	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 15, 2019

Ariya Jutanugarn

Lake Buena Vista, Florida

CHRISTINA LANCE: Here with world No. 1, been at the top for several weeks now, Ariya Jutanugarn. Ariya is a little cold, so we'll let the lights warm her up.

Ariya, welcome back to the LPGA. You had an incredible month of December. Tell us about everything that happened for you back home.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Mostly we did these once-a-days for a whole month, and after Christmas we took four days off. We went down south in Thailand, went to the beach with all my family. So much fun.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Tell me about the big sponsor day, the Mo-May event. I know you had friends from the PGA TOUR come out. Tell us about that day and what it meant to you and to your sister.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: We've been dreaming to do that for a long time. We were worried how it's going to happen, and basically this year, finally, we did it. Kiradech and Tongchai came and helped us. Kiradech helped us do the clinic and played a round with us. And all the donations went to cleft lip and all that. So we got like $40,000 U.S. It's pretty good.

CHRISTINA LANCE: That is wonderful. It's quite a testament to what you and your sister have done. You had all that. You got a little sick there in the middle. How are you feeling now coming into this season opener in your second home here in Orlando?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Feel a little bit still tired, but get a lot better. Feel fresh. Something new.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Have you been out on this golf course at all? What are your thoughts going into this? It's going to be a different week for us.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah, it is. I went yesterday, and I played. The grass is really nice. The greens are rolling great in really tough conditions because it's windy. Today I went out, and I got nothing, too cold. I haven't really hit a good shot yet, so I don't know.

CHRISTINA LANCE: We'll work on warming it up for you.

Q. Ariya, you are getting comfortable now being in No. 1 and with all the awards you've won. How is starting this year different for you than maybe in the past with the expectations that you've brought in the past?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: One of my goals this year is like I've been talking to Pia and Lynn, and I told them like I never have that good feeling like I played in 2016 before because I feel like 2016 is my best year, not only the outcome, but I feel so free. I don't have like worries. I'm not scared about the outcome at all, and I don't have that feeling for like two years already. But how can I go back to have that feeling? So we're just like working on that.

Q. How do you do that?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: How do I do that? You know, at that time, everything was so new for me. I just took some lessons with Pia and Lynn about like playing golf, commitment, everything, and I feel so fresh that time. But like this year and last year, I feel like, you know what, I've been doing that for so long, I didn't feel like it's fresh anymore. I didn't have that good commitment anymore. So I just feel like I have to do something, feel more like fresh to do it, so like try to learn every day, growing.

Q. I heard that you've been in some discussion with Pia and Lynn about hitting driver, which courses it would be helpful, strategic, to hit driver, like, for example, Phoenix or ANA. Can you talk about that? Where you might hit driver this year, where it might help you, and if you're open to it.
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Actually, I want to hit like ANA. I feel like if I hit it in ANA, I'm going to have like pretty good short iron to the green. But at the same time, if I'm going to hit driver, I have to work on my wedge. My wedge has to get better, then I feel more comfortable to hit driver.

Q. And you feel better with your wedges now?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I feel a lot better. I've been working on it like the last two weeks.

Q. Do you think back to ANA and maybe what the 18th hole would be different if you had driver in your hand? Do you think back to that?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I don't think -- nothing different, no. Because sometimes they move the tee box, and I just need to hit 3 wood. And sometimes, if they don't move the tee box, even if I hit driver, I can't get to the green.

Q. A lot of new rules changes this year. I wondered if I could get your opinion on three of them. The first one, caddies not allowed to line up behind the ball. What do you think of that?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I like it because my caddie never lines me up.

Q. Secondly, putting with the flagstick in, what are your thoughts about that?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I feel easier sometimes when I chip on the green. I don't have to wait for my caddie to take the pin out. I can just putt it.

Q. So will you putt sometimes with the flagstick in?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Actually, I practiced it a little bit, yeah.

Q. Thirdly, dropping from your knee instead of shoulder length.
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I'm okay about that, but I feel like my sister is going to be cheating. Her knees are low.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Built in advantage there.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Like, Mo, don't be cheating. Don't go too low.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Do we need to let the rules officials know there's going to be a problem?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yes.

CHRISTINA LANCE: We'll call them in.

Q. I know that Thailand is the land of smiles, but why did you choose the cleft palate as your charity?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Because I feel like everybody should have a chance to live like normal people because I feel like some of them not even can't smile, but they can't even eat. So I feel like that's a main problem for them.

Q. What's it mean to have your sister here, that she did win last year and earned her spot here? Just speak to what it's like to have her here and just what you've seen in her growth as a player?
ARIYA JUTANUGARN: It means so much to me, especially when I saw the board, it's called like Tournament of Champions. I feel great that she won her first tournament last year, and it means so much to me because all we do is work on just trying to reach our goal. I say it all the time. Our goal is not only seeing me win a tournament but also seeing my sister win a tournament.

CHRISTINA LANCE: We love you two. One last thing. I know you're starting out with this year with a new caddie, getting used to Daniel on the bag. What's that relationship been like so far?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: So far pretty good in the last two days. I like him a lot. He really always has a good attitude, really helps me. From now on, I don't know.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297