DOW CHAMPIONSHIP

June 30, 2024

Atthaya Thitikul

Ruoning Yin

Midland Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the media center at the Dow Championship. I'm joined here by the 2024 champions, Ruoning Yin and Atthaya Thitikul. Just talk a little bit about the emotions of today and what was going through both your minds as you headed down the stretch especially.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, actually the emotional was not that bad. We pretty in a good mood. Like I have mentioned earlier, the final round is four-ball, so I think if we can make as many birdies as we want, that's all we need to do for the final round.

I knew that everyone is going to go for the low score for the four-balls.

RUONING YIN: I mean, we were in a good mood for a week. We were both having fun for the whole week.

Yesterday after the round, we're doing the treatment together, and then we were like, how can we shooting low score with foursome, and when we play four-ball in the second round, we were like 4-under. We can't do that tomorrow. Jeeno said, let's have a bet tomorrow, and whoever makes the most birdies is going to buy dinner.

Then come to the last hole, I was 1-up. I was so excited for buying dinner --

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: You don't want me to make it?

RUONING YIN: No, make it is good, but I want to buy you dinner.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: She doesn't want me to make it then.

RUONING YIN: Split. We split.

Q. We saw you in the beginning before this tournament having a great time up here, throughout the week talking to you both. You seem like you get along really well and the bander has been amazing. Talk about how awesome it's been to partner together this week.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, definitely I know that it's going to be a good week. Like I said, I couldn't ask for a better partner. Like I mentioned earlier.

I knew that when it's like a partner, you need to make sure that your partner is the one who really be your best friend out there. You just be comfortable to hit the ball.

I think she's just -- like what I wanted to be because she's there and she's like my best friend out there, and I'm just really comfortable to hit the shot. Even if I hit it bad and she has to scramble, I just really want to really comfortable to hit it because of her.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, I mean, we're always teasing each other, Jeeno always says, I'm not worried at all if I hit a bad shot because I know you can scramble. We did a pretty good job.

Having her by my side and win the tournament, nothing can feel better than that.

Q. What was going through both your minds on 18, Jeeno, as you had that last putt for birdie? What was your thought process?

RUONING YIN: I'll go first. Jeeno hit first, and I hit second. Honestly, that was a really, really bad shot.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: You hit it good.

RUONING YIN: Anyway, bad caddie.

But I know she hit it close, and it's like 15 feet. Honestly, I really believe in her. I know she's going to make it.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Then you don't want me to make it because I have to buy anyway.

RUONING YIN: That's not true. I want you to make it.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: For me, 18, I don't think it's that much different than other holes, to be honest, but what's different is I just want to make a birdie. I knew that I have her, but if I can make a birdie, she can hit it just freely and it's just comfortable to hit a shot.

I think I hit it pretty quick without -- the routine was so quick. There's nothing really slow in my routine because I talked with my caddies, know the numbers, what I have to hit. The wind is breezing a little bit. It just helped me hit it a really good distance.

Then also the putt, I mean, I knew that I had to make it to have a chance to win the tournament, so the last -- I don't like left to right, but it's just a tad bit left to right. I'll take it. It's in the hole. Yeah, that's all I can do out there.

Then I think I give it 100 percent on every shot I play.

Q. You obviously have been having a lot of fun. You talked about how you've been in a good mood all week. How do you think this week and this victory will help you going forward for the rest of the season with still a lot of really big tournaments left this summer?

RUONING YIN: I mean, this is Jeeno's fifth week in a row. I know she's tired. I just tried to make her do less work and have a W as her last week. It's pretty good.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Of course.

RUONING YIN: I mean, I learned a lot from her from this week. I know my game is getting better. It's getting there. I'm excited for the rest of the season.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, my fifth week, as she said. I know I'm tired.

The good thing is I have her.

I think we both boost a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. I know we still have two majors left, and also we both have Olympics left, too. We had a really good week out here, ball-striking, but nothing can be expected for golf. It's just week by week. What we can do is try the best out there and just keep the momentum going is the more that we can do. Just hit the ball and then having fun as we have it here.

Q. Five weeks in a row is pretty incredible given the pain you felt that caused you to miss so much golf. Are you pain-free now, Jeeno? And Ronni, how are you doing with your wrist?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, pain-free now, no pain with my left thumb. The reason that I played five weeks in a row, I just want to get back to, like, feeling competition feelings, the imaginations. It's been a long time that I missed like three months that I don't touch any clubs, not hitting balls at all. I just want to stick back to how can I see the ball, how the ball is going to react over my shots.

I had a really good five conservative weeks.

RUONING YIN: I'm feeling good. I mean, with a win, honestly, I couldn't really feel my hands right now because I'm probably too excited.

I'm definitely going to take some break after this week because I still play with the pain. I think if I have a break, it's good for me, good for my body.

Q. Will you play Evian?

RUONING YIN: No.

Q. Where will we see you next?

RUONING YIN: My next tournament will be Olympics. We'll see you in Paris.

Q. To give a little bit more context on the wrist, is there a percentage you could put from 0 to 100 about how healthy it feels right now?

RUONING YIN: Honestly, I would say 60 percent. I mean, I can play, but the difference just play with the pain or play without the pain. I really, really, really wanted to play Evian, but for my body, I think it's a good decision that I have a break. Like give it a little bit of time to heal and prepare for the Olympics.

Q. Jeeno, this is your debut in the event. Had you ever played in a tournament with foursomes and four-ball format before this week?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, but it's been a while. I think the last time that I played foursomes is maybe youth Olympics. I forgot which year, but it's in Argentina.

We also won the gold medal. Like I said, I know that the foursomes is going to be a big problem with the partner team, so I just tried to find the right person, the right partner that I want to play foursomes with, so it turned out to be Ronni.

RUONING YIN: Good choice.

Q. You had mentioned last year how hard it is to win out here. Had it been pressing for you over the last season that you had not won an event since 2022?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: It feels -- yeah. To describe winning out here on the LPGA is not that easy at all, to be honest. There's so many talented players out here. What you can control is just yourself, not others.

Week in, week out, I'm trying to do my best out there, even winning or not. I think my mind has kind of changed a little bit after last year that I knew that last year I really put pressure on myself that I want to win again on Tour, but now it's just like really -- still want to win, but it's less than last year because what I focus is I try to improve myself every day and just trying to be Jeeno out there, like 100 percent Jeeno out there.

If we want to know my personality out there, that's all I need to know.

Q. I know players often talk about how lonely the Tour can be; how important is this friendship for you two? I don't know how long you've been friend-friends, but it looks like you get along really well. What does that mean to have a close friend out there who knows what you're going through?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: I think you know better this one.

RUONING YIN: I mean, friend-friend, I would say the last year, November, because we were having Callaway shooting together. That was the first time we go out for dinner and we chat a lot is last year November.

I think, like you said, playing on Tour is very lonely, and I'm lucky to have my parents with me, but Jeeno also has a manager, caddie travel with her, but it's kind of different. As a friend, I want to just let her know I'm by her side, and whenever you need me, just call me.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Crying.

RUONING YIN: Pick up the phone.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, that's all.

Q. Can you just talk about how you came up with your team name, and how did you like it, and do you think you'll keep it if you team up here next year again?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: I think the team name, I should give credit to Ronni's coach.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, my coach came up with that name, because my coach and Jeeno's coach, they love gin and tonic.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: They don't just love gin and tonic, but they love alcohol. Anything that's alcohol, they go along with it.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, actually my coach was a little drunk, and he came up with that name, and said, hey, how about Gin and Ronic.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: That was a creative name.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, but we're still kind of think about that for a little bit because it's from alcohol. We're not sure if it's good as a team name.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: No, that's athletes, but we're not drinking alcohol --

RUONING YIN: We don't drink.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Just our coach and manager is enough.

RUONING YIN: My coach was actually texting me going, you and Jeeno need some gin and tonic after the W.

Well, I'm happy to keep that name for next year.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, definitely yes.

Q. How do you like the atmosphere of this tournament and the community?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: My debut here this year, I mean, I love it. Nothing can offer more vibes, crowd and fans. Also, like I said, I think it's pretty -- I felt like this week goes by so fast, to be honest. When you think the time feels so fast, it means you have a really good time and then you're happy.

I think I'll be here for sure definitely next year.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, I mean, this is my third year, and I just felt like the crowd, it's getting bigger and bigger, and the volunteers, every day I walk into the clubhouse, they would just say, welcome back. It just feels like home, like I said earlier.

Having my best friend out here, it's just a great week.

I literally just said to my mom yesterday, I said, I felt like this week is the fastest week I've ever experienced because you just -- time flies when you're --

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: When you're happy.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, when you're having fun, when you're around good people. Yeah, it's a good week.

Q. Some of the elements of this tournament was, of course, diversity and inclusion. The fact that you both are representing Asian countries, what does it mean that you came out with the win?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, of course. I do believe in Asian, to be honest. We're just separate -- not separate, the country, but I do believe in Asian people that we can do all the things. I don't think we have anything to prove because I know that we are pretty strong.

RUONING YIN: Agreed.

Q. Jeeno, as soon as you hit that putt, was there a moment when you knew that it was good, and what was your trajectory on that last putt on 18?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: I knew that it was good when I putted it, but I'm not too sure of the line. I can't tell anything. I'm putting good, but I'm not too sure of the line.

For example, if you have like maybe just a hole, a pitch mark, and then it kicks out. It's golf. So I just knew -- I was just like, wow, it's in.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, after I putt, I go check the line. I know she doesn't like left to right, but once I saw the line, I was like, hmm, she got this. I just know.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Feelings.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, feelings.

Q. Do you guys have any plans to celebrate the victory tonight?

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Ronni have it.

RUONING YIN: What do you mean? Yeah, we have it. My mom already back home to cooking for us, and then we're going to hang out at my place tonight.

I'm not sure about --

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Gin and tonic, my manager is definitely going to have it. My caddie, too. Ronni's caddie left.

RUONING YIN: Yeah, Dave already left. I can drink for him. We're both legal. I'll have one sip.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL: Yeah, we're legal now. So maybe.

Q. You all didn't know right away once you made that putt that you won. Talk about what you were feeling while you were waiting for confirmation that you won and watching Ally and Jen wrap up on the last hole there? ^ Check?

RUONING YIN: I mean, you never know what's going to happen until it's finished. We kind of -- like I kind of know Jeeno needs to make that putt to at least give us a chance to at least have a playoff. That's the worst case. Ally and Jennifer still have one hole to play, and make a birdie on that hole, it's makeable. So you never know what's going to happen. So we just wait there.