MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP

October 23, 2024

Jasmine Suwannapura

Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, hello everyone, welcome to the media center at the Maybank Championship. I'm joined in the media center with Jasmine Suwannapura. Jasmine, you played very well last year and are a 2024 winner on the LPGA Tour.

First of all, start things off. Welcome back to the Maybank Championship. Like I said, you played well here last year. What do you remember most playing here last year and the emotions that came down the stretch?

JASMINE SUWANNAPURA: Well, first of all, I'm very grateful to come back here playing here at Maybank Championship it's great to be back here. I got a lot of good vibe. I got a new fan base in Malaysia. You know, there is a lot of people take videos of me and all the putts and all the shots from last year and I make a lot of good memories out there.

Q. And what do you remember most from the course specifically? Is there something about KLGCC that suited your game very well?

JASMINE SUWANNAPURA: I feel like starting -- I feel like my game starting to get better by the end of the year somehow.

By the end of the year last year I feel like I attack the pin more and that's what I did. You know, makes a lot of putts and, I mean, the whole game just getting better and it's just more fun to go for the pin.

You know, it's more fun to make the putts. I really enjoyed out there last year for sure.

Q. And is that something that you think motivates you? You won a couple events ago at the Walmart Northwest Arkansas Championship. We're getting near the end of the season here. Is that something you see the light at the end of the tunnel and you push a little harder?

JASMINE SUWANNAPURA: Yeah, I just feel like it's getting brighter and brighter. The last two weeks in Asia I hit it really well but I just couldn't make any putts.

So the fact that I know that I can do it, but the matter just making the putts out here. And I came here and look at the good condition this week, and I feel like the greens roll nice and fast. Just had goosebump that it's going to be fun.

Q. How would you describe this year from your perspective, the 2024 season you've had?

JASMINE SUWANNAPURA: Tough. (Smiling.) I would say it's tough. There has been a little bit of equipment change this year. Like I change most of my stuff to Titleist and I got a lot of good feedback, but it's just a matter of time to get used to it and learning which club is good or not good.

You know, it's just trying different equipment, and it cause me to miss a cut by one here and there. When you miss a cut by, I don't know, four weeks in a row and start to scratch your head, well, what I did wrong, right?

And then learning the hard way and came back to what I used to play with, and then the result is getting back in a good way. From there on, there is more consistently play well and more confidence in golf and here we are. (Smiling.)

Q. Clearly worked out well.

JASMINE SUWANNAPURA: Yes.

Q. What is it like to come back to a place with such great vibes as well? The picture behind you, there are so many fans there. Maybank puts a lot into this event. What is that like as a player?

JASMINE SUWANNAPURA: As a player, I mean, I get to see Maybank on 18 green there, and all I said was just thank you for having us back here. I had more chance and another chance to play this tournament and this golf course, you know, get to see my fans here again.

You know, a good golf course that I like and have fun to playing with. And, you know, get to be around the town, see Twin Towers or get to have good food out here.

So it's been a good week for me for sure.

Q. I would ask since you know Malaysia, Thailand are pretty close, how do you feel probably there is going to be like a Thai crowd here? And also if you have maybe any close friends or relatives from Thailand, how does that extra support probably motivate you this week?

JASMINE SUWANNAPURA: I definitely have my Malaysian friends coming. You know, (indiscernible) is playing on the LET and she's coming tomorrow. She's come by and see me and we're going to catch up.

As far as the Thai fan, I'm not so sure how many out there, but I did see some last year. I do have more Malaysian fans now, is it's good.

Q. Just a quick question. Over the last few years we've seen more and more young Thai players coming to play on the LPGA. How does that make you feel to have more of your fellow countrywomen on Tour? What do you think makes these young Thai golfers so competitive and special now?

JASMINE SUWANNAPURA: Definitely feel great to see a lot of Thai player on the tour and also have successful career out here.

I think Thai people have very impressive because they start golf so young. Like we have so many junior golf tournament in Thailand, like we talking almost every week that you can pick up.

So it's very competitive sport in Thailand. So I think when you start young you learn faster and you adapt faster and you'll see more young player from Thailand up here.