U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 2, 2021

Suthavee Chanachai

Westchester Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Great round today.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Thank you.

Q. First USGA Championship and you go shoot 69.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yes, sir. I'm just trying my best to focus on every hole, just keep going.

Q. Did you have any expectations when you got here?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: No, not at all. That's not my goal. Goal it's basically focusing on the process basically. I don't want to put expectations out there. If I play good, I play good. If I play bad, I play bad. It's golf.

Q. Was there any part of the round where you kept it going, was there a long putt for birdie, anything memorable about your birdie putts?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: The birdie putts usually I would say like around 15 feet, maybe shorter than that, so I hit my --

Q. Nothing long?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: No. I had like -- usually I made birdie on par-5s, and then I had a couple good hit on par-3s, so it's not really long putt.

Q. Yeah. Yeah. Have you played much this summer in terms of competitive rounds other than the qualifier?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: No. Just I really play with the school, Mexico State, and after I graduate I just have to work, because once school done I don't have money to stay so --

Q. Right.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: -- I got to work.

Q. So where you working at?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: I work at New Mexico State Golf Course.

Q. Okay.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: So just work there like teaching the kids, something like that, and also practicing. So I been at the golf course for like --

Q. Yeah, so just in the shop?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, something like that.

Q. So in between the working you're able to work on your game?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah. I try my best to practice at least two hours a day. Something like that, yeah.

Q. Okay. Did you try it get into the Women's Amateur before?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: The thing is, I look at it but every time I look at it they always full or like we just past the registration day.

Q. So you've never really tried? This is the first time you've tried to qualify or...

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, first time and then probably going to be my last time because I'm going to play professional after this.

Q. So are you signed up for the LPGA Q-School?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yes, sir.

Q. In the desert?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yes, sir.

Q. So in like two weeks?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yes, sir, yeah. It's kind of like preparation for me this week, yeah.

Q. Obviously you go out and shoot a 69, so this type of talent, you never played in this environment before.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, I mean, I'm just happy to be able to roll some putts in and then I have my friend on my bag, too, so it's pretty fun today. That's all that mattered.

Q. Obviously that sets you up well tomorrow for match play. You can go out, won't be that stressful.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, well, tomorrow is going to be new day for me, so I'm not looking to make sure I score anything. Just try and do my best again.

Q. In school I saw you were WAC Player of the Year, what, twice?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yes, sir.

Q. And WAC Freshman of the Year once?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, WAC 2017 Freshman of the Year, along with Player of Year 2017 and '18.

Q. So how many tournaments did you win in college?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: I would say five, six.

Q. Did you win the WAC title?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yes, sir, on the first year.

Q. So '17?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Uh-huh.

Q. Okay.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, the first year.

Q. Have you ever been to the NCAAs?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: NCAA I only make it to regional. Yeah, like this past year. I was actually like the individual I was like the fifth for it so did not make it.

Q. So didn't make to Nationals?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Uh-huh. It's like a couple shots short.

Q. So you're here. This is almost like you're Nationals, right?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, for me, yeah.

Q. You graduated in May?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yes, sir.

Q. In hotel...

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Hotel, restaurant, tourism, management.

Q. You want to get into the food industry maybe?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah. Just two dream of me is like if I can play in the LPGA Tour or own my restaurant or food truck.

Q. Is all your family back in Thailand then?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Mom back in Thailand but my sister living in New Mexico.

Q. Is she going to school there?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, she graduated from New Mexico State. That's why I came to New Mexico.

Q. Oh, so she wen there.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Uh-huh.

Q. Did she play golf there?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, she play from 2007 to 2011. She's almost ten years older than me.

Q. Okay. What does she do now?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: She just work at the court.

Q. At the course?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Not the course, but like the --

Q. In the courtroom?

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah, the judgment, something like that.

Q. Okay. I got you.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Not too sure what she's doing.

Q. You got the golf bug in the family.

SUTHAVEE CHANACHAI: Yeah.