HONDA LPGA THAILAND

March 8, 2022

Ariya Jutanugarn

Moriya Jutanugarn

Siam Country Club Pattaya, Old Course

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, hi, everyone, and welcome to the 2022 Honda LPGA Thailand 2022.

Happy to be here with Ariya Jutanugarn and Moriya Jutanugarn, the faces of this tournament. Welcome back to both of you.

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Thank you.

Q. To both of you, it's got to be good playing at home. May, as our defending champion, I'll start with you. It's got to always be a good feeling to play here at home, right? How are you feeling?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah, of course. Every time I come here I felt like bring back all the great memory I keep having on this course and on the LPGA in Thailand. Just feel great to be here, especially this year. It's going to have fan -- there's still limit, but going to have some fan this week. Yep.

Q. Mo, similar question. You have been playing here for so long, since you guys were so young. What does it mean to be able to come here and play at home, be close to your own bed, see people you know?

MORIYA JUTANUGARN: Of course first thing is we're always very exciting to come back and very happy. Like every time we come back it's just like you had such a good feeling, like good feedback from the fans, very nice golf course.

And you know of course like hang out in Pattaya is like really cool town. Also like got to see friends and family and people that you know they come and support you, which is like such a good memory.

And, you know, always had a good feeling after we leave here.

Q. We'll look back to last year and, May, when you won. You weren't in the last group. You had to wait out that storm to see what Atthaya would do, but you won and you became the first Thai winner of this event. How fulfilling and special was that feeling for you to win?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: You know, even before I won this tournament last year I'm always like told myself like the only tournament I really want to win and I haven't win yet is LPGA in Thailand.

You know, didn't want to say this to other people, but one of my biggest dream to win in my home country, and I done it last year and it's just feel great.

Especially even if not won last year I know either Patty or Atthaya going to win, so it couldn't be better than that.

Q. What was it like sitting there waiting out that storm knowing that Atthaya had an eagle to win or birdie to tie? How stressful was that?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I will say I have a lot feeling, you know, stress excited, nervous, and another good feeling is all the Thai players in the lead. So it just kind of everything happen at the same time.

And also I been waiting for Atthaya or Patty to finish and I don't know how it's going to be, so that moment, that feeling is kind of pretty awkward for me.

Of course I'm rooting for them and also want myself to win, so it's kind of like so many thing happen. Such a great memory.

It's amazing memory for me because I be able to win in my hometown.

Q. Mo, for you, what was it like sitting there watching this all unfold, and to then to be there hopefully trying to help keep her calm during the hour break?

MORIYA JUTANUGARN: I don't even know if I help. I don't think I'm very helping, but anyway, it just like you know when you are rooting for someone really like support them and cheer for them, it's just like you always feel what they feel. Also I feel nervous and exciting as well.

I mean, it's such a good memory for us and for our family.

Q. And then you teamed up later in the year to win the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. How well do you two know each other's games? Can you think what each other is thinking or how does that work?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I felt like she always know what I'm thinking, like all the time. She know like if I make this decision I'm going to make a mistake, and she know that, too.

It's so much fun to be able to play team with your sister, and because we practice together all the time we play tournament together almost like every tournament, so to play with her and have her as a partner just feel so great and so easy for me, because I feel like I'm not worry about her when I miss the shot. I know she going to understand me.

So it's just so much fun.

Q. What about you, Mo? What's it like playing with sister here?

MORIYA JUTANUGARN: For me, the team event, first thing you got to know your partner very well and you have to learn them. In the same time, it's just like we pretty lucky because we don't have to do that.

Also for us like between us, we really trust each other, and I think that's all you can ask about for the team event.

And, I mean, it's come out good, and, you know, like we try to help each other and support each other.

So, yeah.

Q. You two have been the faces of Thai golf for so long. You qualified for this event, what, when you were 11, and you've been playing is just as long. Now you had Atthaya, in the Top 5 last week. You have Patty, Jan, so many great names coming up. What do you two feel is the strength of Thai golf right now?

MORIYA JUTANUGARN: Well, for me, I mean, first thing is like I'm very happy that I can see all the new generation, a lot of Thai girls on tour right now, and make, you know, like make this tour more stronger and stronger.

Also like, you know, I feel like we going up, and like even my time like my first year on tour is only like maybe a few of us on tour, and like now it feels like everywhere you walk, you know, like on the golf course you probably with speak Thai with someone, which is such a good feeling.

Q. What about you? Does that make you feel more comfortable, May?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I want say of course, you know, because more Thai players on tour. But to me, I feel like they inspire me in so many ways, the way they work so hard, determination, and really in contention.

I feel like they going to inspire lots of young kids in Thailand, so that's a good thing.

Q. Mo, how is the state of your game as you come here this week? How are you feeling?

MORIYA JUTANUGARN: Well, feeling good. I mean, of course always feel good coming back here, and also like always something to work on in the game. I think everyone is going to do the same thing.

But just more like this week is more like I just want to enjoy and have fun this week, yeah.

Q. Same question for you, May. With your face up smiling on the billboards all around, you feel any pressure this week or are you just here to have fun?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I felt like I'm more excited like what going to happen this week, not only for me, but for all the Thai players this week.

And not really feel pressure because I know everybody just want to support me. I know how I'm doing right now. I just have to keep working on the same stuff and wish and hope it's going to get better like soon.

Q. Will your mom and family be able to come out and watch this week?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah, my mom going to be here all week, and my friends coming, yep.

Q. A change from last year, right, being able to have people out. A whole lot nicer I would think being able to get out at home again. What have you been doing? I know you've only been here a day or two since Singapore, but what do you hope to do this week?

ARIYA JUTANUGARN: You know, we have a plan. We're going to go out and have like good dinner, good meal for every day, so that's the plan for the week.

THE MODERATOR: I guess I'll wrap up the English portion and turn it over to the team to do some stuff in Thai.