THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 24, 2026

Ryo Hisatsune

Si Woo Kim

Tom Kim

Medinah Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome the international players today. Ryo Hisatsune, getting your first point. Just for yourself but also the first point on the board for the International Team today in the first round, what are your thoughts on that and achieving that feat?

RYO HISATSUNE: I'm just lucky. Playing with Hideki, he's also a friend, so give me more trust every single time. Just very happy to get the first win in the International Team. Just so lucky. (Laughter.)

THE MODERATOR: Tom and Si Woo, you were in the last match, secured a nice solid victory on 16 with a spectacular shot. Tom, just speak to that shot and closing out the match in that fashion.

TOM KIM: Yeah, I feel like we did a really good job of putting our foot on the gas. We went 2-up early, and then we went back to all square and easily could have lost momentum.

We did a really good job of just managing momentum and really choosing the holes to attack. It helps when your partner makes a lot of birdies. I think we gave each other comfort, and we played a really good job.

Just nice to be able to finish on 16.

THE MODERATOR: Si Woo, just your thoughts on the match, playing with Tom again? You guys have got a great record in the Presidents Cup.

SI WOO KIM: I feel so comfortable with Tom always. He helps me a lot. I think I help him a lot too. It always never feels like -- we're always close to each other, and it just feels so comfortable.

He putts really well, and sometimes it's really helpful in big moments. That's what he did today too.

Q. I know you were asked about the shot on 16, but can you walk us through it? What was the club? Does it make it easier when Si Woo has done what he had done, hit it pretty tight as well?

TOM KIM: Sure. First of all, he hit 8-iron and I hit 7-iron. When you know your partner is not only on the green but within 20 feet, it definitely gives a lot more comfortability knowing that I can kind of be aggressive.

Obviously I think we're very close in distances, so it's really easy to be able to know, if he hits a good shot and it ends up where it is, I can kind of feed off that and really choose, pick and choose the shot that I'm going to hit.

He told me he hit a hard 8, and just knowing that on the previous hole I had a pitching wedge that went up in the air and came up 10, 15 short, so I knew it was going to be into the wind. I just tried to hit a 7-iron like 165 yards.

It's getting cold out there later in the day. So with the cold and kind of into the wind, it was a great number for me. I was hitting my irons well. So I took advantage of it.

Q. Tom, following up on that, you had kind of a muted reaction. Did you know how close it was to going in? Did you see it hit the stick?

TOM KIM: I didn't see it hit the stick, but Si Woo's caddie Manny told me it lipped out. But from my angle, to be honest, whether it went in or not, I didn't really care. I just wanted to win the match. That's kind of where my head was.

I knew the reaction from the crowd, definitely it was going to be somewhere pretty tight.

Q. Two years ago didn't start well for you guys. You fight back the second day. Can you kind of compare the vibe on this Thursday compared to two years ago?

TOM KIM: Definitely I think playing home and losing 5-0 definitely sucks. In four-ball, I would say, I think -- you can pick and choose what we're stronger at. For me personally, I think foursomes, at least with my partner, we're really confident in foursomes.

Obviously it showed in Montreal. We went 5-0 on Friday. I think we did a really good job today. I think everyone kind of came in fresh. 3-2 on a best ball, in a way, isn't terrible, especially with how strong the U.S. Team is.

I feel like we did a pretty good job. We've just got to keep plucking along and making sure it doesn't get away from us.

Q. Do you relish at all being the last group out kind of being able to kind of hold the line at the very end? Being that kind of firewall at the very end.

TOM KIM: No, not really. I think whether I play in first group or last group, it doesn't really -- I don't really change anything. Especially for him and I, we kind of go about our business. Whether you put us first or last, it doesn't really change anything.

Whoever you're playing against, you're just trying to get a point. It didn't really change anything for us. We're just glad we got a point.

Q. Tom and Si Woo, when you guys are paired together, how does conceding putts work? Who's responsible for it? Do you guys have any baselines for how close the putt has to be? How do you guys work that out between the two of you?

SI WOO KIM: My reading is not great, so he helps me -- he definitely helps me a lot. When he putts, I don't think it never really helps him. Yeah, he does really good reading, and sometimes I'm okay.

TOM KIM: Manny called you Keebler because you're a cracker.

(Laughter).

SI WOO KIM: Never mind. Cut it off.

Yeah, sometimes if he hit it like 20 foot and then I putt it for par, like a 5-footer, and I ask him to putt first -- oh, other guys. (Laughter.) You do it.

TOM KIM: I think it's respect. I think if one of them has four feet, especially best ball -- I think foursomes is a little different, but best ball, I think within definitely just outside a putter length, it's definitely a gimme, especially if two guys are -- it depends if it's one guy. But if it's both guys, if one guy hits it four feet and one guy is putting for birdie, you just definitely give the putt. It's just kind of respect.

Foursomes changes a lot. I think it depends on what type of putt it is. I think it really changes. I think we're pretty -- mutually, we talk about whether it's good or not, but we definitely -- we have so much respect for that team that we don't -- we're not trying to do anything to really piss them off. For them, four or five feet is pretty much a gimme. So we try to be respectful.

Q. For Ryo, when we spoke yesterday, you were really excited about the opportunity to potentially play with Hideki. Not only did you play with Hideki, you guys go out and get the full point. Did this live up to the expectations that you had for this moment?

RYO HISATSUNE: Yeah, it's definitely special, especially always when I play with Hideki. We obviously know each other. To know that Hideki knows golf and both know each other, I just feel free playing the golf. So I'm happy to play and be here. Yeah, be happy.

Q. Ryo, as a rookie, what was that first tee shot like, the crowd and it's super quiet and feels like there's a lot of pressure? Walk us through that very first tee shot.

RYO HISATSUNE: Yeah, like a little shaky hands and like my heart breaking. It looks very wide fairway, but very tiny and closed in. So find the fairway, so feel lucky.

THE MODERATOR: Was there a shot today that you hit that you felt like impressed Hideki?

RYO HISATSUNE: Just lucky, like in more putts -- always I just lucky in the hole. So it's my job. I don't do great at putting, so just more try to hit then more pressure on the U.S. Team.

Today I did a really good job in my game, so I'm very happy, yeah.