KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 23, 2021

Nasa Hataoka

Atlanta Athletic Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're here with Nasa Hataoka. Great to have you with us. Tell us about Atlanta Athletic Club and how you feel it's going to set up for your game this week.

NASA HATAOKA: Yeah, I played my first 18 holes on Monday. Since the course was raining, pretty wet, so the fairways were pretty soft, and then it didn't run as much as it should be. But I feel like the course is in great shape and the roughs aren't very long, so it seems like a good course to me.

Q. How do you think your game sets up for this golf course? Do you think this will be a good place for you to play?

NASA HATAOKA: Yeah, I have a good feeling about this course. The greens are pretty soft right now, so I think the winning score is going to be around 15-under, so hopefully I can reach that.

Q. You were in the playoff at the U.S. Women's Open, so close. What positives do you take away from that event, being close at another major playoff to hopefully get your first major win?

NASA HATAOKA: Yeah, obviously my biggest goal is to win a major, and I had a really good chance over there at San Francisco, but unfortunately lost on a playoff. But I'm looking forward to -- I'm really happy with what I did over there, so looking forward to this week, too.

Q. We're getting ready for the Olympics. It's going to be an incredible opportunity. I'm very excited to go see you play in Tokyo. Is it a distraction to you at all as you get ready, or are you excited and is it helping propel your great golf recently?

NASA HATAOKA: Yeah, it definitely did. I was feeling really good at San Francisco, and obviously playing at the Olympics, representing your country is something very special, especially playing in front of your home country. So I'm very much looking forward to it.

Q. Another golfer from your home country who's playing so well is Hideki Matsuyama. What would it mean to you to join him as a major champion, and what inspiration did you take from his win at the Masters?

NASA HATAOKA: Yes, definitely him winning the Masters was something special, especially it's the Masters. It's something very special for all the men's golfers. So I was watching it on TV, and it really did give me motivation to play better, to win a major, so I'm very happy about that win, too.