PORTLAND CLASSIC

August 16, 2026

Jeeno Thitikul

Columbia Edgewater Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Joining us after the final round of The Standard Portland Classic is our 2026 champion, Jeeno Thitikul. It was a battle coming down the stretch. You, Arpichaya and Chanettee were all neck and neck. What was going through your mind throughout today's round, and especially the last nine holes?

JEENO THITIKUL: I mean, the only things that is in my mind is I have to make birdies. I feel like it just a course that only answer is like you need to make as much as you can to be able to hoist the trophy.

But I'm pretty happy about the leaderboard. I mean, it's me, Arpichaya, and then Chanettee. Seem like whoever can take this, I feel like it just really good week for all the Thai players that we have been out here playing the final round.

And I do enjoy the challenge, the nervous, the challenge out there, especially the back nine.

Q. You had a bogey on nine and quickly bounced back with an eagle on 10. How do you feel like the eagle changed the momentum of your round?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, that's a little silly bogey on nine. I mean, I knew that on 10 if I'm on the fairway I be able to get on the green. I was in the left rough and I just had a really nice second shot. I didn't know that my putt going to went in.

I thought birdie it's good enough for bouncing back on the ninth but it's really changing the momentum.

Q. This is your tenth win on the LPGA Tour, third this season. Just what does it mean to you to be so successful at such a young age?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I think it will mean a lot to me. Golf is really love/hate relationship to me and to everyone, too, I guess. Because like when you win it you're like, wow, how good is a test? But there are time you ask yourself, you questioning yourself that's what's going on and then what can I do to make golf in my way.

To be able to get this win just really worth the sacrifice that I have put in the work. The cryingness, the sadness that we waiting for. I mean, I just love it anyway. Even golf slap my face.

Today I think I win not just the tournament but I win my inner self negative side.

Q. Like you mentioned, there was a lot of Thai talent at the top: Chanettee, Arpichaya, Pajaree, Suvichaya. Just what does it mean to have such a strong Thai contingent on Tour with you?

JEENO THITIKUL: I think it's mean like, you know, you're not in your hometown. You're far -- like I don't know how many like thousand miles far away from our home towns, but to be able to have like a friends that's from where you are, that's speaking your languages, that's eating the same food as you, it just make it kind of really warming up and then feels like home more than you are alone.

And then to have all the next generations, to have my friend out here as Thai players, I just really proud of what we did. I knew we had a good week, we had a bad week, but I definitely knew that we got like each other back. Like whenever we got a problems or we not having a nice time, I feel like we can talk and then we can share and then, you know, we can get better together.

Q. Portland is a very unique area. It cares a lot about women's sports. There are a lot of fans out here. Just how was the environment this week in Portland?

JEENO THITIKUL: It was so great, especially the food, the fans. I love being here. We actually plan to arrive on Sunday kind of early because we going to go shopping, like tax free city.

I just love the nature side, too. My airbnb quite far from here but like on the way to the Mountain Hood. We stop by I don't know what it's called like the waterfalls on Tuesday.

I did enjoy it here. Since 2023 I know schedule kind of rough to me not be able to come here a couple years ago, but to be back here again it's just such a unique and then also it's -- I would say Portland is one of my favorite city in the States.

Q. How important is it to you to balance what you do off the golf course, like going to things like the waterfalls and shopping, enjoying the food in the city you're in?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I knew what I put in on the week off, I mean, the work that I put in golf, and then on the tournament week I feel like if I have been doing things good, I just trying to have my -- like my time off so I can be able to explore the cities, explore things around not on the golf course.

I just love doing that. I love when I have afternoon tee time because I have -- I can go grab matcha in the morning, go grab a coffee. Went to like a unique coffee shop in the morning, which is just kind of fun things to do beside golf.

You know, like everyone will say you're a golfer. You travel all the time. I'm so jealous. I was like, so you're not a real golfer. You don't know that we just only stay on the course and then hotel or airbnb. But have a little time off be able to exploring things I think is really things that I want to do.

Q. Congrats. I was just curious, obviously you knew what was going on with Arpichaya of course battling back and forth. Curious on the back nine, how aware were you of what was going on with Chanettee and the leaderboard?

JEENO THITIKUL: I don't even know Chanettee was -- I mean, like if I was in the like kind of contingent in the final round I'm not going to look at the leaderboard at all. So I didn't know what is happening. What I know is just me, Arpichaya, and then Sophia, what we do in our group.

Then on -- I think my caddie told me on like 15 green that like you're tied for first. I was like, really? I mean, even Arpichaya and me didn't know that. She just told me Chanettee did a great job, too. She didn't know until the 15th.

So I mean, I don't blame anything. Chanettee won here before and should be one of her favorite courses definitely if you won it, right?

I feel like she had a games that she can go really low on the final rounds, especially this course wasn't that long and wasn't that hard course to not be able to make it. Even I can make a low round, which everyone can make a low round, too.

So just really fun battling out between three of us.

Q. I'm from the first tee. What are you planning to do to celebrate a great win?

JEENO THITIKUL: Thai food. (Laughing.) I just had to run this quick because I have 5:00 p.m. reservations on one of my want to go Thai food. And then next week in Dallas.

Q. This is the big No. 10 win. What are you going to do next week to celebrate at home?

JEENO THITIKUL: I don't know. I'm on diet. I'm diet but I really want to eat sushi so bad. I mean, like food is always going to be my number one priority, but I'm on diet. Yeah, maybe one cheat day.

Then I'm going to say shopping, but I have been shopping last week so much. But maybe just a really good like sushi meal I guess.

Q. So sushi day and shopping?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah. New nail polish.

Q. Congratulations Jeeno. Have you found one particular Thai restaurant that you really like in Portland that you go to, or is it many?

JEENO THITIKUL: Wow, that's a lot. It's actually a lot. I think like I was here on Sunday and I feel like we ate Thai almost every day. But my reservation today is been my top of like to-go list. So like they had two restaurant in the same place name Phuket Cafe and then today I'm going to go to Langbaan, which is actually the same place but lunch it's going to be Phuket and then dinner it's going to be Langbaan.

And then don't make me stay here too long, because yesterday we trying to make this reservation so bad. That's waiting our reservation.

Q. You have a good excuse since you won. When you think about the last four or five years, only yourself and Nelly Korda have at least ten wins or more over that span. What does that say to you about I guess the way you two have played over the last four to five years and maybe hue hard it is to win on tour?

JEENO THITIKUL: I mean, like we are -- I never look at any other players, what they are doing. I knew Nelly Korda was really good players and then she dominates on '24, '25, maybe on like 20 each until now, and then she just really ball-striker. She's good at everything.

And then obviously not just her, but I feel like the Tour, the competition, it's higher and higher. What you think, it just like you think about your games, what you can make to be on the top and then what can make you to just get better in golf.

Because, I mean, like golf never ever going to be on your side every day. Like you definitely going to have a good day today and then you definitely not too sure what's going on in your way. It's just really golf. I feel like I always had to work and improve on what I have -- like on my game side.

And then, you know, I knew that this is my third win on this year, but it has certain time that like, what is my games? I trying to find my game so bad. You know, like you just -- it's just really work that it's never end.

I feel like the improvement and the battling out between all among the players, not just Nelly, but like all the top player in the world and then like all the fields that we got, like we got 100 each player in a week and then you didn't know who going to get the win.

And then the win just only one players that can get it in each week, so you just do the work to try to be the only one player in every week that you win. I feel like it just a challenging. It just a passionate. It just a sacrifice that's -- success is like this (indicating with thumb and index finger) but it worth the whole sacrifice of years.

Q. And to win ten times by 23, when you joined the tour, I mean, when you think about that number and how old you are and what you've been able to do, what strikes you the most?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I never ever think about to get like double digit number win before. I mean, if you went back to my rookie year I would say like if I have a win it's just really good enough in my like career.

But once you get it there and then you're trying to get more and more and more, you know, like you're trying to be hungry of the win. You're trying to be like dominant on the Tour. I feel like it's just a really challenging love that you put in but it just, you know, I'm just blessed of what I did, too.

Q. Last one from me: When you're in contention, whether you come from behind or you hold onto a lead to win, now that you have won so many times what do you think is the key overall that helps you close out tournaments?

JEENO THITIKUL: I think the routine is really important. It has time that you you're thinking about outcome too much or you are in the future too much. And then you're not having a same routine.

I feel like the routine that you have been doing, it's always going to be yours, representing your shot, representing your game. So I think I just trying to be on high routine. Trying to stay present. Not to think too much about outcome or like future or like what if.

Yeah, and then I'm not saying if I'm doing this I'm going to get it all the time. I'm just saying it should be better for you just not to think too much.

Q. Thanks. Enjoy dinner.

JEENO THITIKUL: Thanks. Yes.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Jeeno.

JEENO THITIKUL: Thank you.

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