HILTON GRAND VACATIONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 29, 2026

Nasa Hataoka

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Very pleased to be joined by Nasa here at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Very solid round from you today. Take us through it?

NASA HATAOKA: Yeah, I think my putting really good today, so that's why shoot 66. So, yeah, I'm happy with that result.

Q. And obviously as a Hilton ambassador, how great is it to be playing back here at Lake Nona?

NASA HATAOKA: Yeah, this is my home course and I couldn't play last year, so I was really wants to play this tournament.

So, yeah, I made it. I start really good, so I just want to keep doing that.

Q. How would you assess your game coming into this week versus maybe now after playing a full round?

NASA HATAOKA: (Through translation.) So I tried to do speed training, and, yeah, that helped getting those good scores today.

Q. Is there a part of your game that is feeling really good right now and then a part of your game that maybe you're still working on?

NASA HATAOKA: I'm still working on.

Q. Which part of it?

NASA HATAOKA: My swing.

(Through translation.) I'm still trying to work on the approach, which is like less than 100 yards. That's what I'm still working on.

Q. Just what are your goals for the 2026 season?

NASA HATAOKA: I want to be a major champion and I want to win more than two tournament.

Q. Seeing a lot of the younger Japanese players having such great success, how much does that motivate you to just be like, hey, I've done this before you?

NASA HATAOKA: Yeah, when I came on this Tour I was the youngest Japanese player and only five or six player, but right now 15 Japanese player, so and then I'm oldest now. (Smiling.)

So, yeah, I'm trying to win still.

Q. You almost won this tournament six years ago. What thoughts, memories stand out most about that marathon playoff?

NASA HATAOKA: We play eight holes playoff.

Q. You played five and had to come back.

NASA HATAOKA: Yeah, Monday was really cold and I was really nervous. But, yeah, was really aggressive play on that time I think.

Q. As that playoff went on and on and on, did you get more comfortable in playing in that playoff, or because darkness was coming were you thinking you have to wrap this up soon?

NASA HATAOKA: (Through translation.) So rather than finishing off, like I was more trying to focus on like one shot at a time. You know, that was like the first (indiscernible) on the last hole. So it was very tough course, so that was what I had in my mind.

Q. You mentioned that it was really cold the next morning, too. How did that affect the last three holes of the playoff?

NASA HATAOKA: I think my distance was three clubs different, so it was tough to judge.

Q. Do you feel like because you came so close then that maybe this -- I realize it's a different course -- but do you feel like this tournament maybe owes you one?

NASA HATAOKA: (Through translation.) Lake Nona is my home course and I'm ambassador of Hilton Grand Vacations, so that's why I really wants to win this tournament.

Q. So you actually have a closer tie than just almost winning one time before.

NASA HATAOKA: Uh-huh.

Q. Have you ever played Lake Nona in the cold that we're expecting this weekend?

NASA HATAOKA: (Through translation.) Not so many times. (Smiling.)