LIV GOLF NEW YORK

August 7, 2026

Sergio Garcia

Trump National Golf Club Bedminster

Fireballs GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome to the media center Sergio Garcia, captain of the Fireballs. Sergio, well played, 6-under 65, currently third place. This is now our third time with LIV back here at Bedminster. What stands out to you about this course that makes this venue such a great test and host for this type of event?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, it's a typical Trump property; it's a big golf course, in immaculate shape, and a golf course that asks you to hit really good shots. Simple as that.

Obviously because of the rain early in the week and stuff, there's some par-4s that are very, very long. You have to drive it well. You have to hit a lot of good long iron shots. I've been able to do that for most of my two rounds, I guess. It's been good.

Q. When you take a look at the leaderboard right now through two rounds, there are a number of, say, more veteran and experienced players in the top 10 right now. Would that maybe lend itself to the saying that age is just a number and any day you can come out and put up a really low score?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yes, I think that at the end of the day, we all know how to play. Yeah, the game has obviously evolved and the youngsters nowadays, they hit it farther, they're better prepared and stuff like that, and when they're on, they can obviously do some amazing things.

But that doesn't mean that us little bit more seasoned players cannot play or cannot still play. At the end of the day, the only thing I can do in my respect is play as well as I can play, just try to be as committed and as positive as I can be out there on the golf course, and give it my best. It's all I can ask for.

If I can manage to shoot a round like today, great. If I shoot one like yesterday, also great. There's only so many things that you can control.

Q. Sergio, back in 2024 in Mayakoba, you and Joaco were obviously in a playoff. With 36 holes left in that tournament you were six shots back. You're six shots back now with 36 holes left. Is there a game plan going into the weekend to catch a guy like Joaco that's obviously a proven winner?

SERGIO GARCIA: No, not really. I think, like I said earlier, the only thing I can do is go out there and give it everything I have, give it my best, and then we'll see. If Joaco keeps shooting 5- or 6-under every day, it's going to be very difficult to catch him; it's as simple as that.

When Joaco gets going the right way, it's kind of a little bit like Herby; it feels like he can birdie pretty much every hole. It doesn't matter if it's a 550-yard par-4 or a 130-yard par-3. Obviously he's playing great. He's been working very hard on his game, like we all have. We'll see what happens on the weekend. We'll give it our best shot and see.

It would be nice, hopefully, on Sunday to have a playoff with him again, but we'll see where we stand.

Q. You've seen him progress through the years here on LIV Golf. What do you think has been the most impressive thing from your perspective about his game and how he's improved?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, I think that Joaco has everything that you want to have in your game to be able to do amazing things in golf. So obviously he's got a great head on his shoulders. I think that he's a very positive guy. He really loves and enjoys the game. He can drive it really, really well and hit it very far. So that's a great combination. His iron play, it's always at a good level.

Probably around the greens would be where he's maybe not as great as some of the other parts, but his putting, he's been working hard on it, and his putting is also very good. That's kind of like him in a nutshell, I guess.

Q. I know you put that broomstick putter in play this week. I know you've been practicing with it once in a while throughout the course of the season. What caused you to pull the trigger and put that into play?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, I mean, last week I was in Austin and I was like, aww, you know what, I've been kind of messing around with it a little bit and it's felt good, but I haven't really put it even in play on practice rounds or anything like that, and I thought, I'll put it in play here, play with my buddies and see how it feels, see if it feels as good as it feels on the putting green, and obviously it did.

I thought, let's put it in play this week and see what happens. Hopefully it keeps feeling the same way.

But obviously I was a little -- I didn't know exactly what to expect because when you start competing, it's always different. But it's been great. I've hit a lot of good putts. I've obviously made my fair share. I've also hit the ball quite close to the hole.

But it's felt really, really good, and probably felt the most consistent and comfortable that I've felt in a while on the greens. That doesn't mean that I'm going to make a lot of putts every single round, but for me at least, if I'm feeling like I'm giving it the best possibility to go in, like I'm rolling it -- I'm starting it on the line I want to start it and I'm rolling it well, then it becomes a matter of reading the line and matching the speed.

But if at least you're starting it on the line that you want to start it, you have allowed one, and I've been able to do that, so that's great.

Q. Big difference in between rounds; you were 1-under yesterday; today you're 6-under. It wasn't easier with the weather, might have been worse. What changes did you make to your game, if any?

SERGIO GARCIA: I didn't make any changes. I think that yesterday was a little bit windier. It was a little bit hotter, so that makes it a little bit trickier.

I hit the ball well yesterday, but I didn't hit it as well as today. I think I was a bit more consistent today. I gave myself a lot of birdie chances. I think I only missed like two or three greens all day on this golf course, which is -- you have to drive it really well to be able to do that.

I was able to make a few putts here and there; that always helps. But that's pretty much it.

Q. Mother Nature clearly is not going to be on your side this weekend; you're going to keep doing what you're doing going forward?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, we can't control the weather, so the only thing we can do is go out there and show the best side of yourself and the best version of yourself, try to play as well as you can play and give it everything you have, and the rest is history, I guess.

Q. Sergio, follow-up question on the putter. With the exception of hole No. 11 yesterday when you were putting up the hill, you're showing 27 putts per round yesterday and today. Is that a satisfactory number for you, 27 putts? Is that on line with what you were expecting going into the weekend?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yes, without a doubt. 27 putts, when you're hitting 15 or 16 greens, it's usually going to be good. Even if you hit 12 greens, 27 putts still can save your round.

Obviously I'm happy with -- like I said earlier, I'm happy with the way I've been rolling it. It's been fun to be able to do that.

It's kind of bringing a little bit of excitement for me when it comes down to putting. Like I said earlier, even if I don't make putts, if I feel like I'm giving it 100 percent chance of going in, that's the most important thing for me, and I was able to do that the first couple rounds.