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AT&T BYRON NELSON

May 12, 2019

Sung Kang

Irving, Texas

SHARON SHIN: I'd like to welcome in the champion of the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson Sung Kang to the Interview Room. Sung Kang, your first PGA TOUR win. How are you feeling right now?

SUNG KANG: You know, it just feels amazing. I mean I was thinking about winning event on PGA TOUR when I was real young and watching Tiger was dominating and then I got on to your since '11, I've -- it feels amazing.

SHARON SHIN: As we were going to the trophy ceremony we heard you talking to your dad on the phone, he was in South Korea. You said, "I did it." Can you tell us more about that conversation?

SUNG KANG: My dad gave me a lot of support when I was young and send me over to U.S. when I was like 15 and gave me a lot of opportunity to learn from learning English when I was younger so I don't have any problems living in U.S. now. It helped me a lot giving me support.

SHARON SHIN: This win moves you up to 21st in the FedExCup. How does the win set you up for the rest of the season?

SUNG KANG: I never think about the future right now. I'll think about it later. I don't know.

SHARON SHIN: Sounds good. Open it up for questions.

Q. Congratulations. Didn't look like you were going for your first win down the stretch. Can you talk about the three birdies you made there early to seal the deal?
SUNG KANG: You know, I mean the other guys making birdies.

Q. No, of you making birdies at the end.
SUNG KANG: When the 3rd Round this morning, we played yesterday, obviously not perfectly. On the back-9 something happened and I took the lead and then it happened again on the front-9. I was just thinking who knows what happened at the end again.

So I really tried to be patient and I told my caddy 27 holes going to be long day for everyone anyway. So as soon as you were ready to focus, concentration and somebody can make mistake. So I told my caddy, when we're walking, just chill, talking about funny things and just good stuff. When we get to the ball really try to concentrate and save the energy. It worked out great.

Q. You made a lot of key putts today and that came a lot of big fist pumps from you. With that adrenaline, how did you manage it so that you didn't get too amped up going into the next holes in the situation?
SUNG KANG: I mean I was mentally really tired especially on the back-9. I was telling my caddy I'm really tired. I told him, just keep telling me about the funny things and that I can laugh and forget about the golf for awhile. As soon as we get to the ball, just concentrate again. So one shot at a time to try to make birdie on every hole. That's what we're trying to do.

Q. Clearly you got to play all four rounds with Matt. These last two days are you guys -- you had a four stroke lead, five stroke lead. Just talk about what it was like playing with him and did it help having him with you?
SUNG KANG: It was really great to play with Matt this whole four days in a row. So first two rounds we're not planning to win. We're just making birdies back and forth and back and forth. Just getting great momentum.

Then Saturday and Sunday it's going -- I get back on the back-9. The same thing happened. He played great on the front-9. I played great on the back-9. Just really tough match. It was really, really tough coming in.

SHARON SHIN: I know it's down the road, you're the 6th Korean to win on the PGA TOUR.

Are you thinking much about the Presidents Cup and representing South Korea in the summer?

SUNG KANG: If I get in, I'll be honored to play in the Presidents Cup. So, we'll see.

Q. Like we said, Matt was with you. Brooks made a little bit of a run early. Did you find yourself looking at the scoreboard at all?
SUNG KANG: For sure. This course anybody can shoot 10-under. I did it on Friday so I knew the weather would be so much better. I was watching it because if even I pay attention to my group, who knows the group in front of us shoot 59 and beat us. I was definitely watching the scorecard, scoreboard all day.

SHARON SHIN: Anymore questions?

Q. Sung, with your residence up the road in5oin Coppell, being a Dallas resident, do you feel anymore comfortable this week with being home playing locally in Dallas compared to another Tour week now with this result?
SUNG KANG: Definitely nice staying home, sleeping in my own bed and my little one and my wife and friends there. Been -- spectator's house. I live in Coppell so they're saying go Coppell. They definitely supported me a lot today.

Q. Sung, how would you compare like the mental grind of this weekend compared to when you were in the hunt in Houston a couple years ago?
SUNG KANG: Okay. So this is why from Houston. After two rounds, 6-under par, had 6, 7 shot lead going into Saturday. I was thinking shoot a couple under par next two rounds I thought I was going to be the winner but guys on PGA TOUR, they guys are good. I really realized.

So Sunday at Houston Russell made ten birdies. It was too late to -- better play. This time I was thinking got to play -- I knew the weather was going to get better, guys go really low. I was thinking I got to shoot even better than first two rounds.

I really tried to focus on my game and I think that was it. I definitely learned a lot from Houston. The other thing I actually talked to K.J. who won 8 times on the PGA TOUR, just coming into Saturday and then he gave me a lot of advice. He just told me just play your game, don't change anything. You shoot 6-under par two rounds, shooting 8-under par Saturday, Sunday it will be just fine. Play your game. Try to play -- don't try to play too aggressive. Don't watch what the others are doing, play your own game. Stick to it and just play it and be patient. It was very helpful.

SHARON SHIN: Anymore questions?

Q. Say something to the people that stayed up all night in Korea.
SUNG KANG: Yeah. It's got to be really hard. Still different time in Korea. I know the people were watching because I was leading and getting into contention. I really want to say thanks for supporting us out here on PGA TOUR, the Korean players playing really well lately and finally I actually won this week and I just want to say really thank you and appreciate it.

Q. I just wondered the conditions today, was it a little tougher condition-wise today with no wind?
SUNG KANG: So actually I played really good 1st Round with the bad weather so I was really actually hoping weather gets bad Saturday and Sunday then I can play conservatively. I don't have to play aggressive.

But weather came out just perfect so Saturday and Sunday, it was definitely tougher. Guys -- I still got to try to make birdies. These guys are unbelievable. Scott Piercy and Matt, making so many birdies on the front. I was like okay, I'm not even going to care about this anymore. Whatever they do, they do. I was just work on my game and shoot my score.

SHARON SHIN: Anymore questions? All right. Congratulations, again, and thank you for your time.

SUNG KANG: Thank you very much. Thanks guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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