THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 21, 2022

Corey Conners

Quail Hollow Club

Press Conference

Q. I was hoping to ask you about ball-striking. I know you're obviously an elite ball striker. What is it you do to work on that in like a tournament week?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, I think just having good rhythm has always been sort of a hallmark of my game and something that I focus on every week. The last few days, just been feeling the good rhythm. That allows me to hit the ball solidly, and usually it results in it going where I want.

Q. Whenever you feel like your rhythm is getting off, is there something that you do to --

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, just take some practice swings, try and feel the body moving in sync, just taking a few practice swings, a few swings with my right foot kind of behind me a little bit, feeling the body moving, club staying in front of the body, and that helps with my rhythm, as well.

Q. The foursomes session has been kind of the problem that the internationals have dealt with over the history of the matches. How much foursomes play do you do over the course of two years between the matches, and how do you turn that around this week?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, it's certainly not a format that we're very used to. Only played sort of the alternate shot foursomes format a couple times, and I think our team is young, we're all really hungry. We haven't been a part of those teams that have struggled, and I certainly like our chances.

I think that we're definitely young but very eager, and I think we're going to go out there and have some fun, give it our all.

I think we've become closer as a group. I feel like some of the feelings that you have in that format of sort of not trying to disappoint your partner, I think we're not really worried about that. I think certainly if I hit a poor shot, I wasn't trying to hit a poor shot, and we're all very in tune with that.

It'll be fun. It's a fun challenge. I think it's a cool format. I think the way the golf course sets up, it's definitely possible to get on a good run, get in a good rhythm.

Yeah, we'll have some fun with it, and hopefully get some points.

Certainly don't have the experience, but I don't think that's going to negatively affect us this time around.

Q. Are you excited to maybe probably play with Taylor a little bit?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, it would certainly be very cool. We're obviously very close friends. We've known each other for a long time. We've been a part of many teams together, and none more exciting than this one.

To be here with him is really special, and if we have a partnership, I think we can certainly feed off of one another. If I hit a poor shot, I know he's going to bail me out, and if he struggles on a hole, I'm going to be giving it my all to give us a chance to win the hole.

I think our relationship, we're certainly great friends and have played a lot of golf together, so very confident in his ability. I think we'd be certainly a good team.

Q. Talk to Coach Page at all?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, he's certainly pumped up to have us both here. We can't thank Herb enough for his influence on us. The time at Kent State was just amazing with him. I really appreciate all those moments and the advice he gave us.

I know he's pumped up. He hopefully is going to be out here following us around, and yeah, he's a pretty amazing guy that I was very fortunate to get to play for.

Q. Some of the assistant captains were talking about the logo that started in Melbourne and material items that might not seem like a big deal but can actually add a lot to the team atmosphere. Have you noticed that?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, so special. We're kind of United under this shield now, and it's really special what was started a few years ago. Getting into the team room, getting all the gear is really, really special. Yeah, pretty sweet, everything that Trevor has done for us and Ernie Els started before that.

I think it's awesome to feel more like a team. It's brought us closer together, and that'll really help us out on the golf course.

Q. You're a mild-mannered guy but you're also one of the top ranked players on your team. Have you taken on a leadership role, or how would you describe your role in the team?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, I've always been kind of on the quieter side, but it's been great to get to know some of the guys. I think Trevor has been an incredible leader. Having a guy like Adam Scott in the room, he's been an unbelievable leader. I've always kind of been a lead by example guy; work really hard, do the right stuff, and not quite as vocal as some of the guys who have been here a few times before, but it's fun.

I feel like an important part of the team, and it's definitely very special.

Q. You referred to your friendship, you spoke about your friendship with Taylor. How much of an advantage do you think it is to have two guys who have been teammates before now reunited once again as teammates but at this level?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, it's definitely very, very cool. It goes to show you we have a similar path, and the national team program, Golf Canada, Herb Page at Kent State, they've led us on a great path. They've taught us the right things, and yeah, it's really special to have sort of shared the journey to professional golf with Taylor, and to have him out on the PGA TOUR now and to have him on the International Presidents Cup team is really, really special.

Hopefully there's a lot more in our future, as well.

Q. What do you think that the two of you bring to the Internationals in terms of camaraderie, maybe keeping things loose, keeping people motivated?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, Taylor especially is an unbelievable guy to be around. He's a lot of fun to have in the team room.

I think guys know certainly we're close friends, and I think it does help loosen things up in the room a little bit, just having some of the guys who are really close.

Q. If you had to build your ideal match play player from the 12 guys on your team, who would you pick to drive the ball, to hit the iron shots, short game and putting?

COREY CONNERS: I'd have to go with my pal Pendrith driving, one of the longest guys on the team and a great combination of length and accuracy. Certainly love my iron game, but Sungjae Im is tough to beat. He hits it really good, as well. I think on the greens, Christiaan, he puts a great roll on it every time. He's got great touch. I'd say probably Sungjae around the greens. He always seems to hit it in there pretty close. The few times I've played with him in practice rounds this week and previously, he makes the tough shots look easy sometimes and always makes the easy ones look very, very easy. He's very talented.

Q. I asked Max Homa this yesterday, but what was your AIM screen name growing up?

COREY CONNERS: They didn't really have AOL in Canada, to be honest, so I never had an AOL account. His was pretty funny, though. That was awesome. I did see his answer. I don't know, I've always been pretty simple.

Growing up, we used MSN messenger, I think, and my name was always Corey. Pretty vanilla guy.

Q. How do you feel about the chances of kind of making history, given how many young guys are on this team and first-year guys are playing in this tournament? What would it mean to make that kind of history?

COREY CONNERS: It would be so special. The list of names who have helped the international team over the years is really, really elite, and having the ability this week to make history, like you said, would be really, really special.

I certainly think we have a chance to do that, and it's going to be a fun challenge trying to shock the world.

Q. How tough has it been dealing with the one storyline that has affected your team more than the U.S. side?

COREY CONNERS: Yeah, it's not really a subject in our team room. We have a great group of guys that we're all very happy to be teammates with. There's a lot of talented players in the room.

Everyone wants to be here. Everyone is hungry. We're just growing close as a group and going to have some fun this week and give it our all on the course.

Q. Along those lines, if there were ever a PGA TOUR-LIV Golf tournament, would you play in that?

COREY CONNERS: I haven't really given it a lot of thought. Yeah, I'm not really sure.

Q. Have you ever looked at maybe who would be the PGA TOUR 12 best against the 12 best from LIV Golf?

COREY CONNERS: No, again, haven't really looked. I know there's some guys playing there that have had a lot of success in professional golf, but I'm thrilled to be a part of the PGA TOUR, and more importantly thrilled to be representing the international team this week.

Q. If you sunk the clinching putt, what's your celebration look like?

COREY CONNERS: I would just kind of try and react in the moment. Certainly don't have a plan. I'm not a very boisterous person. But I'm sure there would be some excitement holing the clinching putt.