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CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE

May 25, 2019

Kevin Na

Fort Worth, Texas

THE MODERATOR: Help me welcome in Kevin Na, the current 54-hole leader Charles Schwab Challenge. 1-under 69 today and currently sitting at 9-under, 2-shot lead. How was it out there for you today?

KEVIN NA: It was playing difficult out there. The breeze was pretty high and it gusted a lot, so on and off, even on short putts, it can be difficult.

I hit a lot of good shots, but then when I didn't, when I needed to get up and down and save par, I was able to do so by making some good putts.

THE MODERATOR: You've had some pretty low scores here. Three scores of 62 or better. What just fits your eye and what works so well here for you?

KEVIN NA: It's a golf course that I always look forward to coming to. I think because I like it it helps me play better. It just fits my eye. You don't have to overpower this golf course. I keep saying this is fairway-and-in golf course. You kind of put it in play somewhere, and you have to hit a lot of good iron shots and make some putts.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I hate to assume anything, but if you shoot another 61 tomorrow you're probably going to win.
KEVIN NA: If I shoot another 61 I can put my whole life savings that I'm going to win.

Q. Do you have any kind of target score in mind? You got the 2-shot lead now.
KEVIN NA: Well, this course, even though it's breezy, you can go low. No telling what somebody is gonna do.

But, as long as nothing weird happens, I figure if I shoot 3-under par should seal the deal. Since you were asking for a number.

Q. What happened on No. 11? I think the TV guys said maybe a cell phone went off.
KEVIN NA: Yeah, there was a fan distraction let's call it. Kenny being Kenny he went off on her. He was screaming at her. And he has every right to do so. I felt bad for the lady.

I was upset at first and then I saw the lady's face and I was like, Oh, my God. She's going to pee in her pants. So I said, Come on Kenny. Let's forget about it. Let's just go.

Next hole I saved a nice par and bounce-back birdie. It was nice that that didn't affect me the rest of the way.

Q. Just curious, were you much of a Hogan follower?
KEVIN NA: Who doesn't love Ben Hogan? If you're a golf pro and you don't love Ben Hogan, there is something wrong with you. Obviously a lot of my coaches growing up idolized his swing.

No chance I get anywhere near it. You watch that swing and it is so pretty. Even now on social media you see Hogan's old black and white films of his swing and it's so beautiful. The motion, the tempo. It's just -- I mean, you can watch that and go to sleep and dream about it.

But, yeah, seems like every place that Hogan liked I love it too. I love Riviera. Hogan Alley there too. So the short answer is yes, I love Ben Hogan.

Q. Going back to 11 real quick, you said you bounced back. You had a couple more shaky shots on that hole. Did it take a minute to shake it off?
KEVIN NA: It did. Obviously the next tee shot I hit a bad shot. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get yourself together after something like that happens and you make a double bogey.

But then I bounced back nicely after the tee shot on. I think I played pretty solid the rest of the way in.

Q. You mentioned earlier in the week that this was a course where you knew you could contend on the calendar. What about Colonial gives you that confidence, knowing coming into a week and now here you are with the lead?
KEVIN NA: It's got, you know, a few things. Obviously good memories. Having good finishes here. I've had a bunch of Top 10s here. I've led this tournament few times. I think Sharon told me last year it's the tournament I've led the most out of any other tournaments.

So something about this golf course that I like. I keep thinking that and it's obviously positive thinking and going to help me play better.

Q. Furyk was telling us earlier today we told him you said there were only about seven or eight courses you can win on, and he said he thinks there are a lot more, that you were just trying to make a point. Were you trying to make a point or...
KEVIN NA: No, no, no. I wasn't trying to make a point. That's just the way I feel. I mean, there are seven, eight courses I feel like I can win and some I feel like I can top 10, but I don't think I can win.

There are some golf courses I show up and if I finish 30th or better that is a miracle. I'm not trying to be -- I'm not saying that I go show up to a golf course I don't -- I'm throwing my towel in. Sometimes it's just reality. Statistics will tell you -- stats guys tell you I'm X shots per round at a disadvantage, and it's really hard to overcome something like that.

Let's say I'm two shots around disadvantage off the tee. To the field or to the bombers that's eight shots that I got to make eight more putts than in a tournament. So sometimes stats just kind of speak for themselves.

Q. The strategy going into a final round, last year we saw Rosey and Brooks and Brooks with all the strength and Rose just stayed level, consistent. What's going to be your approach?
KEVIN NA: That's going to be me.

Q. Going to try to do anything different?
KEVIN NA: No, no. This is a golf course you don't do anything different. You play your game. You see that white stone in the middle of the fairway? That's where I'm trying to be every hole.

Q. Couple months ago obviously you and Tiger had some fun and that became a thing. Is it to the point now you want to be known more than that?
KEVIN NA: No, no, it was a fun thing and we had a good laugh about it. Tiger had a good laugh; I had a good laugh. We talked about it afterwards.

It was really cool and blew up on social media. It was fun to watch, but it's just a reaction that I do when I hit putts. I'm not trying to do it. It's just a reaction.

I said that I never missed one and it was true and I did miss one this week. No more for me for this week.

THE MODERATOR: Any more questions? Thank you for your time and good luck tomorrow.

KEVIN NA: Thanks.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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