GAINBRIDGE LPGA

February 26, 2021

Patty Tavatanakit

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Patty Tavatanakit, like we said yesterday, not a rookie anymore, even if it's technically. Just take us through the round today and what was the key to staying so consistent?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: It was kind of a slow start for me today, but I hung in there pretty well. I just kept telling myself it's going to be okay. Just kept hitting good shots and just roll good putts. Here and there I dropped today on that four stretch of holes. I hit some nice shots like I told myself to do so. It's been a really solid two rounds. Left a couple shots out there today, but it's a four-day event so I am just going to try my best to eliminate those mistakes that I did today tomorrow.

Q. You're talking of the mistakes, but you did have a nice birdie streak there, especially once you made the turn. What was working so well on Nos. 1, 2, 3?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I didn't really think much about birdies. I feel like going through that stretch I didn't know what I was shooting. I was just like really in the moment just playing golf, hit one shot at a time, and didn't really care about how I was playing, the results at all.

Just it's nice to have Grant, my coach out there. We just talk about other stuff and just keep my mind off the scores a little bit.

Q. Is he caddying for you this week or is he...

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: This week and next week, yeah.

Q. How nice is that to have someone like that on the bag helping you?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Oh, it's so calm. I feel so secure about my game. Just him being there really helped a lot, and, you know, it's just like on the practice rounds when we were out playing on the course. I'm really comfortable out there with him and I feel like these two weeks I'm just going to learn a lot just how to be really comfortable and be independent on like decision making and club selection.

Q. We've seen you in contention before on the LPGA Tour. You're just four shots out of the lead. What does it take on a course like this to get your name towards the top of the leaderboard?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I would say like my goal for the start of the season was to try to learn as much as I can because I know there are a lot of opportunities out there for me to be in contention. I wouldn't say that I'm not trying to win or anything, but I feel like just being in this position I'm just going to take this chance to learn as much as I can and just do my best.

The outcome is whatever holds, and I'm just going to play my game. Hopefully I do play good to go up there, but just got to keep what I'm doing, doing what I'm doing. Yeah.

Q. What is your mindset on having another rookie season?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Really, really thankful for that. Last year was really hard for me just COVID and traveling alone, not having my parents here. Which was my decision to kind of want to like grow out of that relationship. It was a hard one to take for me, but I stuck to it, and it's another rookie you're for me. I'm grateful for that.

I learned a lot last year and it really did help me to become like stronger mentally and just know that it'll be okay.

Q. Will you do anything different this time around?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Yes. I had to tell myself to be stress-free. Even before preparation I feel like leading up to a season, off-season I always have that -- you know when you're studying for an exam coming up finals, midterms? I'm just the type of person to cram everything at the last minute.

I haven't done what this off-season. I have just been practicing consistently here and there, nothing too crazy. And then the last three weeks I just kind of like, Okay I got to be more focused here and just do the work, but not too much that I get burned out.

Q. Do you live here in Orlando?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Yes I just moved here from L.A.

Q. And do you practice at Isleworth?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Yes.

Q. Were you here that often?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I think I was here for three times before this week. It's good. The courses are similar because obviously it's the same owner, but I do think our greens at Isleworth have a lot more slope. It's a little easier to read putts here and to judge everything. The grass is amazing. The course is in great condition. I'm really happy for that. Yeah.

Q. I know you also work with Vision 54. How much has that helped you mentally prepare for a second rookie season, as we say? I know you seem a lot calmer and more confident in this Patty Tavatanakit than maybe we would've seen last year.

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I would say last year I was really strict on that. The off-course stuff kind of got in the way of me just really feeling like being deep in my shots and my game throughout the season.

But this year I took it lightly, you know, nothing too crazy again. Just keep like focusing on what I need to do, which is the positives of literally every single thing that happened this life, like little stuff, and apply it to the golf game.

It's been well, and having Grant there just making sure that I actually hit a good shot and stuff being so hard on myself really did help.

Q. I know the Jutanugarns have their smile before every shot. Do you have a thing that you have done to collect yourself when it's getting a little rough out there?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Yes. I just took a deep breath and just let it out. It might be loud when you're playing with me, but I just need to let it out. I feel like if I hold it in it'll be suffocating. I just need to let it out there.

Q. Do you do it before each shot?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Yes, each shot, each putt. When I feel my heart rate is rising I do that and really try to breathe.