THE MODERATOR: Jed, we'll start with you. As a LIV Golf player from 2023, can you just describe your emotions this week as you come back to qualify and the experience of creating on LIV?
JED MORGAN: Yeah, I think my experience with LIV has been awesome. Obviously I turned pro early in 2022. I played both years, obviously, and yeah, it sucks to obviously be here, but it's a good opportunity to get back into the field that we were playing golf in was awesome, and the team that I was playing in obviously is where I want to be, and that's where I want to play golf, so that's why I'm here.
THE MODERATOR: Jason, entering this week as a former U.S. PGA champion. Can you talk about your impressions of LIV Golf, specifically how you perceive the league, and what aspects appealed to you as a player?
JASON DUFNER: Right, I think for me it would be a new experience, obviously. It's a little bit different from what I've participated in for the last 23 years or so. I've played 18 years on the PGA TOUR. Very grateful for all those opportunities, and I'm very proud of the things that I accomplished on this tour. I think at this point, maybe something new, maybe something different might refresh me a little bit, and this is an opportunity this week to be part of that golf tour, so that's exciting to me, and I'm looking forward to the week of qualifying and seeing where I stack up.
THE MODERATOR: You previously competed here at the Abu Dhabi Championship and had a top-10 finish back in 2013. Does this course this fond memories for you and does it give you an advantage heading into LIV Golf Promotions?
JASON DUFNER: I don't know if it gives me an advantage. That was 10 years ago or so. Long time ago. But I do remember that the golf course is a very challenging golf course. I think it's a great layout. That time of year, I remember the rough being up a little bit higher. I think they had maybe overseeded with some grasses, so the rough is down a little bit, but I think it's a good golf course for this qualifier. It's going to challenge the guys. I think it's very comparable to what we see day in and day out in the States when we play and pretty close to some of the major championships that we play.
It's a great test, good variety on the golf course, and you will definitely get the guys that play the best this week will have their opportunity to go on and play LIV Golf.
THE MODERATOR: Turk, you've had a taste of LIV Golf before and competed across the Asian Tour and PGA TOURs. Is the global nature of LIV Golf something that appeals to you personally as a player?
TURK PETTIT: I would say yeah. I think it's cool playing around the world, especially being young. I think it's an opportunity you dream about, and to play around the world is something that I didn't see myself doing a whole ago, but now I've enjoyed it. It's been a great opportunity for me and hopefully for some other guys, too.
Q. Jason, how much have you been watching LIV since 2022? Have you been in contact with many of the guys out here, and what kind of feedback are you getting?
JASON DUFNER: Very limited contact with the guys. Obviously there's numerous guys that I've played the PGA TOUR with that are now part of LIV Golf. I've heard good things from them on the occasion that I see them.
I wouldn't say I've had any close friendships that have played out here.
As far as following it, obviously you see bits and pieces, but I'll be honest with you; I don't follow much golf in general. I've kept up with it. I know that they've had some success. Guys have gone over and played well, like last year Brooks obviously won the U.S. PGA. So there's great players on this tour. I know that. I'm familiar with these guys, and when I do see these guys, they always have good things to say about this tour.
Q. What was your thought process in terms of making the decision to go ahead and play this event?
JASON DUFNER: A lot of my thought process comes back to the fact of the category that I would be playing out of next year on the PGA TOUR. I'd be in the past champions category. I think that's going to be very limited starts with the way things have changed on the PGA TOUR, and I just looked at it like maybe I could come over here and play this tour. Maybe that would be an opportunity for me.
I am an independent contractor, so I'm always looking for opportunities to play. I think my starts next year on the PGA TOUR would be quite limited, and if I could come over here and have a good week, that would open up some doors for something new and different for me to be part of LIV Golf.
Q. Just in terms of some of the things that is associated with LIV in terms of the global schedule, the team aspect, is there something specifically that appeals to you?
JASON DUFNER: You know, I've played -- when I was in my prime for that decade or so, I played a lot around the world, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed going to different places. I enjoyed bringing the game of golf to places. I think in the States we're spoiled because every week is almost a new event in a different location that is in the United States.
But people in Hong Kong or in Australia or in Abu Dhabi don't get to see the best players in the world on a week-to-week basis, so I always thought it was important when I was one of the best players in the world to kind of go and play globally, so I think that is very interesting to me that this tour kind of plays that global schedule and hits all these different spots, trying to bring the game of golf.
I don't know how I would feel about the team aspect. I've been so removed from that for so long. Obviously I played college golf. I've been part of a Ryder Cup and a Presidents Cup. Those have unique aspects to it that are completely different than playing as an individual. So that would be a new experience for me to be part of a team, to be part of trying to accomplish something as four players together.
I don't know how I would feel about that until I was part of that.
Q. Jed, just in terms of obviously you have the experience of being out here; what kind of feedback are you giving to players if they come up and ask you what it's like to play at LIV? What do you tell them? What do you tell them as the most important or maybe the best thing about playing at LIV?
JED MORGAN: Yeah, obviously I've played a few International Series this year and I think the last two weeks in Australia, as well, everyone has come up to me and asked what's your experience been with LIV. I mean, it's been a dream start, obviously, as a professional golfer being able to play on that tour and gain the experience I think that I've gained from playing obviously the last two years.
I just think it's everything you want in golf I think and more. It's hard to explain what it's like until you're actually there. Obviously there's a bit of music floating around the golf course, the range, the locker room. Everyone is smiling. Everyone kind of gets sick of smiling out there, which has never happened I don't think in professional golf.
Yeah, I don't know. I haven't really said much, I think, but other than the fact that it's just been fun and enjoyable, whether you're playing well or not playing well. Yeah, it's just unique, obviously. They just fixed all the pain points, I think, in professional golf, and that's why everyone enjoys it so much.
Q. What was the week like in Miami? Obviously you knew your status then. What have you been working on specifically, anything in particular to gear up to this week?
JED MORGAN: Well, this week is pretty hot and humid. I do like the conditions obviously this week, but I think Miami obviously once I knew my fate after Jeddah I think it was, my head was kind of just clearer, which was nice, and I knew what obviously I needed to do the last two weeks to keep my spot.
Since then, I've just been trying to clear my mind and start fresh and look at it just like it's another opportunity to cement my spot for next year, hopefully.
Q. Turk, has there been one thing that you missed the most about not being at LIV in 2023 that you'd like to get back this week?
TURK PETTIT: Yeah, I would say just being able to play with the best players in the world. You kind of get a taste of it and you see how good you have to get to play out there, and you want to get there. You have to make some changes to play with those guys because they're really good.
I also miss the team aspect. I enjoyed being on a team. I think team golf is better than individual golf, in my opinion.
Q. Do you have one story that you can give us from your team aspect days in --
TURK PETTIT: I was on a team with Harold, so we probably have a lot of stories and probably can't share most of them.
Q. In terms of what kind of form you have right now, how do you feel about your game coming into this week?
TURK PETTIT: For me, I haven't played very well this year, so hopefully this week kind of shoots off a great spurge of playing some great golf, so we'll see. Every week is a new week.
JASON DUFNER: You know, I think I've played reasonably well since the U.S. Open (indiscernible) that didn't accumulate to much as results go in the PGA TOUR.
But I always look at each week as a new opportunity, and I feel like we see it in all professional sports, guys that struggle or aren't playing great. Every week is a new opportunity. I think that's the great thing about professional golf. Things can change pretty quickly.
I'm looking forward to this week. I've been putting in some work. I played a couple weeks ago. Obviously the holiday was a bit of an off week for me, but I knew this was coming up. Last week I was preparing for this like I would prepare for any other event, so I'm looking forward to the week and competing with these guys.
Q. Did you find anything in Napa? I think you top 20'd there?
JASON DUFNER: I think I finished 20th or so, something like that. It's become very, very competitive on the PGA TOUR, and I feel like I've played well at times but just haven't quite gotten the results that I've wanted.
JED MORGAN: Yeah, I think (indiscernible) good stuff in there, just hasn't been that consistent, and I've dealt with quite a lot of things going on in my head with where I'm at and where I'm playing golf at the moment. As I said, I've just tried to clear my mind since I knew where I sat, and yeah, I feel good.
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