PORTLAND CLASSIC

September 3, 2023

Chanettee Wannasaen

Columbia Edgewater Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome our 2023 Portland Classic champion Chanettee Wannasaen. Congratulations, first of all. So excited for you. Just take us through what you're feeling in this moment right now. You're an LPGA Tour champion.

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: I'm feel really proud of myself because I really work hard for the trophy and it's very happen right now. I'm really glad for myself. I feel thank you to my team, to my manager, to my caddie, to all the fan, my family to cheering for me.

Q. Speaking of your caddie, I believe she was a professional golfer at one point, right?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah.

Q. What sort of advice did she give you today?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: She give me to relax, to calm down, because like we always talking about like not that on the course all the time. That make me to calm down.

Q. So you were talking not about golf, right?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah.

Q. Okay. Obviously really good day on the course. How do you do so well on this course? What did you like about this course that you just smashed the course record, as you know?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: I really like this course because I can made a lot of birdie and I think the course is really beautiful and it's amazing course. I really like it.

Because like long time I cannot made a lot of birdie, but this course I can do that. (Smiling.)

Q. Yeah. I want to speak about you keep bringing up how you missed a couple cuts in a row out here on tour. What were you feeling like coming into this event having missed a lot of cuts, as you said?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: I think I don't give up. Yeah, I don't give up. I always to work hard, to work hard for improve my short game, improve my mind, improve my play.

I do everything for get a trophy.

Q. And you did get a trophy. It's right here.

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah.

Q. Also wondering, last week you lost in a playoff on the Epson Tour, but you have a lot of great Epson Tour experience, right?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah.

Q. How has that experience helped you out here on the LPGA?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: I think the Epson is really help me a lot because I miss cut about nine events and that make me like lost my confident.

Yeah, but Epson, that can make me more confident.

Q. I also know that you won in Thailand on the Thai LPGA. How has that experience as a champion in Thailand helped you? What did that teach you?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Teach me for controlling my mind on the course for the last day, yeah.

Q. And speaking of Thailand, obviously so many Thai players out there supporting you. What was it like to see all of your friends from Thailand out there supporting you, cheering you on on the green?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: I'm really happy, because like all the Thai player always cheer for me. Yeah, when I lost my confident they always like talk about, okay, you can do it, Proud. You can.

Q. They helped you when you didn't have a lot of confidence?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah.

Q. Did you you have any nerves today?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yes.

Q. What were you feeling on the first tee today?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: I feel like I just want to win on this tournament, because I don't want to go back to Q-School again. (Laughter.)

Q. Last week you made it to a playoff on the Epson Tour.

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah.

Q. How did you use your good week last week this week on the LPGA? What did you take away from last week that you think helped you this week?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: I think I got more confident for the last week. That make me like -- that make me more confident to a tournament. I don't know. Sorry.

Q. Did you feel like you had good momentum --

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah.

Q. -- from last week?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah, really good momentum.

Q. How do you feel now knowing that you're secured status with your win?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Can I answer in Thai?

Q. Sure.

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: (Through translation) From the last week that I played it really gave me confidence, and so I just carried on and build that, you know, take that confidence and play with me this week.

I've been waiting for the win for so long. I know that I can do it, the result is not what I expected earlier in the year. I still want to build that up, and this week I have a lot of belief that I can do it. Even for missed shot or making mistake, I know that I can fight back and do better and basically just believe in myself a lot more.

Q. I want to ask if you were watching the leaderboard today? Did you know you were at the top most of the day?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Yeah, I know. I saw on the par-3, 14, No. 14. Yeah, I saw and I feel like, okay, I can do it. (Smiling.)

Q. And you did do it. Lots of birdies today also. What was your favorite birdie? Any that really stuck out with you?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Eagle. Eagle on par-5.

Q. Take us through it. Take us through the eagle.

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: Because I got eagle for the long putt, really long putt, and I think it's okay, it's not bad, but it's getting in the hole.

Oh, my God, finally I got an eagle this hole.

Q. Just my very last question here: Now that you have won, what are you most looking forward to next for the rest of the season?

CHANETTEE WANNASAEN: I hope I can get more improve my short game. I think my short game is -- it's not good but it's not bad. I want to improve my short game. I was really good, really good really good, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much.