Los Angeles Golf Club 6, New York Golf Club 3
THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome the LA Golf Club to the SoFi media center. You guys clinched mid-match. Before we open it up to the room, Collin, let's start with you. What does it say about this group, how they kept focused today and then ultimately got it done?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: I mean, not just the two guys next to me, but Sahith, our entire team. We're resilient. We love what we're doing. Tommy and I played this morning. Rosey was at Bay Hill. We all came in and practiced together and just get ready. This isn't something that we take lightly. We want to do this really, really well.
I think we're kind of coming into form hopefully in the playoffs. We'll see how that plays out. But just playing the last couple matches with these guys, we've hit some phenomenal shots. We've made some great decisions. Just have used momentum to our favor and were able to close out the last couple wins.
Q. You've strung together back-to-back wins after some early losses this season. What's changed in your approach or mindset lately?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I think we've just played well. It was like an iffy start. I actually think we've had two tough matches the last two matches. I think we've had to play very, very well, and it's definitely not been given to us.
No, I think we've touched on like last year how -- I'm not going to say it came easy to us, but we obviously came out of the blocks very, very hot and we sort of cruised through; whereas this year it's been different, and I think we've shown kind of different qualities, if you like.
We're about to go about it a different way just having to start off slow and then gain momentum. But I don't know if we do anything different. I think we've just played well. I think we've stepped up to the occasion in those two tough matches. Justin just said before, I didn't know sort of how dodgy of a spot we were in. We weren't looking great at one stage, so it's come in the last two weeks and to have those two matches feels really, really good. We can take that with us into the playoffs.
Q. Guys, you mentioned last year, it seems like the first year it was kind of like everyone was learning on the fly what TGL moments meant, what this league was all about. Making the playoffs this year, is there maybe more of a hunger, more of an intensity? Does it mean more, especially because you fell short last year in the playoffs?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I think you always measure yourself against yourself, obviously, and I think there's an opportunity to kind of improve and to go one better than we did last time, hopefully two better, obviously. I think especially last year we felt like we were one of the teams to beat, one of the favorites probably coming into the playoffs, so then all of a sudden like any knockout competition you get it wrong on the day and suddenly the dream is over.
From this point looking forward now, that dream is still alive. But it's about not really looking at ourselves and going, okay, we are the informed team or we're the highest ranked team or any of these things. It's all about on the day, getting here, doing the job, preparing and executing.
Yeah, I think we all trust each other to do that job individually and collectively. Looking forward to what kind of is ahead now.
Q. Collin, you bring up a unique point talking about coming in and committing to the practice schedule. We can all imagine as golfers what that means at Bay Hill this week. What is a practice session like in here when you get in here to get together? Are you talking hammer strategy, looking at the holes you're teeing off on? What is a TGL practice session like?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: It's changed compared to last year. Last year I think we played a lot more of the hole. We really went through the rhythm of things because we weren't used to the cadence. This year has changed a lot. This year, like even today, I was a little quicker. You saw your holes; you get used to your shots.
I'll compare today. Even the last hole and the last toll and the fallen pine shot I had, the par-3s, last week I had not played those because I couldn't make it into the practice schedule. I just felt a little uncomfortable.
But it's practice we would do on a normal golf course on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday knowing this okay, pin location is here, let's hit a couple putts, hit a couple bunker shots, hit some iron shots. It's very, very similar to what we're doing out there and TOUR.
I think for us it's just getting comfortable with the clubs we're going to be hitting.
Q. Collin, last hole when his shot goes out of bounds, does that change the way you play the hole at all?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: Not really. That hole I've been -- I've been benched from that hole for two years now until today. They might have moved the tee up to where I felt comfortable I could cover the front. But for me, if I miss the drive a little bit, I might not be carrying that front.
So I have to commit to my shot. I told these guys, three good shots and we're going to be just fine.
JUSTIN ROSE: I thought he was laying up. I thought he meant like three good shots and get it to the green and actually realized it was the putt. It was like, oh, fair play.
COLLIN MORIKAWA: Nothing is ever easy. I miss a little shot here, I chunk a bunker shot there. Shoot, he might win the hole. I had to really commit to the shots I was hitting, and everything kind of lined up.
Q. I know it wasn't this combination of three versus that combination of three in that playoff match last year that bounced you guys, but was it a little bit sweet knowing that tonight's win, a performance before the win, bounced them and secured your playoff spot knowing last year's?
JUSTIN ROSE: Hadn't thought about it, but now that you say...
I think those storylines don't help. I think we all have our own sort of intrinsic motivation to do well and that's just looking down the line here. That's our motivation, is to do well for each other.
I don't think we need anything much more than that to be honest with you, and I think some of that other stuff is just -- I know it doesn't help me to attach those storylines. It's not going to make me play better, try harder. It's probably going to be more expectation and pressure.
So, no, I don't see it that way.
Q. Justin, last year you had Kate in here with you and we chatted about your form and she saw what was coming pre-Augusta or she and I talked that your form was really trending. Where do you feel like you're trending at this time?
JUSTIN ROSE: She had a crystal ball last year, I guess. I would say I'm hitting better golf shots this year. I'd say trending into Augusta last year my stats were terrible. Tee to green wasn't great.
I think this year, obviously I've had some really good golf and I've had some golf that's been so-so, but I think there's been a lot of sort of -- the West Coast is a tough stretch, as well, for me, living in England, back and forth.
From a rhythm point of view, I feel like I haven't got my rhythm going week to week yet, but hopefully the Florida Swing starts to give you that opportunity. Things quieten down a little bit now, and you can pace yourself nicely into Augusta.
I've got a clear plan and I feel good about what I'm working on. I think that's the important thing for me is always having a bit of a blueprint, making sure that I'm not chasing my tail trying to find my game and just kind of chipping away at the two or three things I need to improve on.
Q. Why do you think TGL is so cool for kids my age?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I mean, hopefully you enjoy it. It's different. For us, from a playing perspective, we're used to playing five-hour rounds. We're used to attacking a golf course quite differently. This is very -- for us, it seems like it comes thick and fast.
We get to play in an arena. You go to other sporting events, and I think there's so many cool things that go on around the actual game itself, and I think you get to do that with this, and it's our version of what that is playing golf.
It's cool. We have a great time playing. Hopefully that shows, and you guys actually -- in other aspects of golf, it's not the same. Don't get me wrong, but when the Olympics originally started, it was something that was brand new to all of us as golfers. I never grew up having an Olympics to play in so I never thought about it. It was never a goal. Kids now can actually dream of playing in the Olympics and winning an Olympic medal.
I think maybe you fancy playing TGL one day. Maybe you're looking at that and saying, I'd love to be in LA, obviously. But maybe you can look at that.
I think that's a cool other version of golf.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports