MALLORY KINAHAN: All right, we are pleased to be joined by the champion of the 2026 LOTTE Championship, Jeeno Thitikul. Just is it sinking in yet you're the champion of the 2026 LOTTE Championship? What are your emotions right now?
JEENO THITIKUL: Tired. (Laughter.)
Definitely my leg was so sore. I mean, just, you know, word cannot describe what I feeling right now. I mean, it's happy, it's, you know, a lot of feelings going on.
I mean, like really like a rollercoaster on like 15, 16, 17, and 18. So just, I mean, now everything was set so just tired right now, but a good tired.
MALLORY KINAHAN: And you mentioned just the rollercoaster on the last three holes. You had the double bogey on 16. How do you turn it around and come back from that with two birdies on the last two holes? What's your mentality on that stretch?
JEENO THITIKUL: It definitely feels so bad after finishing the 16, but I also told myself that I still in the bubble, like my bubbles, and then I feel like I trying to play my game; not other or anyone game.
So I just really want to focus on what I have, because like on my mind I think whenever if I still have a shot, which mean I still have a chance, no matter it's going to be good or bad, I have nothing to lose, so...
MALLORY KINAHAN: What was the mindset knowing you had Ina chasing you the whole round?
JEENO THITIKUL: Has to make birdies. I mean, she played really incredible golf today. I mean, she opening the round with like five hole 4-under par, which is, you know, a really like good, good round of golf that she put in.
And then it's a really good battling out with her out there. We have fun.
But at the end of the day, you know, if she doing better, she get it. If I'm doing great, I get it. We just trying to do our job the best that we could put it in.
So I think we put it in pretty good today with all the result that we got.
MALLORY KINAHAN: And then one more from me. 65 out of 72 greens in regulation through your four rounds here at Hoakalei, which is the best in the field. What do you feel like was your key to success in that area?
JEENO THITIKUL: I think I keep the ball where I wanted to pretty well today. I mean, if you win it, yeah, I have to keep the ball where I want it to anyway, right?
But, I mean, maybe kind of like little break from golf kind of help. You know, like just like I said earlier of the week, I really worked on work-life balance. Off for two weeks and work for two weeks is really balancing it out.
But, you know, it's golf. When you had a confident into it and then when you're not thinking much, that's when your result kind of show what you had.
So, I mean, I think I maybe thinking less. I just focus what I have to do in the present on just like shot by shot for this couple month, so it's kind of worked out.
MALLORY KINAHAN: Yeah, and then you got to experience that luau dance after the final putt there. You are the first Thai player to win the LOTTE Championship. How great is that opportunity and experience and just being here in Hawai'i to be able to do that tradition?
JEENO THITIKUL: It's really different to honor another like wins that I have. This is my 11 one; 10 one was way easier than the dance. I obviously think my -- I mean, my 16 is even better than my dance. (Laughter.)
I mean, and actually my friend came and seen me last week in Dallas and they're a couple and they was like, I'm going to see you dance in LOTTE. I was like, hell no. But I end up won it, but I don't know how.
But the dance even the hardest that I have to do today. Not the golf.
Q. Congratulations. So you said your hula was worse than your 16?
JEENO THITIKUL: Definitely. 100 percent.
Q. When is the last time did you something like you did on 16?
JEENO THITIKUL: Question again? On 16...
Q. When is the last time in your life that you did something like did you on 16 in any kind of a situation?
JEENO THITIKUL: Not too long. I think I make it every day. I mean, we play golf, we definitely make mistake every day. I know it seem not too good but I knew what I'm doing. It just like -- when you have a mistake and then you knew what is the problems that you had, that bad shots, and then I knew what it's coming.
So I was just like stick to what I can do. In the 10 balls I don't think I can do it all of 10. Definitely going to be two balls, three balls going wild or bad. So it's just really like normal that I have it, to be honest.
I know it seems bad, but you can't get the good things in your life all the time. Golf really taught me about that. Accept the good thing but you have to accept the bad things too.
Q. You were able to relax your mind enough walking from that hole to the next tee to kind of set yourself...
JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I mean, I trying to locked in this kind of day. But like, you know, coming like four, five hole left I just trying to be on like, you know, on my breathe, just trying to be on the present. I just try not to his about what if, what could happen.
You know, I'm just a human being. I still have a good thoughts. I still had a bad thought. I still had kind of nervous, excitement.
But, you know, it's just really another challenging like things in your life. As an athlete it's always going to be challenge for me. All the win that I have, 10 win, 11 win, never ever been easy. I feel like that's what I play golf for.
I just want to win that moments and then leaving negative thoughts in my head which is really feel good more than winning the trophy.
Q. You made it exciting. Congratulations and glad the rollercoaster worked out for you.
JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, and the dance.
MALLORY KINAHAN: One more from me. You just became the sixth player in LPGA history to pass the 20 million in career earnings threshold. With some pretty impressive names up there. What honor is that to you?
JEENO THITIKUL: That's mean I need to pay more tax. (Laughter.)
I mean, it's just like, you. It definitely worked out for sure. Who is not going to happy $10 million that you made.
Obviously for the people who don't know the tax -- I'm not earning like 20. I'm earning less, okay guys? I'm not that rich. I'm earning less than that. Still have a lot to pay.
But obviously I think that just come behind what we doing. The result is showing that things not -- we expecting. Like I don't think I come here and then I expecting to made like $100 million, $50 million or like $1 million or even -- even CME four million check dollars. I don't think we think for that, but we think how can we improve our games and stay on the Tour and quality like golf career as possible.
So that's just a bonus. Also a tax bonus.
MALLORY KINAHAN: Awesome. Thanks so much for your time. We really appreciate it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports