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LPGA CORNING CLASSIC

May 27, 2006

Virada Nirapathpongporn

CORNING, NEW YORK

PAM WARNER: Virada, thanks for coming in and joining us. You are three shots off the leader right now. Just talk about your day.

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: I putted out on 18, went to 10, and I was like exhausted. My sweat, I don't think I sweated all day until 10. It was a more difficult round than the last two, but that's okay, nerves.

So I wasn't real comfortable out there on the front nine. I just told myself, it's okay, you're only human, and you have to work through it. It's part of being there. I kept plugging along. This is me totally. I never give up. It might not look pretty, but I'm always going to be there.

And the back nine, I finally got the rhythm and making good shots, good putts.

PAM WARNER: What are your feelings going into tomorrow? What do you think you have to do to catch up with Jeong Jang?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Well, I felt like I got everything out of the way. I know I can play this golf course. The first two days proved to me that I can. The first day wasn't a fluke. The second day I topped it with a 67, too. So I can play this golf course very well. And today, the nerves, I'm glad I got to do this today, not tomorrow. So hopefully tomorrow I just continue on the back nine pace that I was having and just continue on.

PAM WARNER: Can we go over your scorecard?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Yes.

PAM WARNER: The bogey on 1.

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: I was kind of nervous. Pretty good drive out there. Actually, didn't get up and down. That was the only problem. Okay second shot, just didn't get it up and down.

PAM WARNER: What was the club?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Driver, then 7 wood, and then chipped to about 10 feet and didn't really execute the putt very well. Then my caddie said, "Okay, now you can breathe." (Laughter).

PAM WARNER: You had the birdie on 2?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Yes. Driver, 7 wood again, good 7 wood but it rolled off to the right. Got it up and down.

PAM WARNER: How long was your putt?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: I chipped it just this far and tapped it in.

PAM WARNER: Bogey on 7?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Bogey on 7, not really a good execution on the tee shot, same with the chip shot, and same with the third shot. That's when I just had to I thought, hit the putt, hit the chip, hit everything you've got.

PAM WARNER: Chip to how far?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Probably 10 feet below the hole. That's when I got mad. That was a simple chip and I know my short game is really good. No good reason why I would chip it short like that.

PAM WARNER: And you missed that putt?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Yes.

PAM WARNER: Then the birdie on 11?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Birdie on 11, yes, was really good. Like I said, starting 9, I started to feel more balanced. I actually hit a good shot into 10, good feelings started there.

11, I just hit a really nice 6 iron up there to about six feet, pin high, left of the hole and made the putt. I think that kind of gave me the, all right, it's go time.

PAM WARNER: Then the birdie on 17.

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Birdie on 17, 100 yards, I aimed dead at the pin. So 5 feet below the hole and made that putt.

PAM WARNER: What did you hit to the green with?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: Pitching wedge.

Q. When was the last round you played when nerves affected you to the extent they affected you today?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: I'm always nervous. I played with Brandie Burton at Kingsmill and I wasn't in the lead or anything but I was nervous. But I was doing well, so I got a little nervous.

To answer your question, let's see, what was last week? Sybase.

Q. You seem so confident and collected in here, it's hard to imagine.

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: There are a lot of things that you might be surprised to hear me say.

Q. Are you a little more comfortable that you're not right at the top of the leaderboard? I imagine you would rather be a little closer, but how tough will it be going into tomorrow and being a few shots back and not being the one everybody is shooting for?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: I always try to take the positive of everything. And being three shots back, I like to say in this room, I say, okay, good, it takes the pressure off. But I don't want to talk myself into that train of thought. I always want to go into the tournament leading. You never want to be behind.

Eventually, one day what I mean is, I would never want to put myself behind. Now that I'm behind, I've got to take it.

Q. Is it hard to get used to the growing galleries that are following you and watching you play? Does that add pressure?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: It's a learning process, another learning process. But I've had galleries before. U.S. Amateur was a lot of people. To play golf on the LPGA and at the top, with the best in the world, we're going to have this kind of crowd. If I want to be in the leader group, if I want to win golf tournaments, I better get used to the crowds.

Q. Do you have any nicknames?

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: I do. My nickname is Oui. Here you guys think it's a unique French word, yes, oui. But it's really just a Thai nickname that my brother gave to me. First names are too formal for Thai people.

Q. You mentioned yesterday that you were going to talk to your Duke coach.

VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN: I didn't call because I knew he was too busy. He and I are close enough he knows I was thinking about him, and he'll expect to hear from me in a day or two. He and I, we don't really talk during tournaments. He knows I'm in my own bubble, so he won't bother, but we'll be in touch.

PAM WARNER: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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