Q. Joining me today after the first round of the CME Group Tour Championship is Jeeno Thitikul. Jeeno, you played really well today. Could you just take us through your round and how it felt to be out there as the defending champion?
JEENO THITIKUL: It's great. I mean, like today I think I do put myself a lot of chance to making a birdies. I think I hit like 16 greens, which is, you know, kind of all kind of like makable putts if you can, you know, matching the line and the speed.
So I think I have no complain. Just maybe on the par-5 that I think I could do more red number on it.
Q. You played well at this tournament before obviously. What is it about this course that you think suits your game?
JEENO THITIKUL: I think because we going to finish the season. (Smiling.)
I don't know, I just excited and just like we had nothing to worry about. You know, golf, because this is our last tournament of the year and then we just play with like carefree.
So I think it's the key to be able to like make -- hit some good golf.
Q. You mentioned it in your Golf Channel interview that you were home in Thailand and had the opportunity to feel like Jeeno off the golf course again. What does that look like to you? What does Jeeno off the golf course mean?
JEENO THITIKUL: It's just mean silly. It's just mean silly. Having like a six, seven years old Jeeno back. I love going back to Thailand because sometimes here in U.S. -- I have a house in Dallas, but still feel like you're still on work.
So going back to Thailand I don't really think about we still doing work. So I just playing with my dogs, have fun with -- you know, chasing my younger sister. Had a joke with my mom and dad, which is kind of really nice of our mindset off golf.
Q. We know the key pretty much every week tends to be putting. Out here it's particularly putting. What do you find on the greens out here that suits your eye?
JEENO THITIKUL: I think I obviously going to say about the slope isn't that much, but found like some holes a lot of slopes, too.
But I think, I don't know. Maybe the green is -- the green is pretty smooth and fast, so I do like the fast green and, you know, kind of smooth green.
So maybe because of that.
Q. How confident are you over your putts right now? Seems like you can make anything out there.
JEENO THITIKUL: I trying to not like, you know, kind of too cocky because like too cocky and then I miss the putt. I just feel so bad if, you know, I did like that.
But obviously I'm trying to do like an 80% confidence because still if -- you going to miss the putt for sure. I think it's the time that I miss so I don't feel guilty that much.
Q. Really great start. A lot of golf left to play. How do you build as you look to the next 54 holes?
JEENO THITIKUL: I just trying to survive for my wrist. I just had the interview, first time told the media that I do have like wrist problem from last week, I think from hitting balls into like hard ground.
But now it's good. Like this week is good. I didn't hit the ball on Tuesday because I really want to protect it. Then do I some like rehabs and then icing, so I just want to survive.
Q. What goes into the mentality when you are feeling that pain? Do you have to really tell yourself to go after it?
JEENO THITIKUL: I know. It's so bad last week. I was just like am I be able to play this week. I be able to finish yesterday with the pro-am 18 and I felt better, and then today I feel like not -- it's not really bother me that much now, so I think it's getting better. I think it should be fine.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports