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KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY JTBC

May 16, 2017

Ariya Jutanugarn

Williamsburg, Virginia

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much for coming today to the Kingsmill Championship. We're here with world No. 3 Ariya Jutanugarn. Ariya, how are you feeling today? How are things going so far for you here in Virginia?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Pretty good. I mean, it's always good for me to come back here again. You know, play some like 18 hole already today and yesterday.

THE MODERATOR: So already 18 holes in. I also say you spent some time at Busch Gardens. First time here defending a title as you won this tournament last year. Virginia seems to agree with you. What do you like about it here?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I have a great memory here last year. I like everything here. I love to come back here. I love the course. The course always in a great shape.

THE MODERATOR: And you're playing very well so far this year: Eight top 9 finishes, three runner-ups, including most recently at Lorena Ochoa MatchPlay, but still looking for that breakthrough win. How are you feeling right now coming into the week?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Feel good because I been working on my commitment and it's getting better almost like every week. I feel pretty good about that.

This week I'm just going to go enjoy and have fun. I want to make sure I be commit with every shot I hit this week.

THE MODERATOR: Go ahead and open the floor to any questions.

Q. Ariya, you mentioned committing to each shot. That is something that Pia mentioned when I was speaking with her on the range today. What led you to team with her and Lynn, and how have they helped you over the last 14 months or so?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: They been help me a lot. I work with them like last year in Phoenix, so they just help me to be like, you know, how can I be able to happy on the course. Like when I really nervous, excited, what should I do on the course.

Q. Just following up on some of the things Pia and Lynn have talked to you about, they have also mentioned the different ways - I know your pre-shot routine - but also the Memory Box. They were talking about how you were really curious about the Memory Box. After you hit a shot, how to react or whatever. Can you tell us what you learned from them about the Memory Box and maybe the way it's changed the way you play?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: It's help me a lot because like way before when I missed a shot I be really upset and start to like yell with everything like, Why I miss this shot? When I have that feeling I always remember a bad thing.

But right now when I miss the shot I just act like it's can happen. It's always going to happen in my life if you play golf.

I want to make sure like when I hit a good shot I tell myself, Oh, that one good, so I'm going to have a good memory with a good shot also.

Q. Just a follow up: Taking you back here, when you think about your victory here, what's the thing that really stands out about it that maybe you still remember that helps you yet today?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I'm going to say last year this tournament in the final round is one of my -- I'm really proud to myself that round, because like when I go out and play I never think about the outcome, because I have won the week before. I never think about the outcome. I don't really worry who going to win. The only thing I want is to do my best.

I did a great job in the final round last year.

Q. Another thing Pia mentioned was that success hasn't changed you. You're still the same person that you were before you started winning all these tournaments. How have you done that? Usually when people are successful it kind of changes the way they are.
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I think even like I win or I'm not going to win a tournament is nothing going to change in my life. I mean, I'm going to still have the same mom, same sister. Like nothing change.

And even other player, even they never win on tour, I still respect them as a player. Then I pretty sure other players going to respect me like I respect them. I think it's like nothing change.

Q. One quick follow up. How good and helpful has it been to have Les back as your caddie these past few weeks?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: He is really helpful. You know, he know my game a lot. I mean, I'm going to say he know everything. It's very easy for me to be working with him because I feel like I don't have to worry about anything. When I miss the shots, it's like he know why and he been helping me with that.

Q. Things have changed so much from a year ago. You probably weren't being asked about winning. Now that you've won so often you're probably asked, When are you going to win again now. How do you handle that and deal with the expectations?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I'm going to say we never know until Sunday of a tournament. I mean, it's really hard for me before because I feel like when I play I play under other people expectation.

I think right now I think my goal is I want to play under my expectation. That's a key for me to have fun on the course.

Q. Curious, too, when did you get the nickname, May?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: When I born. I mean, like in Thailand, almost everybody in Thailand have a nickname, and nickname not come from the first name. Parents just give them the nickname they want.

Q. Is you've had May your whole life?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Like 21 years.

Q. Does it mean something different in Thai?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: It's no meaning.

Q. There is no meaning? Okay.
THE MODERATOR: Similar to Randy's question, the pressure of winning. You have a chance to get to world No. 1 this week.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: You try to put the pressure on me. (Laughter.) I try to go away and you push on me.

THE MODERATOR: No pressure. It's a big thing. I'm sure everyone has thought of it at some point, Will I ever be the best in the world? Has it ever run through your mind, I could be the world's No. 1?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: It's have been like last few months, but right now, honestly I feel like when I focus with that it's made me feel worse and made me feel I didn't be a better golfer.

So I try to don't think about that. I feel like if I still focus on what I been working on, I still try to improve my game, then everything going to be good.

THE MODERATOR: Great outlook. We really appreciate that. Any further questions for May here?

One more here.

Q. Wondering how much of a source of strength it is to have your support group with your sister and mom at most, if not all, the tournaments, and how much you lean on them?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: They make me feel so good and feel like so there with my everything. Because I feel like Pia and Lynn keep telling me all the time, that like no matter my ranking going to be, they going to give me full support. That make me feel like I don't have to worry about the outcome. The only thing I have to do is go have fun.

Especially my mom and my sister, I mean, I just feel like even I'm not win or anything going to happen in my life, I'm going to get full support from them. No matter my ranking going to be, they going to love me the same.

Q. How close is your sister to winning, breaking through?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I always trust in her and believe in her, and I feel like she can win this year, and I really want to see that.

THE MODERATOR: We were chatting earlier, you and I. Today was media day for the KPMG at Olympia Fields where you won your girls junior title, one of your biggest junior events. I know it's a different course, but it's still Olympia Fields. What's excitement of going back there later this year?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I mean, I have -- I'm going to say I have a great memory that even different course, but I really excited and looking forward to go back there.

THE MODERATOR: Any further questions? Thank you very much. Good luck this week, and we'll talk to you later.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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