BUICK LPGA SHANGHAI

October 12, 2023

Wichanee Meechai

Qizhong Garden Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Jan, currently in the clubhouse with the clubhouse lead. Overall your thoughts after this pretty impressive first round here in Shanghai.

WICHANEE MEECHAI: So I feel like home because I play here before. I play in CLPGA and I play on this course before. I haven't practice actually but it just feel like home. Feel like I'm get used to the vibe, something like that, yeah.

Q. You never played this event, but you've played this course before you say?

WICHANEE MEECHAI: Yeah, like they have the CLPGA like eight, ten years ago. I play here before. LET event. It was long time ago.

Q. What is it about returning to Shanghai that you like so much?

WICHANEE MEECHAI: I feel like Chinese now because I play on China Tour for three years and you have to speak Chinese and you have to get used to stuff, so it's like get used to stuff and feel like home.

Q. You had a pretty impressive day. Those two eagles on 17 and 18; what was working so well on those two holes?

WICHANEE MEECHAI: It was just a chip-in, not a far chip from the 17. I mean, makable eagle, but the 18 hole, it was crazy. It was like I hit my 8-iron and I miss it a little bit -- I mean, it will cover but I thin it a little bit.

So it just barely cover the bunker and then I was like, oh, it must be a good shot. A lot of people were like celebrate so I was like, okay, figure it out. It's hole-out. It's nice. It's just golf.

Q. How far was the hole-out, do you think?

WICHANEE MEECHAI: From the fairway it was 150 to the pin.

Q. To be able to continue that momentum, how much did that jump start your round?

WICHANEE MEECHAI: I just want to play good. I mean, to be honest, I'm so stressed the past few months to play on the LPGA Tour.

I'm just going to try my best and focus what I have to do. This week I used a local caddie and then I have to do the stat, so I think it's distract me a little bit from the course because I have to figure it out where I hit, how much, which club, and stuff like that.

So I think it helped me a lot with the stress thing not focus on the game.

Q. You said you didn't practice.

WICHANEE MEECHAI: Yep. Just I got here Tuesday afternoon and I feel so tired. From the hotel to here is like 30 minutes, so I decided to not playing anymore. I just have to hit it straight, and then just everything was just, you know, go on the way I think.

I think it's work.

Q. I have a personal question. You are just related to Ariya, or...

WICHANEE MEECHAI: No, no we're just friend. Just really good friends.

Q. You know, I watch many pictures where you are...

WICHANEE MEECHAI: Yeah, we just look similar probably because of the size. We're just best friend.

Q. Moving on into tomorrow, how will you take a round like this and continue to, quote, distract yourself?

WICHANEE MEECHAI: Just going to focus what I have to do and keep doing the stat thing, so probably it will help me to distract on the stress. I hope it will help me to play good, yeah.