LIV GOLF PROMOTIONS

December 13, 2024

Taichi Kho

Riyadh Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome Taichi Kho from Hong Kong. 4-under par round of 67. Looks like that's just going to be good enough to progress tomorrow. Can you talk through your round today.

TAICHI KHO: I felt like I did a really good job today. Got off to -- I birdied the first, but after that it was a bit of a slow front nine until I drained a 40-footer on 8, and I felt like through that I was able to be patient and trusting with myself, which I feel like I wasn't quite able to do last year.

I remember last year I was quite late in the draw, as well, and I saw everyone go low, and I felt like I needed to push a little bit, but today I was able to do a better job of just trusting the fact that I will get something going during the round, and I got something going during the back nine.

I was pretty nervous down the last couple holes knowing the entire situation, and I probably didn't handle it as well as I wanted to, but it gives me a lot of insights into tomorrow when if I'm in a similar situation I can handle myself better out there.

Q. Just going into that in more detail, 36 holes tomorrow, the scores reset again. What's the game plan going into Saturday?

TAICHI KHO: Yeah, 36 holes is something I'm very comfortable with. I played four years of college golf at Notre Dame, and we played a lot of 36-hole days. I understand it's a marathon, not a sprint. You're going to make mistakes, and you're going to make some miraculous shots during the round. It's important to keep yourself level-headed and I guess not to over-try during the round because you have to conserve your energy for the entirety of the day.

Just knowing the strategy for a 36-hole day and how to play it and how to do my best, I feel like I have an advantage there along with the other college golfers on the roster. I think going into tomorrow I'm going to make sure I conserve my energy for the very last putt and go out there and play great again.

Q. How difficult is it when you know what the cut line is coming in? You said you were a bit nervous coming down the stretch. How did you handle those emotions?

TAICHI KHO: I think today, I did a really good job leading up to the fact that I was behind the number, and I got to 4 after a birdie on my 15th hole. I hit some great shots coming down the stretch, but I felt a little bit too defensive with some of my putts in the coming stretch, in the finishing stretch, so I feel like I got to do a better job tomorrow when I'm nervous to just free up a little and to trust myself a little bit more. I understand what's at stake here, but to be able to let go and trust myself is something that I'm going to do better tomorrow.

Q. When did you zero in on 4 as being the score that would probably avoid a playoff?

TAICHI KHO: I never really set a number for myself during the round until maybe my last hole or my last two holes. When you see the leaderboard -- I think for me, it's important to acknowledge what the situation is so I don't think about it. I just know for a fact what the situation is. I understood that if I stayed at 4, it looked like I wouldn't be in a playoff, and at 3 I would be in a playoff, which is not ideal.

Just knowing that in the last couple holes helped me focus on get in strong, finish strong, and nothing is given at this moment, so being able to finish strong there was good.

Q. What would you say your best par was today?

TAICHI KHO: My best par today? I can barely remember my holes out there. Being able to have a short birdie putt on the last was good. I was happy with that. Unfortunately it was a par, but I was still happy with that.