MIZUHO AMERICAS OPEN

May 11, 2025

Jeeno Thitikul

Liberty National Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Jeeno, congratulations on the win. It was a pretty steady day, three birdies, no bogeys. Just tell me what it took to get it done today and to get this first win of the season for you.

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I mean, actually I have no idea how I can do out there. I mean, bogey-free on the final round, final group, as well, because the pin positions were so tough today, as well. We got a lot of wind, and then a lot of nerves and excitement for sure.

I just really told myself to be patient out there. I know I was just trying to keep my ball where I have a chance to make it, but if I not make it, I'm fine because I know not every putt or not only hole that we're going to make it for sure. It's definitely going to be on and off, on and off for sure for the putts that we have for all 18 holes.

But I think my big key today is making par.

Q. The past two years you've played really well at this course, top-10 finishes both years. Did you feel like a win was possible here coming into the week? Did you feel like you were good enough on Liberty National to win this week coming into the week?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, I mean, knowing the course pretty well, it's good. But you have to see how your performance or your golf was going to be solid for you out there. I know I had good finishes last couple years, but I don't really know coming into this week that I'm going to win.

But I just tried to keep it going and going, trying to do my things. I know I have practiced last week because I have a week off, I have a good practice, a good feeling-wise on my game. But coming here a lot of players have a lot of talent, but I'm trying to do my thing. I'm trying to get all my frustration from not making putts at Chevron to making putts here.

Q. You've been playing just really well and consistent lately. I think a bunch of top-10 finishes in your last starts. Does it feel like relief to finally get that win, or what were the initial reactions to finally getting that win?

JEENO THITIKUL: I think it's definitely feel happy to get the win, but I don't think it feels like relief because I feel like every position that I have been finishing on each tournament have value of it. It just feels like, yeah, win definitely feels good, but I think second is also good, too. Third is also good, too. It's not just like I have to win. But I know I want to win, but not like needing it to -- each tournament, because all the positions or all what I have been doing out there, I create more, like, value of it, and that's all my perspective on that.

Q. What are your thoughts on holding off such a stacked leaderboard, Nelly, Celine, major winners? How do you feel about being able to win and holding off such a talented leaderboard?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, definitely it feels good to get the job done here. I know so many talented players in front of me. Also in my group I have Celine. In front of me we've got Nelly Korda, which is No. 1 in the world.

But I feel like everyone is just doing their part. I'm doing my own part, too. I can't control them. I just can control myself. I just have to do my job.

I think if I win or not, I'm just doing my job, doing my process. I'm happy for that.

Q. What was it like on the back nine? Were you watching the leaderboard, asking where you were? What was your mindset there?

JEENO THITIKUL: I have no idea until 18, last putt. I just asked my caddie if I had to make a par or it's safe, bogey is fine. He's just like, the second is 13-under par. I was like, oh, okay. Because I didn't look at the leaderboard at all. Like I said, I think everyone just gets to do their part. I want to do my part, too. It's not depend on what rank am I off the leaderboard. I'm just trying to make the putts. My job is trying to keep the ball as good, and as long as I play good golf, I'm just happy for that.

Q. At age 22, to have five career wins now, when you joined the Tour is that something you would have thought you would have by now? And now that you do, what do you think about that?

JEENO THITIKUL: Well, I think when I was a kid wanting to play on the LPGA Tour, I just told my dad, and my dad just told me, winning on the LPGA Tour once, it's good enough. I always tell myself, yeah, actually two. I joined the Tour in 2022 and then get the first win maybe my fifth start from the beginning of the season, and then get my first win was just really a dream come true. But I had no idea I'm going to be this far for sure.

I'm just trying to do my part. I'm just trying to improve myself every day. Winning or not, I'm just -- I think the real win that I have, it's all the people around me. If I do my job, either get the win or not really, how many wins that I have, holes in my belt, I just set it down beside me.

Q. Obviously with the U.S. Women's Open coming up, how do you feel going into that knowing you just won and that you're playing well?

JEENO THITIKUL: Yeah, definitely feel more confident in my game. Definitely had a lot of things to work on. But I think I will be really happy on my performance right now and then how I'm hitting the ball right now. Hopefully I can keep momentum going until the majors coming. But U.S. Open, it's really tough conditions every year.

Fingers crossed for a kind result.

Q. You talked about putting from Chevron and then practicing. Was there anything in particular you worked on in your putting? Did you change your putter, anything like that?

JEENO THITIKUL: No, I didn't change my putter since, I think, 2023, end of the year. I did change one last year at Founders, and I missed the cut by changing the putter, and then I just go back to this one, my old one.

Not really. I just think Chevron had really tough pin positions and tough greens and then the line, as well. Last week I just went back home in Dallas and working on it a little bit to matching the speed and the line. But I know I have been doing stroking-wise really good, so I just tried to keep it on track.

Q. Playing along the AJGA juniors, I know you spoke about it during the ceremony, but how would you have felt with this opportunity when you were a kid, and how cool is it of an opportunity for you to get to inspire some of these young girls?

JEENO THITIKUL: Firstly, I feel old now. Just seeing her hold the trophy, I was like, oh, my God, the last couple years I was just like her, 17, 16, playing juniors, playing on my first major in Evian when I was 14, playing Honda when I was 13, 14. Time flies.

I think definitely going to be a really cool experience for them, especially playing with all the LPGA players that have been so talented out here, all the top players, Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, whatever who all the LPGA. They can definitely teach a lot of experience, how we're playing, how we're planning.

I just think definitely in the first year more, definitely we're going to saw the faces on the Tour for sure. Maybe a little practice for them to be getting the vibes here, the feelings for how to play. So it should be so cool for them, and then thank you for Mizuho for a really nice opportunity for them to be here.

Q. Mizuho puts on a great event each year. How much do you enjoy this event, and how grateful are you to Mizuho for this event for five more years?

JEENO THITIKUL: Definitely. I played with Jerry in the pro-am and then he just described how he wanted the women's golf going to be and then how he continue to supporting women's golf, which is what we really appreciate. Also I do enjoy here, and I think everyone do so, too. Getting ferries on and off the course from the hotel is so cool. We don't have any tournaments that we're going to jump on the ferry at all. Also definitely New York food, New York cheesecake, New York pizza. I'll just get fat now.

But everyone is just liking this experience. Jerry just said I hope all the top players come here every year. I was telling him, definitely, no worries, all the players coming here because we love here.