THE MODERATOR: Congratulations first of all. You earned your second victory of the year. Can you just describe what you're feeling right now?
JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, feels so unreal for sure. I mean, like so happy, so unreal. I think a lot of things go through my mind. Having the last putt to be able to force the playoff, I mean, making par to force the playoff, just reminding me like about the last event and that is what's happening.
Q. You have officially broken our streak of different winners this year by being the first repeat winner. Why do you think that is? Why do you think there has been so many different winners, and what does it feel like to be the first repeat winner?
JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I think it's because of like I said, we just had more talented players, and then I feel like I do -- I did came close for a couple time this year, but I feel like every week it's going to be only one player that can be outstanding and then just some, you know, some dramatic finish for each tournament.
I think it's a good sign, to be honest. It's a good sign for the LPGA Tour. It's just meaning that, you know, like the field get stronger and the Tour gets tougher and stronger to be able to win even once.
And be able to win again, I mean, for me, for the multiple for this year, which is just like really amazing.
And then I think my last tournament has got me a little bit of kind of doubt for sure. But to be standing out here and then getting that again after that week, what's happen, I can't answer it by myself. I can't wrote my note about it, wrote all the things that happened in my career by myself, so I have nothing to be afraid of anymore.
Q. Like you mentioned, this win comes after multiple runner-up finishes, including Cincinnati. What did you do after Kroger to debrief and reset and be able to come back here and win?
JEENO THITIKUL: Definitely cried a lot. Not going lie, cried quite a lot. And then I do have like, you know, a really amazing off week, which is we spend time with no golf in Canada and then just like remind me that whatever it's happen, it's the past. And then I'm a human, which is I make a mistake for sure, and then everyone does.
And then I was just like trying to be back and then practicing and then earning -- I mean, like I just kept told myself -- whatever is happen in dramatic events, not just Cincinnati, but in this year, I just told myself that I need to earn it by myself. Every win or every work that you -- the winner is just only one players and then I have to earn it by myself, and then when it's my time, I will want to be in that moment again and did it by myself again.
Q. (Regarding the approach shot.)
JEENO THITIKUL: The last hole? Like every hole or just last hole?
Q. Last extra hole. The playoff hole.
JEENO THITIKUL: I think nothing. I mean, trying to be the same in the first hole to the last hole. I don't know how many holes we going to get. I don't know what it's going finish. My longest playoff is nine and then this one five, is it?
And then, you know, I knew that one of us need to make a birdie to be able to win the tournament. So I think I just had a really good yardage on 10, the last one, pitching wedge, which is I didn't hit quite approaching shots that I have been in the playoff, but the last one was the best one so far. Have it not too far from the pin and be able to hole the putt, I think it just releasing off everything that like I have on my mind like the last putt.
I'm like whatever happens, it's happen. I have the people who love me by my side and then I think of my mom and dad's face, yes.
Q. You're good friend, Ruoning, won the title here last year; you're good friends and you won the title this year. How coincidental it is? Is it luck? Did she give you pointers or something like the that?
JEENO THITIKUL: Well, is it coincidence? No. I mean, if I can say coincidence, it should be if I can be -- I really want to win on Asia so bad. I mean, I have played really good in Asia in every tournaments that we had since I was an amateur until now.
To be able to close, to be able to win, but didn't get the job done yet, but have been to win this one, what is my best friend country and then feel like fans just like knew me more from last year. No one kind of shout my name, but this year a lot of fans shouting my name. Maybe because of Ronni as well.
But I close to Ronni and get this one. I don't know, you guys think it is coincidence or not?
Q. You claim the title out here just now. (Regarding goals next year.)
JEENO THITIKUL: You mean like what I'm going to think about CME?
Q. You think the major championship is going to be your goal next year?
JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I think major still every tournament still going to be my goal in next year. Talking about this year as well, we got done yet until the CME yet. Still have work to go.
And then obviously major's going to be another project in my job that one time I really want to get it, but it's a long way to go, and then I don't want to pressure myself too much because major, tough course, tough weeks, tough fields.
And then to be able to win the major you should get really A-game on every major that you have. Like I said, I think I still have lots of time to be able to do it.
Q. Crazy number of Chinese fans are starting to know you. You're more famous in China.
JEENO THITIKUL: Thank you.
Q. As far as we know Jeeno is -- in Thailand language it's Chinese.
JEENO THITIKUL: Not Jeeno, Jeen. My real nickname is Jeen, like J-e-e-n. That's my real nickname that's my father mother give it to me. But Jeeno, just my coach in National Team call me and it's nice and it's kind of like international.
But the Jeen, the real one is, yes, it's -- in Thai it's Jeen. We call like you got (in Thai.) That's the meaning.
Q. Your father is a Chinese. You eat Chinese food, Chinese culture, Chinese New year, something like that?
JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, definitely. Yes, the Chinese New Year definitely I wear red, and then we had a lot of, you know, the thing to prepare on Chinese New Year, yeah, and in my hometown.
And I mean, my father cannot really speak Chinese at all because he half of half again, but my father father, whatever, super Chinese. And then my grandfather now can speak (In Thai.)
Yeah, that's why. But my mom is lots of Thai.
Q. (Regarding Maybank.)
JEENO THITIKUL: Maybank I definitely think I'm going to play with her in the first round of Maybank for sure. I mean, I would be happy to see her defending her title again. I think it's been a while since -- I think this is first start after AIG for her. I just told her it's been a long time since I saw you hitting balls.
And then, yeah, I mean, I would love to see her defend her titles, but still had a lot of work to go for us. If she couldn't defend that one, I believe she going to win for next few for sure because it's long way to go for her.
Q. Back on Thursday, first round of the tournament, you claim that you asked her a question. (Indiscernible.) Long time you have been here. What does that mean?
JEENO THITIKUL: Yes, did she tell you guys?
Q. Yep. The guy wants to confirm it.
JEENO THITIKUL: Yes, what did she tell you?
Q. Why you asking a question like this to Ronni?
JEENO THITIKUL: Because it's been a long time, like two, three months. I mean, like because I wasn't be able to play last year beginning of the year for like two, three months, not competing at all. I just miss it so bad. I really want to come back and play again and not just sitting in the -- like on the couch and then watching them play. I was just really want to go out there. I want to be competing.
But, I mean, that's why I ask her. It's been like two, three months maybe, two months after AIG she wasn't play any tournament at all. I was like, do you miss competing? Then I think I asked her 13 hole, 14 hole; she answer me 18 green. Four holes. I don't know what she think about. But, yeah.
Q. Your playing partner, Minami Katsu, also posted a solid round. Also performed very well in her play. What's your opinion of this opponent, Japanese player?
JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, she's had really amazing like round and week long from Tuesday -- no, Friday, Friday. Friday she got to like 11-under or 10-under, around that.
I saw her play today when we start until like 10 something, she had -- on 10 she got birdie; 11, something like that for two, three holes in a row. She had really strong game today.
I mean, I don't know, I just knew my spot after I calculated that I had, whatever, 9-under par today. Do I? Yes.
And then because -- to be honest, I think she was going to win. I know that I have a chance, but just like not many. I don't know how many holes left but still two, three stroke behind.
I don't know what's happened on 17, 16, 15, that I have. It's kind of like maybe lucky; maybe not. I don't know.
But, yeah.
Q. What do you think about this younger generation?
JEENO THITIKUL: I think like we got a lot of more talented players and also young. As you can see, the girl who won the low amateur was just 16 years old. That was her first LPGA event ever in her life, so she was able to do a really good job after, you know, like playing alongside all the LPGA players.
And then, I mean, like from China, from Japan, Korea, Thailand, I think all Asia had a really good like new generation that's coming up, which is I think because of all the role model on each country did a really good job to be able to motivating them to be better and better.
And I think all the next generation, it's going to be really amazing for them because of the technology-wise, you know, growth, and then everyone, golf, you can see all the (indiscernible) so tall and hitting so far compared to me. Yeah, I just can't wait to see how the future holds on for them.
Q. You gave a great quote about your runner-up finishes. Talk about what makes you so grateful and positive all the time.
JEENO THITIKUL: I don't know. Life. Is it negative going to help? I don't think so. So I mean, like definitely negative things going to be in our head for sure, but I think to be able to, you know, living our life and getting better 1% each day, it's definitely came from positive.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports