LIV GOLF HONG KONG

March 7, 2026

Harold Varner

Hong Kong Golf Club at Fanling

Smash GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome to the media center Harold Varner of Smash GC. 7-under 63, currently tied for first at 17-under. Please just take us through today's round.

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, just played well. I played well yesterday. Just starting to see some putts go in. Didn't putt very well the first two events. Yeah, just super solid golf. Played really well today. It was kind of tricky with the wind, but that's my caddie's job. Yeah, it was good. Really enjoyed being out there today for sure.

Q. What is it about this course that you like, that you feel like is maybe suiting your game pretty well?

HAROLD VARNER III: I've played here a few times. I've played terrible here, I've played well here. I like being here. It's a lot of fun. I've really enjoyed it. Some good meals. I don't really know, to answer your question, though. It's golf.

Q. How about one just on Hong Kong, on visiting the city. You mentioned you've been here a few times, but when you have the time to get out and experience the culture here, what is it about this region, this city that you love?

HAROLD VARNER III: I mean, I don't want to answer the same answer, but I don't know. I've enjoyed -- there's great people. Nothing spectacular. Hospitality is great. I'm comfortable.

I've seen this place play a lot of different ways since I've been playing out here, and just trying to play good golf. That's all I'm trying to do. It's pretty simple. I tried to do that two weeks ago the first two tournaments and that didn't go well, and now it's going well this time. I feel like I'm doing the same thing, just making a few more putts.

Q. On the team side, smash is right there at the top heading into Sunday --

HAROLD VARNER III: Where are we exactly?

Q. I believe right now you're in first place.

HAROLD VARNER III: We are, all right, good. I saw that, and I was like, how are we not in first place. I feel like I've birdied every hole in sight.

Yeah, exciting things. I love our team. It's been a lot of fun. I'm super happy. It's not that I wasn't happy on the 4Aces, but I love being around Talor. He's a great friend. Yeah, it's just normal stuff. It's golf, once again.

Q. How close were you or did you think you were to a hole-in-one earlier in your round?

HAROLD VARNER III: I know how far away it was when I got up there, and I put the coin behind it. I didn't really care about the hole-in-one. It was an easy birdie. I don't know. I have no clue, honestly. How close was it? Are you going to tell me?

Q. It was like two feet but it went right by the hole on the right side.

Q. That's what I wanted to know. I know where it was when I got up there. That's awesome. I hit a good shot there. I was super excited. And Graeme made a putt there. We were rolling, and then it didn't go that way for the rest of the day.

Q. You've been dialed in with your short irons and your wedges. Do you think that's a strength of your game and maybe why you're playing well this week?

HAROLD VARNER III: I think it's a strength this week, and that's all that matters. This week is the only week that matters. Next week is going to be different. I would say I'm getting a lot of looks but also capitalizing when I get good looks.

Is that the strength? Are you looking at stats right now? Tell me, how well am I doing.

Q. Off the tee you're first on par-3s for the week, and you're second strokes gained approach, 7.4 strokes on approach, which is definitely your best week of the season.

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, it's nice. Par-3s you get to start from the fairway, so it's great.

Q. Last thing I wanted to ask you was obviously this is a shorter course, but there's a lot of long hitters on the leaderboard, yourself included. Why do you think that's the case this week?

HAROLD VARNER III: No clue. It's short, but it plays a lot longer. The hole right here, I don't know what hole this is, but I hit 6-iron in there today, hit 8-iron into 1, hit 6-iron into 18. It's short, but I think it's people who hit their 6-iron, 7-iron close, honestly. The par-3s are about that distance.

Then when you get the lay-ups on the wedges, you just take advantage. The par-5s, I would say, you hit it in the fairway, you've got a chance. The first par-5 on the back or the only par-5 on the back was playing a little tougher today, but for the entirety of the week it's been pretty -- you hit it in the fairway, you've got a great chance.

Q. You're going to tee it up with probably Rahmbo and Thomas. How are you going to enjoy 18 holes with them tomorrow?

HAROLD VARNER III: Oh, yeah, I think I'm going to enjoy it. It's an opportunity to win a golf tournament. Just got to take it one shot at a time. I played with Jon Rahm last week in Arizona. He's a great guy. He's obviously playing well. I know he's going to want to win, and I think I'm going to want to win, so it's called competition, and I really like that.

Q. What's the best thing about having Talor as a captain?

HAROLD VARNER III: We've talked about this. I hate losing to Talor. Like, it's tough. He's like a really good friend. I love that competition. I've known him since I was 23, 22. He's a captain, but in my eyes he's like a peer that he's going to make me better. I played well when we were on the team at the RangeGoats and he beat everybody in the league.

I just know I'm going to be better at life and golf, which is important to me. Those two things are very important.

Q. How much did you guys celebrate G-Mac's ace last night?

HAROLD VARNER III: I think you saw the picture. Yeah, that was fun. Very organic, hanging out with the team. I don't think we needed that many beers. But it was really cool. He hit a great shot, and just seeing his excitement -- he's played golf a long time, and just to have a shot like that and be that excited, you know it meant a lot to him.