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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

December 11, 2019

Matt Kuchar

Melbourne, Australia

Q. Just your thoughts on the week so far and what you've seen from Royal Melbourne?
MATT KUCHAR: I remember the course pretty well from 2011, but just getting reacquainted with it has been awesome. I remember -- I was here in 2011 for Presidents Cup. I think I was back in '13 maybe for the World Cup, and just -- every time I go around it I'm so impressed with the golf course. To have a course play so firm, so fast, such great bunkering, and seems to play different nearly daily. You get just enough switch of a wind direction, temperature changes, really, you feel like you get any weather here in Melbourne, you can experience it all. To see it play so differently is very fun.

Q. What do you think is the biggest key for you in playing this golf course, controlling your ball since it releases out so much, especially on the greens?
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, that's another -- the driving is fairly generous. The approach shots are just -- you have to be really sharp with your approach shots. The greens are undulated enough, fast enough, and then the collection areas are just really severe that if you happen to miss, there's plenty of places you're really going to struggle getting up-and-down from.

Q. How does DJ look?
MATT KUCHAR: Good. We've had a couple days together. Yesterday was a day everybody was kind of getting over jet lag. But you could see kind of into the round his speed coming back. Same today, speed coming back. Man, he's such a talent. You'd hardly noticed he's had time off for surgery. If you didn't know about it, you wouldn't know.

Q. Do you feel like he's a good pairing for you?
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, I guess kind of if you look at our record, it's been pretty good. It's hard to argue. I don't know how exact record, but we've had some great success together, enjoy each other's company. It's been fun. I mean, I think it's lucky for me, who doesn't want to be paired with a guy that's the best player in the world. I've been maybe the lucky recipient, but hope to help out here and there when I can.

Q. How is this team similar, different, and how are they gelling compared to other teams you've played on?
MATT KUCHAR: It's been great. It's been fun. A couple rookies have just really been great additions to the team, and then we've got a handful of guys who have played a good three, four, five of these Cups, so it's really a good blend. I know Tiger was anxious with picks to make sure the picks were good fits, and they've been that for sure.

Q. They were saying that you put them through a little bit of hazing. Can you tell us about that?
MATT KUCHAR: I cannot. I cannot.

Q. Can you either confirm or deny it?
MATT KUCHAR: There's going to be more to come for sure.

Q. What has Tiger been like as a captain?
MATT KUCHAR: Oh, it is amazing to me to have a chance to play for Tiger not just as a captain but a playing captain. I think that is such a cool tribute to him. To have him -- I know he was a pick, but at this point you'd say he's full-on earned it. He deserves to be part of this team and is such an asset to have as a player, to have a chance to play for him as captain, as well, is really, really cool. I'm so excited to be part of this squad having a chance to play for player/captain Tiger Woods.

Q. If you had to describe his leadership style, how would you describe it?
MATT KUCHAR: I'll tell you what, you guys know, when Tiger Woods talks, people listen. Some of the past teams, he's been a player and he's let the captains do the talking. This is a chance that he's got to get up and do the talking, and it's so cool as a player to get him to speak up and hear his thoughts, his ideas. Like I said, it's one of those things, when he speaks, everybody listens.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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