THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 23, 2026

Nico Echavarria

Medinah Country Club

Press Conference

Q. This is your first team event. What are the vibes like? Is it what you expected?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: No, it's not what you expect because I haven't been part of this, but it's truly incredible to join a family like this. Everyone is so close. Everyone is having so much fun that it's contagious.

It's going to be one of the best weeks of my life, I feel like.

Q. Then what are the vibes going into the week? Are you excited? Nervous?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, obviously nervous is my first one. I haven't experienced what's going to be the first tee shot. Overall it's going to be a lot of nerves, but it's also a cool format where you don't have to play perfect golf, you don't have to play incredible golf and give points to the team.

Q. That 1st hole, what's the strategy there. There's a lot of danger. What, is it on the left side?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, you just have to commit to the shots. Wind off the left. You just have to try to hit a good one, put it in play, and go from there.

Q. After you won the Cognizant, you immediately thought that you could have a chance of being picked, or you had to wait? What happened in your head after you won the Cognizant?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, it was a good start to the season, and it also gave me the opportunity to play elevated events that I didn't have, Signature Events, and you can add more points that way. I think it was very important to get that win, get going, and be part of this team -- or have the mentality that you're going to be present on this team.

Q. Camilo Villegas is here this week. He's kind of your mentor. Is that a source of motivation for you or a bit of pressure?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: I don't see it as pressure. I've known Camilo now for a long time. He's only supportive. He's an open book to me, which I respect a lot. He's been very helpful in my career, and I'm just very thankful.

Q. You obviously had a couple wins on Tour in a short span. Looking back a few years ago, is this a position you expected yourself to be in?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: I expected -- more like you want to play golf in your career to be part of these teams. I don't know if expected is the correct choice of word. I think it's more of a motivation of I want to be there.

Everyone tells you how good these weeks are, and it's exceeded my expectations.

Q. Given the fact that the International Team hasn't won in 30 years, what would it mean to be part of a team that finally pulled off that upset?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: It would be great. We're so close as a team that it might be tough, but it's not impossible. I think it's just session by session trying to dig as many points as we can and have a chance on Sunday and I think shock the world. It would be very cool.

Q. Last time Team USA went to Medinah, things didn't go their way. Is that something that kind of inspired the team?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: It is. It's probably one of the craziest Ryder Cups there has ever been, and it's the same venue. Hopefully we can be on the lead coming into Sunday, not like Europe, but if we're close and we can turn it around, it would be great.

Q. A couple rapid fire questions for you, Nico. Who's most likely to be late to the team bus?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Tom Kim.

Q. Who's the most competitive in the team room?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: I'm close to being there. Maybe Si Woo.

Q. Who's the best dressed outside of this week?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Adam Scott. Best dressed, yeah.

Q. Who's got the most energy in the team room?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Min Woo.

Q. Who's the biggest trash talker?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Min Woo.

Q. Anything you can share that he said?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: He's been making a lot of AI videos of our faces. It's been hilarious.

Q. Did he make the one like I posted this morning?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Absolutely.

Q. The roller skating?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Yes, he was the one.

Q. Statistically you're a pretty streaky player. Do you think that that is a positive for a week like this where it's kind of a sprint match play, it's going to be over in 18 holes?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, I don't think statistics are as important this week as people think. I think it's more of a mindset of you're playing one-on-one against a person. You don't have to shoot 6-under. You can shoot 3-over and win a match, and that's a point.

Geoff has highlighted that a lot, you're playing against a person or a team or a group instead of you're playing your own score. So be smart and have a tough mindset that you can turn a match around or you can hold the lead, and you can strangle them in hitting a lot of greens and putting pressure.

Geoff has done a great job. He obviously has a lot of experience in that way.

Q. Do you think that while you're out there, you'll be keeping an eye on what your opponents are doing, and will that change your decisions that you make?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Certainly off the tees, it's a lot of drivers off the tee, not a lot of decision-making, but yes, if your opponent hits it close and they're going to make birdie, you're going to go after that.

That's why I say yes. Statistics are important, but I think this week is a little overrated of just playing the other guy and trying to win the hole.

Q. As far as partners go or teammates go, like what type of guy are you looking for? What type of player do you want to play with, somebody who hits it long off the tee, somebody who putts well? What's a good fit for you?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: I think someone that I can vibe with and we can connect that way. They've been working very hard on the pairings. I think they've done a good job. They have a clear plan, that I think they have highlighted the years before that they haven't had that clear of a plan. Us as players, we have to believe in what they're doing, and we're sold on that.

Q. When you walk into that first tee stadium tomorrow, how do you plan to keep your emotions in check?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Just a lot of breathing. And having the perspective of having those nerves is because you've earned yourself to be here. Don't be scared of the moment. You're going to be nervous, but you still have to hit that tee shot no matter what.

It's better to have a good mindset and try to hit the best shot you can and go from there.

Q. You obviously played very well at PGA National this year. There's a lot of trouble on that golf course. How do you view the fence on holes 1, 2, and 3? Do you think about stuff like that? Like it's really close.

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, it is.

Q. I don't mean to plant the seed.

NICO ECHAVARRIA: No, it is. It's close for everyone. The tough tee shots at the start, you just have to suck it up and hit a good one. The first three holes are very challenging, but it's also good there's a lot of variety of what could happen on a hole. You could win with pars, but you could also make birdies.

I think it's probably the best three starting holes I've ever played.

Q. Would you like to see an international women's team?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Would I like to see it? Yeah, I think so. Yeah, it would be good. I think they deserve -- especially what Korea has done with women's golf over the last years, I think they deserve their spot, yeah.

Q. If I could show you the roster, if I could just get your reaction of seeing what that would potentially look like, just your thoughts?

NICO ECHAVARRIA: Yeah, it's a strong team. It is.