HONDA LPGA THAILAND

May 6, 2021

Patty Tavatanakit

Siam Country Club Pattaya, Old Course

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Patty, a sensational first day here in Thailand. There certainly is no pressure I feel like on your shoulders at this moment.

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I mean...

Q. It feels as if...

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I do want to play well, but I just feel like I handle everything pretty good. You know, just stick to now game plan and stick to my process. I did really well today.

Q. You did. I mean, you started off and ended the day with nine birdies. Just take me through what was feeling so comfortable out there.

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I hit it good and I left myself in really good position just on the green. I feel like made some mistakes here and there, but I was able to recover and just walk out of the hole with a lot of pars when it wasn't birdie.

So it was nice.

Q. One of your first birdies was the birdie putt from off the green. Do you think that's when it started to kick in for you where you started to feel some momentum?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Yeah, definitely. I feel like that putt went in and I just feel the speed and the read for the whole day pretty good. I feel like it matches up pretty well.

So wasn't expecting that at all because I feel like I didn't really get like a solid putting practice because the greens here are so slopey. If anything, I feel like I judged everything really well and I'm pleased with my round today.

Q. What was it preparing for this course and then going out there today with maybe completely different conditions maybe than to be expected?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Yeah, it was soft. During the practice round as well was a little bit of an adjustment. I hit a couple over and I hit a couple short, but I just feel like as it warms up and the greens are gettable, if anything, I try to land it past the hole and spin it back instead of landing it five, six short and having it run in.

So it's totally different. It's a different game. I just feel like I handle everything and get adjusted and used to it pretty well.

Q. That birdie on 18 means potentially tomorrow a Thai final grouping on this day. Take me through that birdie on 18.

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: You know, just like any par-5s I played today, just a nice 4-iron to the green and it landed further than what I expected. I kind of wanted to land it just on the green, but it was flying further because it just gets a little bit warmer.

But that chip right there was a little scary. Not going to lie. It was downhill. But I played it pretty good. I just tried to spin it a little bit and it got really close to the hole.

Q. Your driving distance is an advantage of your game. When the course is playing so soft and so much longer for a lot more players, do you think that distance really comes in full swing?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Oh, definitely. I feel like I had a lot of short irons in compared to other people. Like I spin it back to the hole instead of like having to land it by short.

And I just feel like the whole game itself, being long, just gives my a little bit of advantage. But I still had to execute and play well.

Q. You were talking about adding your distance there. You added 16 yards from last season to this season. Was that an intentional decision to focus on adding distance over the last off-season?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: A little bit here and there. I just feel like my swing wasn't that efficient last year, plus I didn't take care of my body well.

But off-season I feel like I prepped my body pretty well for the whole year, the season. I learned how to manage the physical side of it better each week. I have my warmups before I play and stuff.

But it's mainly my swing is a little different, and I mean Grant Wade has been a huge part of that, just making me goat to a point where I'm swinging it efficiently. I mean, it's kind of been effortless swing, but it still goes pretty far.

Q. How are you taking care of your body this year versus last year?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: You know, last year I feel like I struggled off the course and I didn't really care as much. But if anything, I take it each week and I just do my warmup every single round. I wake up three hours before my tee time no matter how early it is. So if I'm playing at 7:00 I get up at 4:30.

And just to be fully awake on the first tee, I feel like that really important to get my body good so mentally I can be prepared for each day.

Q. You mentioned on the telecast that you weren't feeling well today. What felt off?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I don't know, I just feel kind of slow and I feel like I was warming up in the rain and I was getting a little anxious. I wasn't feeling the best with my swing. I feel like I'm still having little thoughts here and there.

I let that go and just swing it as freely as I can.

Q. And when you became the top Thai player in the world you passed the Jutanugarns, who have been stalwarts in Thailand in golf. What did it mean to you to pass them?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: I mean, it just -- I mean, already means so much stepping out to be one of the top players on tour. It's always been my dream to just be in the mix of really good players.

I just feel like I don't want to compare myself to anyone or anything. I just want to stick to my own goals and don't really care who's ahead of me or I'm behind anyone. I just feel like if I stick to my game I'll eventually achieve all my goals that I have set.

Q. What goals do you have set?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: You know, like to be world No. 1, but I know that will take a lot and it's not going to come easy. It's going to take time.

But if anything, I just want to play good; hopefully win a couple more this year. My goals kind of shift depending on where I am in life and where I am in just golf game-wise.

Q. Do you have a special passion for this type of tournament because of what it represents to Thailand?

PATTY TAVATANAKIT: Yeah, it means just be a little bit more motivated to play well and just to be patient out here, because I feel like I know what it takes to play good. Just to be patient and stick to my game plan, my routine.

If anything, I'm just really glad to be back home and eat Thai food every single day.