Q. All right, joining me today after the second round of the CME Group Tour Championship is Jeeno Thitikul. Jeeno, phenomenal round today. One off the course records. What was going through your mind throughout your round?
JEENO THITIKUL: Nothing. I mean, I just trying to, you know, make some birdies as much as I can. It's just a course that every players can go low in a day, so that's pretty much my strategy for today.
Q. You talked about playing with Sei Young. How much does your playing partner impact you out there? Do you enjoy joking around? Do you like being quiet? What's your preference?
JEENO THITIKUL: I do like joking around, but depends on other players. Some players they're focusing on, you know, the games, but some players they do talk a lot, too.
So I think can just depend. If not I just talk with my caddie then. But it's good. I play with Sei Young today. She always an amazing player. Been on Tour for a while. She's kind of like bigger sister.
So we just kind of battling out there with the birdies. I mean, it's good when you play with the players who playing good and it's a good like rhythm and make putts-wise.
Q. You had such a clutch finish to win this last year.
JEENO THITIKUL: Uh-huh.
Q. I know that you've contended in so many majors now. How does the pressure of trying to win this tournament with $4 million on the line compare to trying to win a major?
JEENO THITIKUL: I think should be the same. I think like the course condition-wise definitely I think major is more like tougher and harder.
I think it's really depends on like how you play out there in that particular days. Like when -- I kind of find every tournament I trying to feel the same as always.
But like the course condition, the players, the pressure sometime I know is different, but always trying to stay grounded and be the same.
Q. Did you find yourself thinking about the money at any time last year on Sunday?
JEENO THITIKUL: On Sunday, not really. Not really. I think I trying to like mix up with the things in my head. Just like more golf-wise not about the money much.
Q. How do you manage expectations coming into this tournament like this as the world No. 1?
JEENO THITIKUL: I don't have no expectation about myself, so I don't think I need to like expect -- like manage any expectation from others.
Because when you talk to others everyone might talk the same and then might thought the same because you came here as the world No. 1, but obviously what number are you has the same chance as everyone if you starting any week.
So this is any week as well. Tomorrow it's a new day. Sunday is a new day. Everything can happen with golf.
Q. Obviously you take the game really seriously, but you seem to have a lot of fun out there, even in a high-pressure situation like this. What's the key to that for you?
JEENO THITIKUL: I don't know. I think we all, especially me, trying just to play golf. We just trying to play golf, 18 holes per day. Hopefully not extra for playoff.
But obviously we trying to do the job that we love. So I mean, for me, I know I did focusing out there, but sometime I think four, five hours out there, it's pretty long time show so if you have some time that you can enjoy, enjoy yourself then.
Q. Do you prefer low-scoring events like this where everybody can go really low or do you like more of an even par type of major championship test?
JEENO THITIKUL: I think just keep that for the majors. It's enough.
Because it's burning. It's burning our brain. It's burning our golf. It's burning our games. Because as you see all the major, just like every time when we finish a round everyone is like this. (Staring into space.)
Because we had to think a lot. Like we had to do really good game plan, because if not just can mix up your score for like a whole day.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports