CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 17, 2022

Sophia Schubert

Tiburon Golf Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Here with Sophia Schubert, who is making her CME Group Tour Championship debut. Nice way to start your week here, 4-under 68. Just walk me through your round.

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: It was a great day. I'm just excited to be out here. Went into it with the mindset of you have accomplished your goal of getting to CME as a rookie, so just have fun. That's what we did.

The wind was really tough out there, especially this morning when it was cold. We were just trying to hit fairways and greens and trying to make some putts.

THE MODERATOR: A familiar face but a new face for you on the bag this week. Having that kind of knowledge in a caddie that's been out here all these years, how has that helped you so far? I guess pretty well as a rookie.

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Yeah, Kyle has been awesome. He has been on Jessica Korda's bag for a while, and she wasn't able to play this week, so I kind of snagged him. I was happy to have him.

He has been out here maybe ten times he told me, so he knows this course very well. And I was just really happy to be able to lean on him when I wasn't sure in certain situations.

THE MODERATOR: Just take me through some of the shots out there. Obviously leaning on him for putts and the lines on the greens, but what else were you kind of talking with him out there that helped you play so well today?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: We really focused on the grain. He knows the grain on the greens so well, and that was really important out here today because you had some of the slopes were going the opposite way and then the grain was going the opposite way, and so you kind of had to read in between. He is really good at that.

Also, he knows kind of where the misses are, where you want to aim for. So I leaned on him a lot.

THE MODERATOR: Then just finally from me, what are your impressions on the golf course under competition conditions? I know it was a little different when you play pro-ams. Faster greens. Obviously windy out there today.

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Yes, I think it was great today. The wind was the completely different direction than in the pro-am and the practice rounds, so that was a little tricky, but overall the greens are absolutely pure. So I was really happy to be able to play a course like this.

Q. You obviously had a fantastic Evian. That was a big moment. Then there was like a whirlwind for you after that, I remember. What's it been like since then for you after having such a monumental week?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Yes. Evian was just incredible. It really kind of propelled me throughout my season. I gained a lot of confidence.

I was kind of waiting and looking for that high finish to help me throughout the season, and after that I just was able to go, you know, to the next few tournaments and have a lot of confidence, and it just proved that I belong out here. So I think that's really helping me this week as well.

Q. I was going to say, since you nearly won a major, the pressure of winning $2 million, I think would feel somewhat similar.

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Yeah.

Q. How do you think going down the stretch will be different for you now that you've done it before?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: I think I'll just be a little bit more comfortable going down the stretch. It's a nerve-wracking situation, especially it being my first time kind of in the spotlight like that at Evian. So I just try to take that experience and go forward, and I think the main key for me is just to look at it as an opportunity and to have fun.

Q. What would you do with $2 million?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: I was asked this the other day. I've started taking flying lessons, so maybe a plane. I don't know.

Q. Wow. When did you start that?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Oh, gosh. I started that probably five or six months ago. And I've not been able to take any lessons the last month or so just because I've been on the road, but I'm really trying to get that done possibly in a year. So we'll see.

Q. I'm fascinated by this. Has this been something that you've been wanting to do for a long time and then --

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: No. Actually, no, it's not something I've wanted to do. We went and saw "Top Gun" (laughing), my boyfriend and I. I was, like, you know what, I've kind of been looking for a hobby outside of golf just something to kind of distract myself. So I was, like, I might as well try this. It seems fun.

Q. How hard is it?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: I took off the very first time that I got in the plane for my first lesson. I haven't landed. That's the scary part. So the flying is not that hard, but it's all the ground school and the book stuff that's kind of the hard stuff.

Q. And my last question is, is your dream to fly yourself to a tournament one day?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Yes. That's my dream. Like Arnold Palmer. I mean, he did it. He had Jets, like incredible. I don't ever think I'll get that far, but I would love to be able to fly a small plane somewhere (laughing).

Q. So did Peggy Kirk Bell.

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Oh wow. Okay.

Q. There's precedence.

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Even better (laughing).

Q. I have one more quick question about flying. What was the scariest time in a plane you've had so far?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Oh, goodness. I haven't had any scary times yet. I try to only go when it's perfect weather (laughing).

Actually, the scariest part was when my instructor said, You need to call into the tower and tell them what we're doing.

I was, like, No, I don't want to do that yet. I don't know what to say.

So probably that.

Q. Any favorite memories from flying so far?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: I think just the adrenaline from taking off. Just being in control of an airplane and then being able to look down. It's really special just to be up there and do that.

THE MODERATOR: Being from East Tennessee is that something that you really had a lot of access to as a kid? Or is it just, again, saw "Top Gun," came up with it, was like let's go?

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: My dad when he was younger, he took some lessons, so he had a little knowledge with that. My best friend's husband is an instructor, so I go to him, and that works out great.

But I live probably 20 minutes from a small airport, so it's been nice to be able to do that there.

Q. Perfect. Keep soaring this week.

SOPHIA SCHUBERT: Thank you.