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CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 17, 2016

Mo Martin

Naples, Florida

Q. First off, tell me about your round. Was a really good one, especially to start.
MO MARTIN: Yeah, it was a great one. Kind of funky day. It was pretty windy, so first three, four holes playing was pretty challenging into that with wind. Good start.

Again, great layout. They did a good job here.

On the 5th hole, the par-3, I hit it in the left bunker. When I got up there, there was a snake in the riveting. I was going to be about two inches away from it. We actually had a long wait for the officials there and had to drop in the bunker away from the snake. The snake had nowhere to go.

The rules official was kind of poking and prodding at it, and it was getting more and more angry and I wanted to get less and less near it.

So dropped it, but then it plugged a little bit and just made a bogey early there.

But I had a hot start and hot finish and I played beautifully. Really wouldn't do anything different. It's a great way to start. And to be in contention this week, the CME Group is an important sponsor for me is and it's an important week for the year, so I am just really happy with the start.

Q. When you're playing with a player like Charley who's putting up the red numbers just like you, does that motivate you more to follow her pace?
MO MARTIN: Yeah, I mean, I think it's really fun when you're playing with someone that's playing well and you're both kind of feeding off of each other's momentum.

Then we got behind after that ruling, and so we made a bunch of birdies and caught up a little bit. It was nice to play with Caroline, too. She's a great competitor as well.

Q. With everything on the line, is there more energy, whatever it may be, nerves, playing in this tournament because of the stakes?
MO MARTIN: Yeah, I mean, the stakes are higher. Some people have a mathematical chance; some don't.

But winning this tournament is still a huge deal, a huge purse. It's the last tournament of the year, so everybody wants to finish well.

It's the culmination of everything, the points race. And Terry Duffy does an awesome job putting this event on. We had a special gala, special dinner with Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, Magic, and Michael Strahan.

Just hearing the greatest athletes of all-time speak, you know, that's motivation for us, too. It's a great week.

Q. What's the thing that you notice the most? The adrenaline -- what is the biggest difference between this and a maybe tournament in mid-May?
MO MARTIN: It plays as a major for us, so I try not to prepare differently. But stakes are a little bit higher. I do the same thing to prepare, but just the week means a lot.

To have good results and play the way I want to means even more.

Q. What do you take from your round today and try to improve on for tomorrow?
MO MARTIN: Just going to continue to do the same thing. Not changing anything.

Q. What's it like having the tournament here?
MO MARTIN: Well, it's a home game for me. I moved to Naples from California about four years ago. Still have coaches and trainers and family in California. Last week I had good putting practice with Jamie Mulligan. He was a huge help.

But back on my home turf. Now I am in my own bed and have a huge contingent of family and friends and new fans following. It's awesome to have the support and hear the yells from the gallery.

Q. Is it safe to say that you've played this course a lot in the off-season?
MO MARTIN: I've definitely played it in the off-season. It's a new layout now so some things have changed. Green complexes are different. I've practiced here probably more than most.

Q. How long is your commute?
MO MARTIN: 15 minutes.

Q. Very nice.
MO MARTIN: Yeah, really good.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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