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KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY GEICO

May 20, 2018

Ariya Jutanugarn

Williamsburg, Virginia

THE MODERATOR: Good evening everyone. We'd like to welcome the 2018 Kingsmill Championship champion, Ariya Jutanugarn. Ariya, congratulations.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Your eighth LPGA title. How does this one compare?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I'm going to say I didn't expect anything this week because I think I been playing -- to me, I been playing very good like last few tournament and I'm still not win the tournament.

So show up this week, I'm just tell myself, I'm not the going to expect anything. I'm just going to be really focus on the things under my control and make sure I'm going to have like good commitment every shot.

THE MODERATOR: How were you able to do that through two extra holes today?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Because I think before playoff I'm just told myself like either I'm going to win or I'm going to finish second. So, I mean, it's not going to be worse than that. Why not?

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and get some questions. Raise your hand.

Q. You looked so relaxed out there the entire day. On 18 in regulation you're rubbing Les' shoulders, talking with the standard bearer; you came back out and watched the last group finish 18. Is that the way you've always been? Do you just not feel the pressure? Is that just a way of dealing with it?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I mean, I did feel the pressure, but not that much like what it has before.

I'm just be really chilling because I know I did a good job today and all three rounds. I'm just going to watch my friend have a good chance to make birdie.

Like everything is good for me, because like being watching Nasa play, she's such a great player and I know she have talent and can win a tournament easy. In Gee, she really consistent.

If one of them make birdie, great. It's mean I don't have to go playoff. I mean, I want to give me a chance to have like playoff, but it's good for them, you know?

THE MODERATOR: You're second win at Kingsmill. What is it about this place?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I'm going to say I love here, not because I won here two years ago, but I have a great memory here. I play here since I was like 17. I got to like two time (indiscernible)here I think. Thank you so much.

So I going to say I love here. Every time like when the season start I just really want to come back here and play this tournament.

Q. This is similar to his question. You had the two-shot lead on 15; 15 kind of went bad. How did you kind of keep your frame of mind positive at that point?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Actually, that pretty tough for me, because, I mean, par-5 I should have a good opportunity to make birdie but I make bogey.

After that I got a little bit mad, but my caddie just told me to like, you know, nothing -- we can't go back and change anything. All we can do is just do what we have now. Try to hit a good shot. Do my best every time I have chance to hit the golf ball.

Q. When you came here as a sponsor's exemption in 2013 you shot 64 in your first round; birdied the first three holes. Is this a place that just immediately suited your eye and your game, that you realized right away it was a good course for you?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: To me, I mean, this course I'm not be able to hit driver, so I'm not going to say it very suit my game. I don't know how. I just like here. Every time I hit on the green I feel like I can make this putt.

I pretty like the green here, also.

Q. You think about your sister winning and now you win. When you think about that, that's historic from an LPGA standpoint. It's only happened one other time. What kind of comes to mind when you think about your sister has won this year now you've won this year? That's pretty historic and special.
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I never think, oh, if she won I should win the tournament this year, too. But I'm just -- the on thing come up is I'm rooting for her every tournament. Every tournament. I really want her to win her first tournament, because that mean -- I want her to know she can do it, because we believe and trust she can do it.

THE MODERATOR: Talk to us a little bit about your schedule strategy. You play a lot of events. You're actually the only player on the LPGA to make the cut in every tournament.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I'm going to say I like to play. What I told you before, so when I have week off I'm not really practice, so better for me to keep playing.

Of course I'm going to take some tournament off.

Q. Could you describe your final approach shot on the second playoff hole? What did you hit? Was that the shot you envisioned?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: My second hole of playoff, I mean, I have same club as my first hole. I did hit same shot because I have only like three yard difference, but didn't hit that solid.

So lucky, yeah.

Q. What club did you hit?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I hit 9-iron.

Q. How much fun did you have caddying at the par-3 at the Masters?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I had so much fun. I mean, it's my second time went to Masters, and I just have to thank for like give me a chance to do that, because it's so much fun.

THE MODERATOR: You also were The PLAYERS last week.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah, on Friday. And I also like watching (indiscernible) play. She did good job.

THE MODERATOR: Further questions for our champion? How are you going to celebrate tonight?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Actually I have to pack my stuff because I kind of throw everything everywhere.

Tomorrow I have I think 1:00 flight.

THE MODERATOR: Talk about the U.S. Women's Open being so close. Do you feel like you're peaking right before the second major?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I mean, U.S. Open is always really tough condition and one of the hardest tournament to win. But I'm not going to take it like big deal, because I just really want to be chilling and try to work on what I been working.

Q. You hit iron off the tee on 18 in regulation, and then what did you hit in the playoff?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I hit 3-wood in the playoff.

Q. Just to be more aggressive and give yourself a...
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: You know, because when I hit 2-iron I have like 180 to the pin. So I got no chance to make birdie if I hit 2-iron, so I hit 3-wood.

Q. So you just hit 2-iron in regulation just to be conservative?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah. Actually, I don't know why I'm really excited on 18, so that why I just told my caddie, I'm just going to hit 2-iron. He said, Okay. So I hit 2-iron.

On the playoff hole he asked me like, You want to hit 2-iron again? I'm like, No. I'm going to hit 3-wood.

Q. What was your yardage coming in on the final approach? How far out were you?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: My 18th?

Q. Yes.
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: 177.

Q. And do you feel like you've won enough -- I know you said you didn't expect to win this week, but have you won enough where you expect to at least contend every week now?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I'm going to say like when I'm thinking about winning I never win. So like last few month I play good and I told my caddie all the time, When I'm going to win? When I'm going to win? I never win and never play that great.

I never talk about win at all and now I won the tournament, so I think I should keep doing the same thing.

THE MODERATOR: Does your Vision 54 team, working with them, does that help you put the thoughts out your head?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yes, it is. They help me a lot. Like today before the round I don't know why I'm excited, so I just text them. I'm like, Okay, so I miss few short putts in my second round; what should I do? They just give me something to do and work on.

THE MODERATOR: Last year you won the ManuLife Classic and you went on become world No. 1 the next week. You had told me before you weren't quite ready to handle it at that point. What did you feel about now?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Now? I think I should be fine. But, you know, the ranking is out of my head for almost a year so I never think about that. I just really want to go out and have fun and that's it.

THE MODERATOR: Any further questions? Thank you very much. Congratulations.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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