Q. Talk about your experience so far.
NICK TAYLOR: It's been great. I think I've heard a lot about this week for years from guys who have played. It's the best week of the year, and it's one of those until you experience it, I don't think you quite know it. It's busy weeks, but doing so many things together, the camaraderie that's been growing, the relationships that you kind of develop further than you already have, yeah, it's one of those where you hope time slows down a little bit with the experiences, but so far it's been awesome.
Q. What's one thing that's surprised you so far?
NICK TAYLOR: Maybe just the structure of the days. We kind of know where we're going to be every minute of every day either from practicing with media, dinners, et cetera. They're fun filled days but they're busy, so that's when you've got to prioritize some practice here and there. We'll have windows where we can do that, but yeah, it's busy days getting ready.
Q. As you've gotten involved this week and seen what it's like and your pursuit of getting on the team, the question I have is would you like to see an international women's team and what that would look like for those players?
NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, I think that would be awesome. Even when I was in college, back to -- there wasn't a whole lot of international competitions like this, so yeah, that would be awesome to see. There's obviously the Solheim Cup, there's the Ryder Cup. Now with the Presidents Cup it would be cool to have a women's version as well. It would be cool to be a part of this and kind of show how good golf is outside of the U.S. and Europe, and it's going to be a fun week.
Q. How is the course playing? Obviously a lot of rain recently. Seems like it might be wet and playing pretty long.
NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, it's definitely soft. From when we were here a couple weeks ago, the greens are definitely much faster, so there's certain spots you've got to watch out for still. Yeah, it's soft. I don't think there's a lot of rain in the forecast going forward, but it's really not going to be that warm to dry it out. Yeah, I think there will be a fair share of birdies on certain holes, but the rough is definitely up as well, more so than a couple weeks ago. There will be probably a good mix of scores where if you're in the fairway you can attack but when you're missing fairways it's going to be tough to get it on the green.
Q. How do you feel like it fits your game personally?
NICK TAYLOR: I think it fits well. I've played it enough. I have good lines off the tees. I feel comfortable on the greens. I feel comfortable seeing all the shots I need to hit. It's been nice to get that preparation.
Q. What's the most fun thing you guys have done as a team so far this week?
NICK TAYLOR: Honestly, we're having a good time. It doesn't matter what we're doing, whether it's playing ping-pong or being idiots in the bus or singing, anything we're doing we're having a good time, so it's great to have that group of people. It doesn't matter what we're doing, if it's a big event or not. We're just having a good time together.
Q. Who's the one guy keeping everyone the loosest in the team room?
NICK TAYLOR: The loosest? Bussy is our caddie captain. He's doing a great job on the the mic with the songs. Like I said, everyone is bought in and everyone is having a good time, so everyone is taking their turn.
Q. What's it like seeing Taylor in that role of vice captain?
NICK TAYLOR: It's great. Obviously a good friend of mine. To pick his brain with his experience playing in this twice and now being there for us and anything he can do to help us being an assistant captain it's huge, especially for me being my first time. It's a familiar face, someone I'm very comfortable talking to and being around and I'm definitely going to take his advice whenever I can.
Q. How easy is it to be comfortable around this group of guys?
NICK TAYLOR: It's great. We've got together over the year at certain times, but to be able to have that solidified come here a couple weeks ago, have that time together, it's been really nice.
Q. What's it going to be like hearing your name called on the first tee?
NICK TAYLOR: Certainly I think there will be jitters. It's one of those where I know my game can stack up. Playing golf is the important thing here and accepting those jitters, the nervousness, it's a good thing. It'll be fun. Whenever that happens, I'll be excited to go.
Q. Obviously your comfort level with the team chat, what's that chat been like?
NICK TAYLOR: It's great. It's a group chat with all of us. If we're just missing around -- I feel like we're all getting very, very close and the camaraderie is great.
Q. What's your experience with match play?
NICK TAYLOR: I've actually won the last Canadian Amateur that was match play, so I have that under my belt, I guess. But I've always enjoyed match play. I've enjoyed the different pressures in it on each hole and starting from the get go. I enjoy match play. I've done alternate shot in the Zurich with Adam Hadwin and we've had some pretty good success there, so everyone has enjoyed different kind of aspects of the golf that we play. I'm looking forward to it.
Q. (On the team's shoes).
NICK TAYLOR: I think there's 24 of us and we've got custom shoes.
Q. Do you like them?
NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, they're sweet. Don't tell Adidas, but yeah.
Q. There was a time when you were on the edge of making the team. Where were you that week, what was it like to actually get the call?
NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, I had known for -- I don't remember how long, but it was long enough that maybe the sting or the pain had subsided, but then obviously with it coming back it was more realization that I wasn't there. It was a part motivation of let's try to get back on this team in two years. It's one of those, I didn't know if I was for sure going to be picked or not coming into this. I was hoping it again. So to get the phone call that it was on the good side this time was more relief than anything.
But it's been really fun to experience this whole -- the two weeks prior when we came here to get together and warm up, the events of this week. It's a special week. I'm proud to be on it, but I'm also pretty excited that I got my chance.
Q. I know it's almost a cliche storyline, but you weren't all born in the same country or speak the same language. Is there a story or an example of getting to know a teammate who maybe doesn't speak the language from your native country that comes as a result of the Presidents Cup?
NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, again, all of us, we spent a lot of time together. I played with Tom and Si Woo when we were here a couple weeks ago. I became Brother Kim, us three Kims. Just that, getting to know each other more than we have on a more personal level, being able to joke around, spend dinners together, get to know each other's spouses, there's just a level of just personal relationships to be built in these that makes it that much more of a special week.
Yeah, it's different. Obviously we've all grown up in different parts of the world, and it's fun to get to know each other on a deeper level.
Q. What do you mean by Brother Kim?
NICK TAYLOR: Well, I'm the third leg of the Kims, so they started to call me Brother Kim just to keep it simple.
Q. You've always had some really clutch moments in your career. What's one of your favorite ones?
NICK TAYLOR: That's a good question. The obvious would be the Canadian Open and winning my national open. I look back a lot on it, the Wyndham Championship, I have to have a great final round to keep my card. I shot 63 there to finish, I think, 120th to keep my card. I shot 63 as well in the final round to actually get my PGA Tour card in 2014.
Yeah, there's been some moments where there was a lot of nerves, a lot of jitters and was able to pull off great rounds, great shots, so a lot of things to fall back on this week when I am nervous in those moments, and hopefully I'll have those moments to be able to pull shots off.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports