DOW CHAMPIONSHIP

June 26, 2024

Ruoning Yin

Atthaya Thitikul

Midland Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're here in the media center at the Dow Championship, joined about Ronni Yin and Atthaya Thitikul. Talk about what you're excited for this week.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: We're pretty excited to play here in majors. Not on this course, but I think it's going to be fun out there for her?

THE MODERATOR: Ronni?

RUONING YIN: Just super excited to play with Jeeno. I'm looking forward to this for a long time. I told her, don't forget I'm your partner for Dow. Here we are, it's going to be a fun week.

Q. How long have you guys been talking about partnering for this event? You remember the conversation and deciding?

RUONING YIN: Do you remember?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: I do. I think it's been a while. Like the Callaway shooting, I guess. At the Callaway shooting I ask her, because I have to play this year. I have to play, because this schedule was so good. Also, I haven't played before.

So I just asked her that, like do you have partner for Dow? Are you going to play like Dow? She said like maybe.

So I was just like, oh, then partner with me then. She doesn't have any option. I'm just forcing her to play with me.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, she begged me to play with her. I'm just kidding.

Yeah, I think that was last year in November, just right before Pelican.

Q. What is your team name and walk-up song, and why did you choose both of those things?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: It's a good story actually.

RUONING YIN: Our team name is Jeen and Ronnic. Walk-up song, Jeeno picked it.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: No, actually, it's Lose Yourself.

RUONING YIN: Lose Yourself by Eminem.

Q. Why did you pick it?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: I picked it because I told her Lose Yourself, and she said like that's her favorite song. So I was just like, okay, we go with it then. It's kind of related to golf.

RUONING YIN: Related to life, related to golf.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: It is, but the team name it's a good story of it.

Q. What's the story?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: It came from gin and tonic, but we changed like Jeen and Ronnic because our coach, our manager -- I mean, our team love drinking alcohol (laughter).

RUONING YIN: Yeah, there's a lot of drinking.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Like every day.

RUONING YIN: I'm not sure if we are good to say this in the interview, but they just love drinking. Every time they get together, they drink.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Just ignore it, the story, but it's just a fun story (laughter).

Q. Talk a little bit about the golf this week. What's your strategy? Have you guys talked about the strategy with it being foursomes and four-ball format?

RUONING YIN: Not yet.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Not much.

RUONING YIN: I mean, we'll just go and play. Get on the green, make the putt. That's our plan.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: My plan is just hit whatever, and then she's scrambling. (Laughter).

Q. Put all the pressure on.

RUONING YIN: No, I trust Jeeno. We're both pretty good at ball striking, so we're pretty good at -- I think she's No. 1 ranking for green --

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Actually, after last week, not anymore (laughter).

RUONING YIN: It's okay. We've got it.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Not anymore, but used to be. No, the course is in good shape. It's a lot easier than last week, the major week. So I think just be aggressive should our plan, and then whenever the chance come, we just try to make it.

Q. What have you noticed most about the community and the course since being here? Especially, Jeeno, since this is your first time playing?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: The (indiscernible) is so good since I've been here, and then the hospitality they have for us is just amazing. It's not like the kind of serious tournaments because we play as a team, they do all the cheering for us out loud.

I think it should be a really, really fun tournament where we're going to play with a lot of fans cheering for the team, hopefully us. Hopefully cheering for us. Yeah, it's just good to be here for the first time.

Q. Since ya'll said that you all made the decision to play together at The ANNIKA at Pelican in November, when you're on the road, when you're at practice rounds, has this tournament been in the back of the mind a little bit? Have you talked about it or strategized a little bit with foursome and alternate shot as you're preparing for another event, but preparing for this one too?

RUONING YIN: I think last year CME was first time we played together in the tournament.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: You said it's not the first time.

RUONING YIN: The first time you remember. We play before like a long, long time ago, but she doesn't remember.

Then after the round she texted me and said, it's a good practice round for Dow next year. We've been thinking about this a little bit, and then I just keep telling her this week the gym is the best gym on the road.

Yeah, we're pretty excited about this week.

Q. One last question kind of not related to this week. Announced yesterday about the Olympics. You're both headed to Paris; separate teams, of course. But just talk about how excited you both are to go and also be able to be there with each other too. You'll likely see each other and everything like that.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: I think it's our debut for the Olympics. It's always an honor to representing our country on the biggest stage of like not just golf, but the worldwide sports.

I think no words can describe how the feeling is just -- going to play with the teammates and also wearing our country flag on our shirt. It should be a really like big stage and then also the feeling-wise.

Also excited to be in Paris as well. A lot of things to do. Should be a fun week.

RUONING YIN: Same. We're kind of like the same age, and we team up, and we can go to Paris together. It's a lot of fun for us. Obviously the Olympics is a big stage for us. It's the first time being an Olympian, so we're excited.

Q. Is there anything in particular you're looking forward to about the Olympics? A lot of people talk about seeing the other athletes in the Village or anything like that. Anyone you're hoping to see or an event maybe you're hoping to see while you're there?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: I know Ronni is going to go watch Steph Curry play for sure.

RUONING YIN: She knows it.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: For sure.

RUONING YIN: If I'm able to watch Stefan play, that will be the ideal. But I heard the Village is pretty far from the course. I'm not sure what we're going to do. I mean, my team, what we're going to do.

I definitely want to go to the Village, get some souvenirs and meet some great athletes. That would be cool.