MIZUHO AMERICAS OPEN

May 10, 2026

Jeeno Thitikul

Mountain Ridge Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Very pleased to be joined by repeat winner of the Mizuho Americas Open, Jeeno Thitikul. Jeeno, just take us through the end of the round here. Knowing Ronni kind of started to catch you towards the back half, what was the mindset as you made the turn and were wrapping up?

JEENO THITIKUL: Honestly, I didn't know any, you know -- I didn't see the leaderboard at all and I didn't know the situations at all. I think I might know on like 12 or something, but accidentally, you know, because the hole is really close to each other, right?

And then, yeah, I knew she had a really good run on catching the leader, and then I think it's just a normal day that definitely you're the leader and then definitely the players will need to catch up, and then they will have a really good run for Sunday to be able to win the tournaments anyway.

But I just really stay on -- in my bubble. I just really focus on my tempo, what I can control, and then it's turn out to be good.

Q. Sealed the win with a pretty sweet birdie on No. 18. What were you looking at there? I know it was kind of zooming to the hole and fell right in. What was the thought process on that putt?

JEENO THITIKUL: It was too aggressive. (Laughter.) I thought it was so hard, but it just -- luckily the lie was good and that's why it went in. If not, I might have like a traditional Mountain Ridge downhill putt again.

Q. Congratulations. Can you talk about -- the greens were very difficult all week. Can you just talk about how you were able to master them here at the end?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I mean, the green here, I was on, you know, the green on the practice round and I was like -- like on especially No. 9, is there any going to be possible pin around this green?

I mean, like every pin that my caddie put the hole, like the plastic hole on, it's like it's unplayable. It's all unplayable from every line, every, you know, misses from the green.

And then I think it just maybe one -- like the first tournament ever that I saw the pin nearby each other for every day. Like on No. 9 we had the same exactly pin, just maybe a yard left or a yard right.

That's why you can prove it's tough green. You can't miss it long side of the hole at all because like it's going to go down. Maybe even pin high is really breaking side putt.

Q. Just can you talk about your caddie this week, just the job that they did.

JEENO THITIKUL: My caddie, I mean, sometime we get tired of each other. I really get. Maybe he get tired of me too.

I mean, you know what? The funniest thing, after I miss cut in Chevron and then we go had like a dinner, then he just like, you have to play with me on the week off before going to Mizuho, because every time that you play with me you hit it good. Like you had a good run on like after the week off.

So I actually play with him like two round last week and then maybe it's -- he just said, I'm a lucky sign of you. He always said that. Like everyone really want to play a round of golf with me in Thailand, but I want to play with him. He just act like, you know, Jeeno want to play with me. Only one person that Jeeno really want to play with.

But, I mean, he's good. I just really appreciate all the things that he done to me. It's almost like a ten years and it was even before I was turn pro.

Q. Congratulations. So you win this week; Nelly wins the previous two weeks. You're one and two in the world rankings. What's your thoughts or opinions on being the next -- potentially the next great LPGA rivalry as you two kind of duel it out for the top spot in the world?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I mean, being a professional golfer wasn't that easy at all. I would say you have to figure it out things every week, figure it out your feeling of your swing. And then at the same time you expect the result to be good at every point that you do and each week.

And then I think for me, world ranking or top players doesn't really define what I'm doing. I think I'm just trying to just do my best out there, trying to be consistency as I can, because I know it's going to be a really tough competition in and out every week, on and off every week, and different courses.

And then what I have done and then what the Tour have done so far, just really incredible job, you know. Been competing maybe full field just like 100 people at the same time in one tournament, I don't know, and you want to be a winner and then you just want to be on top.

Just one thing that you can only do is just focus on yourself and keep getting better and better.

Q. Jeeno, what did you see from Aphrodite, playing in her group today?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, she played so good. I mean, she finishing like with maybe 2-, 3-under par for sure today, because I wrote her score. I was her marker.

She is so -- she looks so young to me. I mean, I wasn't that old but she look so young to me, too. She play so good. I really think that we definitely going to have her on Tour in the next, I don't know, two, three years for sure. She hit it straight. Her putting was really good. Surprising me by the first hole maybe sink it, 30 each or 40 each foot putt in on the first hole.

I was like, wow. That's maybe like motivate me to play better golf as well today.

Q. Congratulations on the win. You mentioned the greens. Did they change at all during the week or were they always as challenging all week long as they looked today?

JEENO THITIKUL: I think the score can prove. I think it's doesn't change anything -- like didn't change anything at all. I mean, like the hole location will give us a little, you know, like easy and tough -- it's really depend on the hole location.

And then I think every putts that it had above the hole, every hole, it's going to be a tough putt. Obviously two putts here in every hole and you got par on every hole, I think it's really a big bonus as I said.

Because like if you're above the hole you definitely can have an easily three-putts for sure if you not be careful on it, you're not watching your speed really well.

Q. First putt on 14 was one that really caught my attention. You were putting obviously away from the hole and took that big swing. What was your read like there? That was as spectacular as if you had made it.

JEENO THITIKUL: Uh-huh. When I always have a really big break or like a side putt or above the hole like that, I always looking at the entrance going to the hole. So I was on the left top and see the entrance is going to be like way above the hole for sure.

Then let's the gravity drop the ball down to the hole. I mean, I love the courses that had a lot of side putts because you need a lot of imaginations, you need a lot of, you know, like, imagination to be able to get your ball stop there and let the gravity do the things.

I mean, it's seem fun to me, but obviously it's not really fun to have that much in a tournament day.

Q. Congratulations, Jeeno. Wondering what your thoughts are on how the season is shaping out. So far four players have won multiple times, more than obviously last year with so many different winners last year. Just your thoughts on how it's shaping up so far.

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I think all the players, including me, just really want to get better, which mean we have proof from last year that we got a lot more talented player, from new faces, rookie, and then everyone could win the tournaments, you know, which mean the competition level, it's getting higher.

So what we can do and only one things that we can do is we have to get better and then we have to work on things that might get you a chance and might be driving you to be able to be in contention in every week in the offseason I guess.

I believe everyone just putting work in on the offseason to see the good result, to see a good way to be able to get the trophy, get the job done on the LPGA.

Q. And you rarely miss a cut. Obviously the missed cut at Chevron, can you talk about that disappointment and how winning so soon after kind of helps get you back on track?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, obviously I talked to my coach and then I was like, you know what? I know golf wasn't -- like wasn't your life. Golf is just golf. But when you miss cuts or you're not hitting well, it's hard to act like you're okay, you know, at the same day.

I was disappointed. I was, you know, upset to not be able to make the weekend on the first major. But obviously I think still you have to accept and I have to move on. And then what the good things golf is you had a lot of opportunities in the whole year.

You got maybe 30 each tournaments in a year and then every week that you have, even every like day that you had, you can reset it and you can have a new chance to be able to do it again. I think just that's the only part that I think that's no matter the past is, the future always, you know, waiting for you.

And then that's the only things that I trying to keep myself on the positive side to be able to, you know, performing in a good way, same like this week. And I mean, it just really happy to get the job done this week really quick from MC.

Q. Ronni said you gave her some s*** last year not being part the celebration after you won.

JEENO THITIKUL: (Laughter.) Yeah.

Q. What was it like to be contending with her or having you and her contending together today and having her be the first one to get you with the champagne today?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, it was funny. Even Buick and CME last year I didn't saw her on my celebration on the green. I was like texting like, yo, where are you? I really expecting you to be there and then she's just -- but she had only like emergency situation. I kind of understand or not.

But, I mean, having her by my side as a best friend and then we like -- we had -- we are best friend, but on the golf course we trying to beat each other for all, every time. It's good to have someone like know your situations and then know how things going your way or not and then what you're dealing with professional life is really important.

Obviously I knew that I'm going to, you know, like play with her for long, long time, and then we going to have a battle out there on the course for a long, long time for sure. And then golf is just golf. Who win, who lose, outside of the golf we are best friend.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations again Jeeno and thank you for your time.

JEENO THITIKUL: Thank you.