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CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 20, 2016

Charley Hull

Naples, Florida

THE MODERATOR: Hello, everyone. I would like to welcome in the 2016 CME Group Tour Championship winner, Charley Hull. Charley, I know it might seem like it's taken a long time, 52 starts for this first victory, but you're still only 20. What does it mean to have your first win out here on the LPGA Tour.

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, it's pretty cool feeling. Hasn't quite sunk in yet, but I last won on the LET, the European Tour, like two years ago. Had that dry like patch for a few years. Feels good now to get a win.

THE MODERATOR: What did you do last night to prepare? You haven't had many 54-hole leads in your career. What did you do to get yourself ready for today?

CHARLEY HULL: When I went about a being to my room I didn't even real think I was in. I just spoke to my friends and watched some of their Snapchat videos because it's Saturday night, and went to the gym. That's about it really. And watched some Netflix.

THE MODERATOR: Nice casual evening.

CHARLEY HULL: Exactly.

THE MODERATOR: In terms of your score out there, record setting score for this tournament, 19-under par; bogey-free on the weekend. What were you able to do to get yourself in that mode to play so well.

CHARLEY HULL: I don't know. Just feel pretty good where I am at the moment. I feel like I mentally good. I feel relaxed. Like last week I only swung a golf club -- I said to my caddie I swung the golf club like three times, but I only really touched it once.

Yeah, I think that's the key for me. If I come into a week relaxed I feel good. This week it happened for me. I'm confident. I'm happy.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Ball striking got off to a shaky start. Missed the first three greens but walked a 3-under. How much confidence boost did that give you and what was going on there early?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, like on the first hole, like every since I played this golf course I just don't like this first tee shot. Doesn't suit my eye. This week I've hit three decent tee shots down there.

Today I struck it all right. I faded it and the wind caught it. Yeah, I probably didn't strike it amazing to start with, but as the pressure got on the back nine I got into my swing. Kind of helped a little bit having that pressure on me to hit it good.

Just kind of stuck to my rhythm. I have this swing called Strawberry Moose. Like my backswing goes to strawberry, comes down, goes to moose, a bit faster. I've had in my head since the Olympics. Feels good.

Q. I'm sorry, say that again. Strawberry what?
CHARLEY HULL: Strawberry moose. My dad used to say it to me when I was like two years old to get my rhythm. Or you say Seve Ballesteros, Severiano Ballesteros. It's just like a rhythm thing.

Q. What was the atmosphere from your standpoint like with So Ryu really trading birdies with you there. It was quite a dramatic duel there. Quite a classic final round showdown.
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I like it when there is loads of birdies because it makes it more interesting on the golf course. I like watching it. It's quite fun.

So, yeah, I think it made it good to watch on the TV. I enjoy it. No, I like when people are making birdies out there. Have to step up my game and make some, too.

Q. Did it feel a little different to win and see like other trophies coming out and people celebrating, too?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, feels pretty good. Yeah, feels great to be a winner on the LPGA Tour. It's wicked to do at 20. It's fun. So feels good to be joining the winners this year. Ariya has had a great year; Lydia; Brooke. It feels good to be now one of the young ones that have won.

It feels good.

Q. What did you watch on Netflix last night?
CHARLEY HULL: I was watching -- I can't remember what it was called, but it was like a Henry the VIII kind of series. Not the Tudors, but something like that.

Q. You always act like this is all so casual. Yesterday you said this was just going to be a normal round. Was there ever a point where it got to you out there?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I would say probably on the last putt, because I didn't know whether I was leading by one, two, or if I was tied. I kind of caught the edge of the leaderboard before I putted and saw that she was actually just two -- I was leading by two.

So I thought, Ah, okay, cool. I putted out and looked at the full leaderboard to see if anyone else was there, and I had two ahead. Kind of made that second putt a little bit better, and I holed it.

Q. You had talked throughout the tournament about not thinking about golf.
CHARLEY HULL: Uh-huh.

Q. What were you thinking about?
CHARLEY HULL: What was I thinking about? Well, just my friends and stuff at home. Just like stuff that I've got planned for the next couple weeks. I don't know really. Just little things about funny things that my friend Louise or my friend James have done.

Just stuff like that.

Q. That took the pressure off?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, because, I don't know, just made me laugh. I remember yesterday I had to back off a putt because I was thinking of something silly my mate had done.

It was on the 7th hole, so if you see it on TV where I'm laughing, it's because I have that funny thought in my head.

Q. At some point you've got to be thinking a little -- I mean, was it just as you approach your shots?
CHARLEY HULL: Uh-huh, yeah, just pretty much as I approach my shot, because I like to have the swing as my tempo, and especially my putting.

Yeah, I know how to switch on and switch off. Sometimes when I don't think, because when I'm over the golf ball sometimes, if I am concentrating too much I can't really get my rhythm.

Q. You don't seem like you let too much really bother you. Being the phenom that you were, how much pressure did you feel to win an LPGA event? How satisfying will it be that you're not to be asked, When are you going to win?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, exactly. It feels good. It was a lot of pressure coming from when I played in the Solheim Cup. I was 17 years old and I had five second-place finishes in my first five starts, and took me like over a year to win on the LET.

Now this is actually my first full year on the LPGA Tour. Last year I didn't have full status. To win, it feels good. Feels like I got the chip off my shoulder.

Q. You've been a pro for almost four years now. Hard to say, that but it's true. How would you characterize those four years in terms of your growth as a person, as a golfer? More ups than downs?
CHARLEY HULL: I feel like I've had a great four years, fun four years as well. I love playing golf. Like people in the off-season probably take two months off. I don't. I go out with my lad mates who play golf and we go out and hit golf balls on the golf course.

Being four years as a pro, wow, it's gone by so quick.

Q. You mentioned that you didn't keep an eye on the leaderboard until the end. Had you entered the round two or three shots behind would you have kept an eye on the leaderboard?
CHARLEY HULL: Probably, because I like chasing. Like when I came out today and I was leading, I think I've lost every time I've been leading. My first win I shot 9-under to win by one -- well, to win then in a playoff.

But, yeah, it was interesting. Probably if I was behind I probably would've been looking at it. As it got towards the end I wouldn't.

Q. There are leaderboards everywhere plus the signboard in your group.
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah.

Q. How difficult is it to avoid seeing anything?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, well I was looking at the leaderboard thing in the group, the signboard, but I was just like avoiding it on the golf course. I think Shanshan won a couple weeks ago, and listened that she doesn't watch the leaderboard or something.

I thought, Oh, I might try that, because I love watching leaderboards. I don't know, just takes my mind off stuff. Just like looking at it. It's proved to me this week I don't need to look at the leaderboard.

Q. How did you learn and when did you learn to switch on and off when you're on the golf course?
CHARLEY HULL: Probably, I don't know, like a year ago. Pretty much the Kraft this year was the start of that. Sorry, the ANA this year. Yeah, basically then.

Q. How did you train your mind to do that?
CHARLEY HULL: Oh, how did I train my mind to do it. I don't know really. I used to get too engrossed in my score. Now when I'm on the golf course I don't know even know what I shot. Like yesterday I had no clue I shot 6-under, and today I didn't know I shot 6-under either.

So it's kind of working.

Q. It seemed like everybody in the mix either for the tournament or for a trophy is like 18, 19, 20. I know that's not a new thing out here, but is there any rhyme or reason in your head why young players come out here and just be like, Okay, we're not waiting. We're going to just start taking over. I don't know really man?
CHARLEY HULL: I have no clue. Age is just a number really, isn't it? Yeah, that's what I got to say to that.

THE MODERATOR: I was going to say, as you just mentioned earlier, now being included in that group, everybody talks about the youth on tour. When they do, they mentioned Brooke and Ariya, and Lydia. Do you hope with this win and hopefully getting yourself in that mix when they talk about the top young players on tour?

CHARLEY HULL: I'm not really too bothered what people say. I'm just here to have fun and play golf.

But it would be cool if my name is mentioned now I've won, but I don't really think about that, to be honest.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions?

Q. You were thinking about what your upcoming plans were.
CHARLEY HULL: Uh-huh.

Q. What are they?
CHARLEY HULL: Just going out with my friends and having fun with them over Christmas. Couple pub crawls and stuff like that. They're good in England. The drinking age is 18.

Q. So you get to buy now?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I'll still make them buy some drinks for me.

THE MODERATOR: Charley, congratulations on your first victory. I'm sure many to come. Have a great off-season, and we look forward to see more in 2017.

CHARLEY HULL: Cheers. I appreciate it guys, thanks.

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