CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 20, 2021

Jin Young Ko

Tiburon Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Jin Young Ko, you got on quite a roll there today. Seven birdies in a row en route to that 66. What are you experiencing as a player when you're on a roll like that and making that many birdies?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, it was really fun to play seven in a row birdies. (Indiscernible) for putting. I was feeling I can make every putt on front nine.

I had great round, but I had a lot of good shot, good putt on front nine, but I had a lot of miss shot for back nine.

But it's pretty good, and I shooting better than yesterday, so it was fine.

Q. We talked yesterday about some of the pain you have been feeling in your left wrist. What impact did that have on your wrist today?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, same feel as last couple weeks and couple days. Yeah, it's getting better, I think, but still paining.

So I had some pill this morning. I got medicine something from the doctor, so it will be help a lot.

But we'll see.

Q. Here with Jin Young Ko. Heck of a round today, 6-under 66. You made seven birdies in a row on the front nine. Walk us through what your mindset was out there today.

JIN YOUNG KO: I don't know. Just it was pretty windy out there, over 20 miles, so it was really hard to make close to putt.

But I had great putt on the front nine, and, yeah, I made it a lot of putt over 20 feet or 30 feet, whatever, wherever.

But, yeah, it was fun to play seven in a row birdies. On back nine was tough little more than front nine, more windy.

But, yeah, still pretty...

Q. What's your mindset when you're starting to make a lot of birdies in a row? What do you I think about? Do you want to keep having fun, keep making putts? What's the thought process?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I was thinking if I hit the putt, oh, ball goes in. Oh, it's funny, and then next hole and then I got birdie. Like, Ah, again? Birdie again, again, and then seven times. It was really fun to play.

And, yeah, but I have a record eight birdies in a row in Korea, so I really wanted to beat with it.

But it was close, but hopefully for tomorrow again or next year.

Q. You'll take seven, right?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah.

Q. Are you happy to have the chance you do tomorrow considering how you started on Thursday?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, yeah, I'm defending champion so I had a lot of pressure before the tee off on Thursday.

But I'm doing well right now and I got a lot of birdies today, yesterday, too, so I hope tomorrow will be more birdies.

And, yeah, we'll see what happens.

Q. With your wrist, are you hitting more club and swinging easier than normal?

JIN YOUNG KO: No. Well, I just trying to same club, got the same club and same hitting the ball, same, everything the same. Just I can feel just not good here, but it's fine.

Q. Is there any part of a shot that hurts more than others?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, yeah.

Q. Which one?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, driver, and even like into the grain on the fairway. I had to more like stiff to impact so it's going to be more hard and pained here.

So I was look where is the downgrain from the fairway from the tee shot, and then I had -- hitting the downgrain to downgrain, not into grain, because I really want to keep my wrist here.

So, yeah, it's fine.

Q. Trying to hit spots that are downgrain?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, downgrain.

Q. On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the worst, one being the least, how painful is your wrist right now?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, I would say five.

Q. And it's been an up and down this year with your wrist. At what point in the year did it hurt the most and at what point in the year did it feel the best?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, right now is worst, and like U.S. Open was good.

Q. What have you tried to do to make it feel better over the course of the year?

JIN YOUNG KO: I had pill this morning and I got medicine from the Dr. Thomas at the trailer.

Well, yeah, and then I had tape every day, even pro-am as well, and practice round as well.

So, yeah. If I'm go back to Korea I will check the MRI and everything.

Q. Have you got an MRI at any point this year on it?

JIN YOUNG KO: No.

Q. And you're matched with Nelly at 14-under heading into tomorrow. Now that we're one round away, how much of that Player of the Year race is on your mind?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, it's tough to say that, but, yeah, I have to win because she plays really well right now.

So I don't have stress for the Player of the Year, whatever.

Q. Who's your coach?

JIN YOUNG KO: Si Woo Lee.