AT&T BYRON NELSON

May 11, 2021

Sung Kang

TPC Craig Ranch

Press Conference

HALEY PETERSON: We'll get started. We want to welcome Sung Kang to the AT&T Byron Nelson media room. Our 2019 champion. Can you just kind of walk me through and reflect back on your win back here in 2019.

SUNG KANG: I mean, it's been nearly two years, so it's kind of hard to remember all that. But it was kind of special, because I live in Dallas, Texas, right here, and then my family was there watching me winning and it was my first win, my buddies were there. And I could just drive home with the trophy, just put it in my trunk and go home. It was pretty special.

HALEY PETERSON: This is the first time we're hosting it here at TPC Craig Ranch, how familiar are you here with this course?

SUNG KANG: I mean, this is my home course, I live about five miles from here and then I've been practicing here probably the last over 10 years. And then also I just became a member last year. So I really know the course, I know the people here, I mean I get a lot of good support, I get all the good influence and all that, so I think I'm very excited and I'll be very comfortable on the golf course, it will be very fun, I think, this week.

HALEY PETERSON: Leading into this week how comfortable are you feeling with your game? What is the game plan since you are so familiar with this course.

SUNG KANG: I mean, since pandemic I've been, I mean, I had been really struggling until probably last month with the technical problems in my golf swing, but my coach and myself, we figured that out what was going on and then I got really close to where it used to be and now I'm actually working more on with the technique -- I mean the shots that I need to play on the golf course, working more on the hitting of shots and how we're going to score better. So I think it's almost there and plus this week I'm playing on my home course, I'm going to feel really comfortable and hopefully everything works out great and I can get the same results in 2019.

HALEY PETERSON: What would it mean to defend your title here on your home course?

SUNG KANG: I mean, it will be even better than my first win in 2019. It will be playing at my home course. Same thing, my family will be here, watching me, my buddies will be watching me. This is a special place. I mean, I came to Dallas in like 2000, when I was 15, so I've been nearly living here for the last probably like nearly 20 years. So this is nearly my second home. So it will be very special if I can do it again.

HALEY PETERSON: With this being close to home are you expecting a lot of friends and family members out here on the course to be cheering you on throughout the week?

SUNG KANG: I mean, hopefully I can get a lot of support over here. I know a lot of members here, so they will come out and cheer me on and it will be very helpful. And then I wish -- I mean, hopefully I can actually show them the play that I can have the best out here on this course and then just play great this week.

HALEY PETERSON: With this course, are there certain holes that kind of propose some threats that are very difficult?

SUNG KANG: So the front nine and back nine are totally different. Front nine you can get really after it. There's some shorter holes you can actually score some. And then par-5s, like No. 5 and 6 are pretty simple. So you got to score well on the front. But as soon as you get to the back nine, there are a lot of long par-4s, so I think the driving will be the key. The fairways are pretty generous, but if you miss the fairway then it gets a little bit harder. So you got to hit the fairways.

And then coming in, 16, 17, 18, if it is normal wind from the south, it will be dead into the wind. So the 16th will be a very challenging par-4.

17 will be a short par-3, but with the wind it can play a little more difficult.

18's a par-4, you need a good tee ball to get home in two. So it will be fun to watch on the last couple of holes coming in.

HALEY PETERSON: Do we have any questions from the media? Any other questions? Well, that looks like that is all the questions and time we have. So appreciate you taking the time and best of luck this week.

SUNG KANG: All right. Thank you.