CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 21, 2021

Nasa Hataoka

Tiburon Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Nasa, second 8-under 64 in a row. You fell just short, but still a really solid showing. What positives do you from today?

NASA HATAOKA: Yes, so today was obviously final pairing; a little bit of pressure with that. But I feel like I played my own golf, so I'm really satisfied with that.

Q. How did you stay focused in that final group with Jin Young doing what she was doing and trying to match her?

NASA HATAOKA: Yes, so I have one thing in my mind, routine. There were few times where there was a lot of pressure, but I was able to think simple, which helped me a lot today.

Q. You seem to be pretty good at playing under pressure. We've seen you in these situations quite a few times this season. What positives are you taking away from 2021 as a whole?

NASA HATAOKA: So this year I wasn't really playing what I wanted -- how I wanted to until this June, but I was able to play in a playoff in a major tournament, won twice, so overall wasn't a consistent year, but I was able to be -- how I was able to win was something good.

Q. So after Friday of this week you really weren't in this position, but you flipped the switch in your brain and played two really good rounds back to back. How do you change mindset when you're proverbially behind the eight ball?

NASA HATAOKA: So my game plan for four days didn't really change, especially on the third day, fourth day. I needed to putt really well, and that was one of my things I was working on.

So I was able to do that, so I'm very happy with it.

Q. Looking ahead, what are your plans for the off-season? I know we don't have that much time between this and the Tournament of Champions, but what are you going to be doing?

NASA HATAOKA: Fortunately there is 34 tournaments next year. That's a lot. Obviously I can't play every tournament, but I want to play as many as I can, so I'll prep on that.

Q. What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

NASA HATAOKA: Simply win major.

Q. Is that your only -- how much would that mean to you to be able to win a major?

NASA HATAOKA: Yes, so when I turned pro one of my biggest goal was to win a major in five years. This year was the fifth year, so I really wanted to win this year.

Obviously it won't change, my goal won't change, so I still have strong feelings for winning majors.

Q. This is my last question: It's been a massive year for Japanese golf. Hideki Matsuyama winning at the Masters; you had a Japanese ANWA winner; Japanese winner of both the Asia-Pacific events; you've won twice and contributed a lot. How would you assess the year that has been for Japanese golf and how proud are you to be a part of that?

NASA HATAOKA: So it was obviously a big year for Japan. Not many players are here on the tour from Japan, but I think the Masters win, Hideki's win, was something very big for us.

He lives very close from where I live Orlando so we practice a lot. We practice together. So it definitely means something special for me.

So I would liked to something similar to that.