KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 30, 2021

K.J. Choi

Quick Quotes

Southern Hills Country Club

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the 2021 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. We're here at Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Joined by K.J. Choi. 68 today, finishes the championship at 3-under par. He's currently tied for 3rd. K.J., you really surged out of the gate this morning ^ [] four birdies in the first seven holes. Really made a push there. Must have felt good, maybe a little bit stalled near the turn, but overall pretty solid day.

K.J. CHOI: Yeah, good starting the after 6. Number 7, number 8 and the par-3 looks like in the wind blowing the right-to-left. After the 4-iron is a little high shot is the wind blowing take it left but still straight right in the just corner and looks like an uphill downhill very fast I hit it a little rejection is a little short.

Then about 12 feet short and then 3-putt. Bit of disappointment. Number 10 is a spin back in the just cross the pins in the back to downhill 50 yards, unbelievable. I never seen that in my life. It's a good spin. And then a bogey again.

11 par-3, little bit 7-irons 161 yards is little wind blowing, side wind. I hit it against the wind and putt plug. It's no shot. And bogey again. So anyway, first time in the senior major on PGA Championship, everybody good always nice in the KitchenAid championship. Thank you for everybody in the volunteers every day all focus on the player and the cheers and the good fans, fantastic tournament. And T-3, I'm so happy, but today it's a little disappointing.

THE MODERATOR: Still a good debut. This is your it first senior major, correct.

K.J. CHOI: Yeah. This is the first senior.

Q. When we were watching you on 17 and on that tee box you had a great chance to apply some pressure and it looked like your tee shot was going to be awesome. It was really pin seeking, didn't look like it had much draw on it could have went up by the green and somehow it kicks almost 90 degrees how shocked into the bunker. How shocked were you to see where that ball ended up?

K.J. CHOI: Yeah, the pin is 256 and the high cut with my 3-wood. My main shot is the high cut it's fantastic. I look in the, it looks beautiful, maybe 10 foot on the pin and as soon as in the lands it's a where is the ball in the? It's in the bunker. The good bunker shot is the passing five feet so I'm little loose in the speed on the low side and the miss. It's okay. This week I had a good chance and a good time is winning in the body is the settling into everything and so many good shots this week. So many, some bad thing, bounce and some short and the plug and it's golf. In the life. So so many experience, but in the very dig beginnings of my heart it's more learning.

Q. You played a lot of the years events with Alex, he comes out, wings the first two majors of the year, why do you think he's having such success?

K.J. CHOI: He's a great mind and a great opportunity. Golf is lovely. He's fantastic short game player. I look in the more patience. He's the best one and the good scoring every day. So he's the strong body and very strong mind and is working hard and chipping and every tournament is last minutes on the chipping putt. So he's more friendly and more kind of a more young man is a -- so I like it. So's great person so congratulations, Alex, good tournament.

Q. You took the lead after No. 5 today after being five down to start the day. How aware of the leaderboard were you and were you watching the leaderboard or were you just trying to kind of play your game?

K.J. CHOI: One time did I see the leaderboard is after 6. Birdie putt on the front side on the leaderboard. So normally tournaments can see the leaderboard anyway, tied for lead. Okay, we focus is more patience. Yesterday we nine hole, 10th hole bogey, bogey. Today no repeat. So my mindset clear. And then starting 7 so or 8 hole, 3-putt. And then 10, 11, bogey, bogey. Bounce back at 12 in the birdie. Okay, we can do. It's a 13th hole the par-5 is the down the middle and the hitting ball solid, but I don't know, bouncing in the first cut. Leaderboard down. 225 not an adjusting to carry the bunker. Maybe half high ball lay up is only discussion with my caddie is the key together three minutes of talking. Okay, my feel. Lay up. Okay, lay up good. Good, 90 yards with the lob wedge and then same thing in the pain hi high and the spin back is the 15-footer and I miss putt. Okay. That today is, you know, only my do is everything is impossible. Next time is good in the meaning we go good thing more, more the fresh body and the ball practicing. The next two weeks in Memorial championship so Jack Nicklaus invite me. So more learn here is over there I play very well.