selected as a captain's pick or to earn a spot on the team?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Two years ago, I was 18 and I was really nervous to play The Presidents Cup for the first time.
But ever since then, I played so many tournaments and I know that my experiences and my skills are not good enough yet. But compared to two years ago, I'm getting better so I'm happy to be where I am right now.

Q. There are so many courses with doglegs to the right and left, and then with the driver capability, do you ever have any stress about that?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Well, this competition is not about me, this is a team competition, so that is my first priority.
I don't have any experience to play this course yet, but I'm happy that Ernie is behind me and he's going to tell me a lot of things about the golf course. I know that I want to hit drivers off the tee, but you know, sometimes this course is really hard if you can't hit the fairways. If it's in the rough, it's going to make it hard.
But to play this course, irons and putter are the keys, and that's what I'm going to be focusing on.

Q. With your great record in Japan, how important was it to you after the WGC event in Ohio just to compete against the Americans and to know that you can beat them?
RYO ISHIKAWA: The golf in America is the best golf in the world right now. But as far as Europe and including Australia and other countries, they follow America so hard and this Presidents Cup, it means a lot for the International Team to come up with a win against the United States and it's a really important factor.
It's important for the International Team to overcome obstacles to beat the United States Team, and if that's going to help golf to be spread worldwide.

Q. Was there any advice from Mr. Norman since you're going to play in the first group and what's your reaction to that?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Mr. Norman was following Ernie and me for the first few holes, and he advised me on how to adapt to the course so many times.
I haven't talked to Mr. Norman after the pairings have been out, so I don't really know, but since he put me in the first group, that means just go out and play hard and come out with a win. So I hope I do well.

Q. This course was designed by Alister MacKenzie who designed Augusta, is there any similarity to Augusta?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Me and Ernie and the captain, we talked about that, and this course is designed not to go for the pins directly, just to let the greens work, because of the undulations.
So that's pretty much the similarity that I find compared to Augusta.

Q. Last night at the Crown Casino, the Japanese display, how proud were you, and what does it mean to be the loan representative?
RYO ISHIKAWA: At the last Presidents Cup in Australia it was back in 1998 when Joe Ozaki and Shigeki Maruyama contributed so much to the international team's win, and now I'm here and I'm really happy that I'm here. And in the Top-10 rankings for The Presidents Cup team there are three Korean players on the team that was automatically qualified. So since I'm Asian, I'm somewhat -- we have got to beat them.
And sometimes, like my young followers come up and play well and some day in the knew fewer, Japan is going to lead The Presidents Cup I hope.

Q. How important is the growth of golf in both Japan and China and Korea; that a Presidents Cup is necessary for that?
RYO ISHIKAWA: About the popularity and number of golf players, compared to Korea and Japan, China is a little bit less. But if we play well on The Presidents Cup, the Asian popularity for golf is going to get better.
And hopefully all of those Asian players, I hope they set the goal to play for The Presidents Cup in the future. That brings the Asian golfers level up high in the future.

Q. What's your understanding of Australian sport and its followers, and how will it impact on you this week?
RYO ISHIKAWA: I know that last week there was the Australian Open and there's going to be the Australian PGA and I know in December the Masters is going to be taking place. I know there are a lot of followers in Australia and the enthusiasm is really high, and I expect to pay attention to that.

Q. I know that your main goal will be to contribute to the International Team's win, but last time you were talking about getting close to all of those good players on the team. What's your goal for this week?
RYO ISHIKAWA: I've been talking to a lot of players and today I saw Ernie play and I thought that his skills were really good. Compared to them, my skills are not as good as theirs I think.
But, you know, right now, I feel like compared to last year, I felt like I was not one of them, but this year, I feel like I'm one of them. So my main goal is just to contribute to the International Team's win.

Q. If you're going to be Ernie's partner, do you have to go to the bar with him and drink with him afterwards?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Well, this week, every night, I just do a lot of things late at night, so that's part of it that is about The Presidents Cup.

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