THE MODERATOR: Please welcome to the interview area Wichanee Meechai; just a spectacular round today on this golf course. What was working well for you?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: To be honest, before the tee time, I was so nervous. I just talked to my manager, like my hands just shaking, my brain just stop working. But trying to commit to the shot. I know that the course is hard; just go with the flow probably. That's my point, and just have fun.
Q. There was a period where you had a few bogeys but you didn't let the round get away from you. How were you able to change course?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: Trying to be patient on this course, I think it's the key for me because even though you hit on the green you can three-putt very easily if you're on the wrong spots, something like that.
I'm just trying to be patient, and if I can get birdies, I will go for it.
Q. When you get on this incredible streak to start the round, what's going through your mind? Does that settle you down or does that amp you up more?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: To be honest, I don't know who she is the first four holes, but I'm glad that she came. But it's just like -- I just know myself that I'm so nervous, I have adrenaline. The first four holes, I just played -- I just picked the club that's shorter and hit it hard.
I think it worked well with this course probably because you cannot be too aggressive with that, and I'm pretty close to the pin, and my putt was just pretty good on this week, I think. So it's just like -- I'm just like surprised, as well.
But I'm glad that she came so early so I can calm down a little bit from my nervous, I think.
Q. I know you're really good friends with Mo and May. Have you talked to either of them about what's to come this weekend?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: Never, but I thought about -- I used to talk to May to being on the top position and then how did you handle it, and she just like helped me a lot go through with that, the mind game that you just need to believe in yourself and believe what you're doing now, just keep going.
Even it's wrong, it's still good. You just have the confidence on you, and just keep working on it.
Q. You played pretty well at the Founders Cup a few weeks ago. What did you learn that you've applied this week?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: I think on the Founders, I have a really good tee shot. Also here. I hit really good tee shot in Founders and also here. And just be patient with it because you cannot play aggressive that course, as well, and also here.
Maybe that week it trained me to come here, and I think it's worked for me now.
Q. You talked about May telling you about some things about confidence. Where does your own confidence come from?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: To be honest, I'm the person who like have no confidence at all. I never think that I'm good enough. I never think that I can win tournament in LPGA, but I'm pretty, like, not feel bad that if I can stay in my zone, if I can stay in my place and I just keep working hard as I can, and like May said, if you're working hard, I think it's going to show up one day and then you can be good on this tour.
Q. Are you saying that you were way more nervous than you usually are? Way more than yesterday?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: Yes, way more. To be honest, I think about miss the cut because I know that I can shoot like 1-under and next day 8-over. It's so easy for me.
But trying to keep it -- like trying to not think about it is the hardest part for me so that's why I'm so nervous.
I think my caddie helped me a lot that he told me, okay, Jan, just go one shot at a time, which is true, and helped me with the patience that what I have to think about and commit to the shot, and I think that nervous gone when I can commit to what I have to do.
Q. Have you slept on the lead before? I know it's only Friday, but have you ever slept on the lead before?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: Never. This is my first time, and it's U.S. Open, so I get more nervous now, I think.
Q. For people who are going to turn on the television this weekend and see you for the first time, what would you tell them about how you came to play golf and what made you fall in love with it?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: So I start playing golf because of my dad. He's a tournament director of Asian Tour. I hate to study. I always fall asleep on the class, something like that, so I think I'm pretty good at sports. Like I play everything like when back to school.
So my dad just asked me, do you want to start it. So I said, yeah, let's try it, and I don't know, probably it worked out. But to be honest, I never think that I can come this far since I start playing golf. But if someone just try and play golf right now, just keep going, just keep doing, just work hard and believe in yourself, and the result will come out later.
Q. Have you ever worked with Pia and Lynn?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: Just a little bit but never like full course. Like back then, 2017, because of Mo and May, they work with Lynn and Pia all the time, so I get a chance to talk to them but not have a class with them.
Sometimes I ask them like what should I have to think, so she -- they just know my personality, that I want to be happy on the course. I have to be happy on the course so I can play good.
So they trying to tell me to focus on what I have to do, what I have to work with my happy on the course. Yeah.
Q. I'm just curious, are you staying with anyone this week? What do you do between now and tomorrow?
WICHANEE MEECHAI: I'm the only one in my house right now. I was going to book the hotel because it's very last minute that I made the qualifying. I booked the hotel already, and Pajaree, she just told me that she have a house because she book it like way long time ago, but she didn't make it, and she asked me do you want a house.
So I was like, okay, I prefer the house because I can do laundry, I can cook, everything. So I take the house and then stay -- kind of haunted house a little bit. I'm so scared the first night but it's fine now.
But I think that probably if they have a ghost in that house, I think the ghost like me. (Laughter.)
Q. If you're going to be by yourself, what will you do? Because you've got a lot of time to kill.
WICHANEE MEECHAI: I love to cook a lot. I love Thai food. I love to eat rice, so I cook every day. I share the food with my physio. Like he came 6:00 or 7:00 at night every day, so I cook for him and I cook for myself, and that's it. I just love to cook. It's relaxing me.
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