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THE PRESIDENTS CUPOctober 5, 2013Fred CouplesNick PriceDUBLIN, OHIO LAURA NEAL: Like to introduce Steve Carman to get the process started for our afternoon foursomes matches, which I believe are anticipated to start, first tee time 3:41. STEVE CARMAN: Good afternoon. Captain Couples will have the first choice as the even number of segment of matches and the afternoon matches will be foursome alternate‑shot. Captain Couples, your choice. FRED COUPLES: Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. NICK PRICE: Jason Day and Graham DeLaet. STEVE CARMAN: Match 18, Jason Day, Graham DeLaet, versus Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, approximate starting time 3:41. NICK PRICE: Richard Sterne and Marc Leishman. FRED COUPLES: Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson. STEVE CARMAN: Match 19, Richard Sterne, Marc Leishman versus Jason Dufner, Zach Johnson, approximate starting time, 3:52. FRED COUPLES: We'll go Bill Haas, Steve Stricker. NICK PRICE: Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama. STEVE CARMAN: Match 20, Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama versus Bill Haas, Steve Stricker, approximate starting time, 4:03. NICK PRICE: Match 21, Ernie Els and Brendon de Jonge. FRED COUPLES: Go with Tiger Woods, Matty Kuchar. STEVE CARMAN: Match 2, Ernie Els, Brendon de Jonge, versus Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, approximate starting time, 4:14. United States Team has the last pick. FRED COUPLES: Go Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker. NICK PRICE: Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel. STEVE CARMAN: Match 22, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel versus Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, approximate start time, 4:25. LAURA NEAL: Go ahead and open it up for questions. Q. Your thoughts on sitting the kid, Spieth, in the afternoon? FRED COUPLES: Yeah, I sat the kid and Hunter. You know, it's like having an All‑Star Team, just like Nick's. We just felt like Jordan has played some phenomenal golf right now. I think he's 1‑down in his match with a couple holes to play, so he's done great for us, but we just felt like sitting Hunter and Jordan. Q. With very few exemptions, you have kept the same pairings all three days. Can you just talk about why you didn't think you need to make adjustments your group is having a little more struggles today than they have the first two days. NICK PRICE: Well, Jason and Graham play great together. Adam and Hideki have played great together. Ernie and Brendon have played great together, and so have Louis and Charl. So, you know, how can I break those pairings up, to be honest. You know, Branden Grace played solid, and you know, Angel had a little bit of a problem with his arm and his shoulder, so he had not played as well today as he did yesterday. You can't change these pairings up too much, I really don't think. You know, the one that we spoke about was perhaps putting Louis and Charl with Ernie and Brendon, or vice versa, whichever way, but I don't want to break those two up. They play really well together. Q. And Angel? NICK PRICE: He's going to have physio today. There's so much going on at the moment, trying to keep track of what's going on out here, do this; it's a lot going on. Today, this afternoon, this was tough for everyone today, this rain. I just think, you know, the guys, they are tired. I think they are all tired. The quality of golf that we are seeing is just phenomenal. I know the conditions are wet and the ball is not going very far on the green, but we are still seeing some phenomenal golf out there. You know, the U.S. has really been unrelenting. They have just played superbly the last three days. Any slip‑up from us, and we find ourselves one or two down very quickly. The guys have played great. I mean, honestly, I can't criticize anybody. They played their hearts out so far. Q. You're used to stopping and starting as an individual golfer; I don't think you're used to stopping and starting as a Presidents Cup captain. What has this been like for you to try to get your team through these delays? FRED COUPLES: Well, I think you can tell it from the tone of our voice. You know, it's stressful now; it was stressful last night. I mean, we enjoy watching the guys play. You know, it's such great golf. I think I've been on a lot of teams; I just‑‑ you know, I know we're winning matches right now. We're ahead a little bit. But you know, we have Keegan and Phil who have shown to be a great team, and them going first yesterday has helped us out a ton. I just have to say, as what Nick's going through, it's harder on the players. They are working their tails off but for us last night and then these pairings today, while they are still out there playing; I think Tiger is on the 14th hole, and it would be nice to maybe‑‑ we put him last, because, you know, he needs a little rest. You know, it's just a tough deal for everybody. The fans are getting soaked; the carts are getting muddy. Q. Did you talk to Phil about sending him out first in the afternoon and his reaction, and did you think even though he's played great with Keegan, did you consider not playing him in the afternoon? FRED COUPLES: You know, that's a great question. This is my third time doing this, and I think we have a great team room, but I pull these guys aside, my top guys, and we sit in there. And Phil tells me when he wants to go and he's going to go first. He's ready to play five matches. I look to he and Tiger and said, look, you know, just tell me what you'd like to do, and both of them said, oh, there's no question, we are playing every match. You know, Tiger is honestly beat up. Phil is very energetic, and it shows. But Tiger is playing his tail off. You know, he's probably like some of Nick's team; he's a little sore and a little battered, and this course is playing‑‑ the ball is not rolling. These 3‑wood, 9‑iron holes are now 3‑wood, 6‑ and 7‑iron holes. It's playing much harder and much longer, so it's tougher on everybody. Q. Your thoughts on how vital the alternate‑shot session is for your team, given the score and given the tough time in the past in that format? NICK PRICE: I think we did really well yesterday. It seems like the best‑ball has been the hardest one for us so far, but we haven't finished today's numbers yet, the games. So this afternoon is really important. Well, it's going to be probably this afternoon and tomorrow morning by the looks of things. I don't think we are going to finish. So I think as Fred alluded to, it's very tough. It's one thing to have rain delays, but when you've got 36 holes and you've got rain delays, you know, 36 holes in one day and you've got rain delays, that's a whole new story. Normally we go out the next day and finish off five or six holes and then play another 18. This is 36 holes of intense pressure for these guys, and it's the end of the season, they are pretty tired. So I think they are doing phenomenally well, I really do. LAURA NEAL: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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