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Kevin Na: Masters champion.
Could it happen?
Na, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, has never won a major, but said Wednesday ahead of defending his title at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, the Masters Tournament is his best chance of earning a major title.
“I feel like the Masters I have the best chance at,” Na said Wednesday. “The way it sets up, there is no rough. You have to be a great chipper and a putter of the ball, and I am. I feel like Masters is a major that I can — I want to really focus on. … I have chances (to win a major), but I just got to pick the right venue. Yes, it’s a goal of mine to win one.
“Do I think I can win one? Yes, at the right venue, and hoping the Masters.”
Na’s finishes at Augusta National have been T-46 (2019), missed cut (2017), 55 (2016), 12th (2015), 59 (2013), 12th (2012) and missed cuts in 2011 and 2010.
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Na, who began his professional career in 2001, said venue selection will factor into whether he can win a major at this point in his career. The 37-year-old said when the rough is thick, like at some PGA Championships and U.S. Opens, the event favors long hitters. See Bryson DeChambeau at Winged Foot.
“I feel like I’m at such a disadvantage,” Na said of his distance. “It’s really hard to overcome that disadvantage, and we’re seeing that every year of these bombers overpowering these golf courses. The last few majors I have played, I’ve been very disappointed. Obviously the last tournament I played was the U.S. Open and was it very disappointing.
“Am I trying to do something to change that? Yes, I am. I’m working on things, not drastically, but trying to improve my distance, whatever I can, to play better in those majors.”
Na missed the cut at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot after shooting rounds of 75 and 77. His best results in the other three majors are T-10 at the 2011 PGA Championship, seventh at the 2016 U.S. open and T-22 at the 2016 Open Championship.
Na recognized that the competition he faces in all tournaments continues to get stiffer as younger stars like DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa are challenging the Tour’s top contenders and distance is becoming more of a factor. But neither of those factors bother Na much.
He just has to stay consistent and keep working hard.
“I think if I play my game at the right places, I’m going to get my share of wins and I’m going to do just fine,” Na said. “But like I said, the scheduling, I have to be very picky about what I play and where I play. That’s just my game. I don’t think I want to change that. At my age, I don’t think I can make too big of a change (when it comes to how I play). Think it’s too big of a risk.”
While the first Masters on the 2020-21 PGA Tour schedule is just round the corner — Nov. 12-15 — Na’s performance at the Shriners is his focus this week.
Although he is the reigning champion, Na is a wildcard this week at TPC Summerlin as his finishes on the course have been full of highs and lows. Lucky for Na the highs have been super high. Since 2010, Na has recorded three top-10s, including two wins and a second-place finish, in nine appearances. He has also finished in 22nd and 45th, missed three cuts and withdrew once in 2015.
The lows haven’t gotten him down though. He’s optimistic about this week.
“You know, I feel like when I’m playing well this is a golf course I can win at and I can go low. … Something about this place I feel comfortable,” Na said. “I know the greens. I can putt well on them. But when I’m not playing great, I think I expect so much that it can be a little disappointing during the round.
“It’s hard to get really pumped up when maybe I’m even par through 12 or 13 holes, whatever that might be. I think that’s why you see couple of the missed cuts.”
Na’s looking to defend his title at TPC Summerlin after defeating Patrick Cantlay in a two-hole playoff last year — the only playoff out of four he’s won on Tour. In 2019, Na finished 72 holes at 23 under after shooting rounds of 68-62-61-70. His third-round 61 tied a career low and led him to his second Shriners title after previously winning the event in 2011 for his first Tour title.
Na said what went so well for him last year was his putting which helped him get “focused and in the zone.” He doesn’t even remember missing any putts last year.
“If I can putt like that again this week, I feel really good about my chances winning again,” Na said. “I have the same putter, so maybe lightning can strike twice.”
After his attempt to defend his 2019 title at TPC Summerlin, Na plans to play next week at the The CJ Cup at Shadow Creek also in Las Vegas.
Na, who lives in Las Vegas, is excited to play back-to-back tournaments at home.
“When am I going to ever be able to play two tournaments in a row from home? Probably never. This is probably the first and the last time that will ever happen,” he said.
Na tees off his first round at TPC Summerlin Thursday alongside Cantlay and Rickie Fowler at 3:05 p.m. ET from the first tee.
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