DIO IMPLANT LA OPEN

March 30, 2023

Nasa Hataoka

Palos Verdes Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with the defending champion, Nasa Hataoka after day one, in contention. How are you feeling here in your title defense?

NASA HATAOKA: Yes, couple days raining, pouring pretty hard, so felt like a little different golf condition compared to the practice round. I feel like I was able to manage pretty well.

Q. Only one bogey on the front nine there. Just what was working so well on the first nine holes?

NASA HATAOKA: I was striking the ball well, and I feel like especially my putting was really rolling well. That really helped my game today.

Q. How much is it a factor when you feel like your putter is doing well on the course like that? How does that factor in how confident you feel on Palos Verdes?

NASA HATAOKA: You know, I think the key is to -- the green is very challenging, especially afternoon. The green gets really bumpy and lots of spike marks, which make the putt line pretty tough.

But I feel like the key is to hit the target with a good line, and the result doesn't really matter. Just the key is to keep on doing the same thing, repeating the same thing.

Q. What was the mentality going into today when you knew that the weather conditions were going to feel like all four seasons?

NASA HATAOKA: I really wasn't expecting this weather, especially in LA, you know. But I feel like I was really able to concentrate really well under this condition, so, yeah, I think I played really well.

Q. To close with a birdie on 18, I don't think we see a lot of birdies on that hole. What was working well and what does that do setting you up for tomorrow?

NASA HATAOKA: Yes, I was thinking about today's dinner, and my plan was to have a good Japanese dinner. My caddie, Greg, told me if you don't make this putt you're not getting that, so that really gave me a good motivation to make that putt.

But obviously I was striking the ball really well, too, so, yeah.