FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, November 24th, 2019
NOTABLE QUOTES: CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, SUNDAY’S FINAL ROUND
NBC Sports Notable Quotes
CME Group Tour Championship (Final Round)
Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Fla.
Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019
CME Group Tour Championship Final Leaderboard
Sei Young Kim -18
Charley Hull -17
Danielle Kang -16
Nelly Korda -16
Brooke Henderson -15
Jessica Korda -13
Lexi Thompson -13
**Sei Young Kim wins the 2019 CME Group Tour Championship and the $1.5 million first prize check, the largest first prize in the history of women’s golf.**
On Sunday’s final round at the CME Group Tour Championship
Terry Gannon – “Judy you wanted drama. Well, we got drama.”
Judy Rankin – “It always seems to take one person. One CEO. One corporation to step up and do something phenomenal. There have been several things that have happened this year. The USGA stepped up. The R&A stepped up. Evian stepped up, but nobody stepped up exactly like Terry Duffy and CME, and I think this is big change moment for women’s golf.”
Rankin – “I will continue to say this because I do remember playing really good golf. I tell you what, you can’t even believe the kind of golf these players are capable of and the kind of golf that they play. This is a very special group of people who are very talented. I am totally loving watching how the game is changing, evolving and getting bigger and bigger.”
Jerry Foltz – “No matter how often and how much golf you watch, it never ceases to amaze me.”
Karen Stupples – “I think this was a huge way to end Mike Whan’s first decade as commissioner of the LPGA Tour. He has taken the Tour from bare minimum to a fantastic Tour with lots of prize money. All the players feel valued and respected in what they do on the course, and that is huge for women’s golf.”
On Sei Young Kim, winner of the CME Group Tour Championship at 18-under (2-under par 70 on Sunday), making 25-foot birdie putt on 18 to win the championship
Terry Gannon – “She did it. Sei Young Kim with a birdie at 18. The largest first place check in women’s golf history. What a finish.”
Rankin – “I won’t say that was the hardest putt but an unlikely putt. Absolutely beautiful and the emotions on her face tell you how much she has been working for this.”
Rankin – “She is under the radar no longer.”
Rankin – “The things these players go through under the greatest pressure is so amazing to watch.”
Sei Young Kim speaking with NBC’s Steve Sands following her victory
Sei Young Kim – “I was thinking what if Nelly made it [on 18]. I tried to make two putts. That was my mindset. After I made it, I saw the leaderboard. I didn’t know that Charley [Hull} finished at 17-under. So what if I didn’t make it, we would have gone to a playoff and that wouldn’t have been good for me. So, wow.”
Kim – “I was really nervous while walking up hole 18. I kept thinking, ‘This is not a big deal. Just try to play like it is a practice round,’ thinking that would make me comfortable. But I was really nervous.”
Kim – “It means a lot. The highest purse. Beginning of the year I set a goal to win at least three times this year, so I am very glad to reach my goal and I’m very satisfied.”
On Charley Hull, 2nd place at 17-under par (6-under 66 on Sunday)
Gannon – “She does not hold anything back.”
Rankin – “She is a new bride, her husband is an athlete, he has worked with her in the gym and she is as fit as she has ever been That builds confidence.”
Charley Hull speaking with NBC’s Karen Stupples following the championship
Charley Hull – “At 15 I looked at the leaderboard and I thought I’ve got a chance here if I birdie in. I didn’t birdie 15 but I birdied 16,17 and 18 and I gave it my best shot.”
Hull – “The last few holes kind of felt Solheim-ish because I knew I needed to make birdie.”
Hull – “This whole tournament is great for women’s golf and it is nice to finish the year with a big event like this.”
On Nelly Korda, T3 at 16-under par (1-under 71 on Sunday)
Rankin – “Terrific young woman. The Korda resume is just growing.”
Rankin – “You are looking at someone who is going to be an awful big part of the future of women’s golf.”
Rankin – “All three shots that have hurt her today have been exactly the same shot, with the driver.”
Foltz – “I hate to talk about fortune and luck but all three times she couldn’t have ended up in a worse position today.”
Nelly Korda speaking with NBC’s Jerry Foltz following the championship
Nelly Korda – “I was a little unfortunate today. But there is nothing I can do about it. I finished under par today. I battled so that is all I can say. I did well.”
Korda – “Maybe not to be as aggressive, especially on No. 11. I think that was a mistake. Just take some time. I rushed a little today. I just couldn’t get my rhythm. I don’t know what it was but I couldn’t get my rhythm.”
Korda – “I think it is growing every year and it is amazing to see. For CME to believe in women’s golf so much and for us to compete for $1.5 million this week is amazing and I think that it is great to see women’s golf trending in the right direction.”
On Danielle Kang, T3 at 16-under par (7-under 65 on Sunday)
Stupples – “She has played some of the best golf of her career the last couple months.”
Gannon – “Some kind of Sunday charge for Danielle Kang.”
Danielle Kang speaking with NBC’s Steve Sands following her round
Danielle Kang – “My thought process was to give everything I’ve got out there and see what happens.”
Kang – “I honestly didn’t look that far ahead. I just kept trying to make birdies. My putter kind of got cold after nine holes. I gave myself a lot of opportunities on the back nine and they just didn’t drop. But I had a really good attitude about it. 17th hole I was walking down the fairway and I said, ‘You know what, I have every right to be annoyed, but the best thing I can do is hit this close and give myself a chance. And the eagle went in.”
-NBC Sports Group-
