KIA CLASSIC

March 24, 2021

Nasa Hataoka

Park Hyatt Aviara Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back. We are here with the 2019 Kia Classic winner, Nasa Hataoka. Nasa, welcome back. You are basically our defending champion. We didn't play here last year. How do you feel to be back here at Aviara?

NASA HATAOKA: I been looking forward to coming back here, this tournament being my first tournament that I played in the States, and it's a lot of memories here for me. It's quite a lot, but I'm very happy.

Q. What are the memories of playing here at Kia and getting that big win?

NASA HATAOKA: For me, being able to win this tough course with a lot of up and down and was able to win, it was really, really something that gave me confidence.

Q. There is a lot of up and down, a lot of hills. How physical is it to walk this golf course?

NASA HATAOKA: I think this course causes me to be breathing rough and tough when I'm at the tee, so I think a lot of training really works out.

Q. It's good work out. I'm going to ask one more question in English and we'll open it to our friends from Japan who are on the line.

I want to ask, Nasa, you said this is your first event back of the season. Welcome back. How was your time at home in Japan and how did you spend your off-season?

NASA HATAOKA: I played in the first two events.

Q. You're right. You played in Diamond Resorts. I'm so sorry. As I said that question I'm telling myself, You're wrong. Still, you went home, correct, to Japan after Diamond Resorts? How did you spend that break and now that you're back?

NASA HATAOKA: I think including this two months plus the corona, being in Japan a lot I was able to do all the details and workouts and being able to study over what I needed to do. And after Scottish Open, also, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Great. Well we're very happy you have to you back.