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May 7, 2022

Kevin Yu

Press Conference

Q. All right, it's been a really good week for you. Can you walk me through this week and how you've been feeling?

KEVIN YU: I been feeling good. Been playing good, too. I mean, I missed few cuts before this one, but still, I been -- I feel like my game has been feeling pretty good.

This week just shots are playing and keep doing what I'm doing on the course, and so far works out pretty good.

Q. Yeah, you mentioned the last four have been missed cuts for you. I know that's tough. Coming into this week what was it mentally that you had to tell yourself, Hey, I can do to this out here?

KEVIN YU: Just really trust myself because I really feel like I been playing good. It's just really close but just not there yet.

And this week it's still just same thing. Got this round, get to know the course, and then actual tournament days just trust myself and just ready to go.

Q. Is there one part of your game that kind of clicked for you this week or is feeling better? What's working for you right now?

KEVIN YU: Yeah, definitely still clicking a little bit. I mean, still feel good, but I think everything is a little tighter compared to the last few tournaments. Just driving, like literally everything, yeah.

Q. I think the last two rounds No. 1 has been giving you some trouble. What is it about that hole that's tripping you up?

KEVIN YU: First round?

Q. I think today you made bogey on No. 1; yesterday bogey on No. 1.

KEVIN YU: Oh, yeah. Like today it's just a tough pin, like it's back there. It was really kind of windy, pretty cold, too. Had like 3-wood, 6-iron in, just three-putted. Yesterday I three-putted, too.

Wasn't really playing bad. Just missed couple putts. It was really close, too. Just missed it, yeah.

Q. You graduated last year from PGA TOUR U. That's opened up some doors for you.

KEVIN YU: Yeah.

Q. You had a Top 10 at a PGA TOUR event this year.

KEVIN YU: Yeah.

Q. So your game, I mean, you've proved you can play with the best of them.

KEVIN YU: Yeah.

Q. Having that Top 10 finish, getting some opportunities, what has that meant to you?

KEVIN YU: Definitely means a lot. I mean, see a lot of guys out there and then you know can compare to those guys, definitely that's definitely a confidence booster for me.

And then, again, just still just feel like game is getting a lot better compared to last year. Result has been okay. Definitely that Top 10 finish give me a lot of confidence coming to the stretch these coming weeks, yeah, so feels good have the Top 10 finish.

Q. And as the right this moment you are a clubhouse leader solo. How does that feel heading into the final round tomorrow?

KEVIN YU: Pretty normal, to be honest. Still got one more day, 18 holes to go. Still got to play good. I mean, you can't just get out there and try to play defense. You're definitely going to play your best out there, bring your A game out there.

So tomorrow is another day and I'm just going to keep going and never look back.

Q. I guess just touch on that a little bit more. If you would have told yourself as soon as you missed that cut last week that this time next week you would be leading the field, would you believe that?

KEVIN YU: I do actually, because, yeah, I was just feeling like my game, it's been pretty good. You can't give up on yourself. You definitely have to trust yourself.

So, yeah, last week missed the cut. A little bit disappointed, but coming out this week feel new man, and, yeah, everything been working out pretty good. Yeah.

Q. You mentioned PGA TOUR U earlier. How did that specifically help you get out here?

KEVIN YU: Last year I play eight events right after college. I think that's one of the best thing happen to me. A lot of guys get out of college and got nowhere to play. I have Korn Ferry to play for eight events and get to know all the courses and all the guys. Definitely tournament is a little different compared to college, so get me mentally ready, too.

So just a lot of thing for me to learn, and last year definitely it's one of the things that I learn a lot from the last eight events that I play, yeah.

Q. What do you think was the biggest thing that you took away from the two times that you were in contention last year?

KEVIN YU: To be honest, I was leading after Wichita. I -- until the final round I wasn't really feel comfortable. I mean, I feel good, but I just feel kind of weird. My game is feeling good but my mental I just feel kind of weird, and then didn't play my best golf out there.

But still, I think just being comfortable out there I think is really important. Just don't think too much. You get there for a reason. So I just got to trust my game and do what I do out there the last few days, yeah.

Q. You have been at events where you beat out PGA TOUR winners.

KEVIN YU: Yeah.

Q. What does that do for you out here and how does that and set you up to hopefully be on the PGA TOUR one day. Do you ever think about that?

KEVIN YU: Definitely, definitely. I my goal is definitely get to the PGA TOUR and then play with those guys. You can see them walking on the course, like feel really comfortable. I mean, just another round of golf. That's literally what it is.

So just by watching those guys, you know, you got to know you are good enough to be out there and just really feel comfortable out there. Few things that I took away from a the last few events on the PGA TOUR, yeah.

Q. Have you been given any advice by a PGA TOUR player, mentor, that's really helped you out here?

KEVIN YU: Yeah. CT is actually really one of my closest friends out there, so I been talking to CT really often. He give us a lot of thoughts and his experience on Korn Ferry or on PGA TOUR; he's one-time winner on PGA TOUR.

And he's saying same thing. Just be comfortable out there and you are good enough to be out there. Just trust your game and you can be out there one day, yeah.

Q. You feel like you just put any maybe added pressure on yourself coming into this year given that you had some immediate success last year?

KEVIN YU: Yeah, definitely. I just -- you know, in the winter break I been working pretty hard. Just I know I'm not good enough to be out there yet so I was working really hard last year after the eight events.

And then I felt like my game is really getting a lot better. But, I mean, result has been okay, but just know that I -- some shots I can hit now that definitely give me a lot of confidence out there and I don't have to worry about am I going to hit to the right, to the left. I don't know where I'm going to miss it.

So just trust my game again, yeah.

Fastscripts by ASAP Sports...