LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY HOAKALEI

November 6, 2024

Malia Nam

Hoakalei Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Malia, I know a lot of people are dying to talk to you around here. I just want to start off with the best way to close the round is probably the way you just did. If you want to talk us through that eagle on the final hole.

MALIA NAM: Yeah, so the last hole I went for it in two but kind of went over the green and I thought it was just going to be in the bunker, but it kind of rolled out into the lip.

So I was just like, well, let's just try to get a birdie. Luckily it went in. If you saw how my day was going my putter was ice cold; not in a good way. So it seemed kind of fitting that I would chip it in on the last hole.

Q. To be here with one round under your belt, what did it mean to now be in this event? We were just talking about you were like it kind of feels a little weird; you're not used to this.

MALIA NAM: Yeah, playing here in Hawai'i, I remember junior events, so playing in this LOTTE event and seeing the faces that I see all year long here, it was a little weird. I'm like, this doesn't feel like a real tournament but it is.

But it's just so cool to have all the support out here this week.

Q. What did you make of the conditions today on the course?

MALIA NAM: Yeah, luckily I tee'd off early, so I kind of got ahead of the wind. But I knew that it gets very windy out here, so I was kind of preparing for that even leading up to this event.

I think the conditions are pretty tough, especially putting, just because I think the wind in Hawai'i is a little bit stronger so it does factor into every little shot you may have. You have to factor it in.

It just makes you think a little bit more, which is not a bad thing.

Q. Growing up on the opposite side of Oahu, how much have you played on this side in particular growing up?

MALIA NAM: Growing up I played HSAJGA events. It wasn't like every week I would play out here on this west side, but I think wind is pretty common all over the island so I got pretty used to playing in the wind.

My coach is at Kapolei Golf Club so I do come to ut to Kapolei and practice out there, which is the same grass, same kind of style of course. It's very windy there, so I always have to adjust when I come back from the mainland.

Q. Ending on that type of shot in the first round, what does that do for the confidence going into tomorrow?

MALIA NAM: Yeah, I was hitting the ball really well today. I think I hit like 17 greens and maybe only missed one or two fairways. I just couldn't get any putts to drop. I mean, the frustration was definitely increasing as the round went.

I really wanted to get back under par, so I was hoping for a birdie on the last hole. You know, got to chip it in, so I'll take that; finish out 1-under.

Q. Talking with your coach, he was saying that you guys kind of do some fun drills, some shot contests. Is that kind of a shot that you've practiced before?

MALIA NAM: Yes. Yeah, I was talking to my caddie. I've actually had a few really bad lies in the bunker, in the back of the bunker, lip of the bunker. Coincidentally, me and me coach do practice those shots just for fun at the end of our short game practice.

When I saw that lie I kind of was like, oh, that sucks but I'm not really terrified of it. It's just like I've practiced the shot so many times. The wind was coming into me so I was -- like I was sure the ball wasn't -- if the wind was going towards the water then I would've been in trouble. Having the wind come into me and having the ball be able to stop, that obviously helped.

Q. ... birdie on 3 probably helped relax, right?

MALIA NAM: Yeah, I mean, I tee'd off so early so I feel like I was half asleep. I mean, I wasn't expecting a big crowd on the first hole because it was so early, but I definitely felt a little more jitters than I normally did on the first hole.

Q. Are you staying here or on the eastside?

MALIA NAM: I am staying on the windward side, the eastside.

Q. So there was a lot of rain and stuff, right, when you drove...

MALIA NAM: Yeah, as you know, the windward side is the more wet side of the island. It was pouring when I left this morning. I knew as we went over the H3 the clouds were just going to dissipate.

Q. If you weren't from here might have been a little...

MALIA NAM: Yeah, I think it's that local knowledge of knowing the showers are just going to pass. I think it rained probably like six holes in and people were bringing out the umbrella, rain jacket, and I was like, it's going to pass.

Q. Are you a high ball hitter or what do you consider your strength?

MALIA NAM: I wouldn't consider myself a high hitter. I would say -- I mean, growing up here and having to play in the constant wind I do drive down on to the ball. I would say I have a little bit more of a protruding...

Q. Did you adjust because you might not get as much roll today?

MALIA NAM: You know, I think you adjust as you go. I wasn't adjusting every single shot. There were some three quarter shots that I wanted to bring in a little lower.

But in terms of full shots, I just played for the wind, if it was going left or right. Yeah, just I would say pretty normal.

Q. Imagine the groundscrew did a pretty did good job.

MALIA NAM: Yes, I was talking to my caddie, Jeff today, just how nice the course is and how much work that the groundscrew must have put in to take care of the bunkers and the course after all that rain that the course got yesterday.

It's just really great to see everyone just really supporting this event and having the best conditions that we can get for the players.

Q. So what was the first thing you ate when you got home?

MALIA NAM: I think it was Zippy's. Yeah, it was Zippy's. I got a large chili bowl and cheese and onions are. I always have to get Zippy's. If I didn't I didn't really come home.

And poke. I can't forget that. And 7/11 musubi. There's a lot of good food here.

Q. What do you need to do tomorrow to see yourself going into the weekend?

MALIA NAM: I think the wind is going to be just like this tomorrow, maybe even a little bit stronger, so I think just minimizing as much mistakes as you can. Just taking par on the holes that are playing really tough into the wind. And then, yeah, just playing smart. Not trying to get too frustrated. I think this wind is very hard for everyone, so I don't -- I just want to see something maybe 1-under, 2-under. Obviously the lower the better. Just another good solid round of golf and hopefully can go low on the weekend.