Read a transcript of the post-Round 3 interview with Tom Kim and Jenno Thitikul.
Read a transcript of the post-Round 3 interview with Tom Kim and Jenno Thitikul.
Q. Here with Jeeno and Tom. Finishing runnerup, I know you guys had a great time this week, will you just tell me about your final day and sort of fighting your way up the leaderboard?
JEENO THITIKUL: Well, I mean, (indiscernible) that’s the first time we played this kind of format. Had a really good fun out there, but I think the course and the wind played really tough today. I mean, like it’s so windy. And, you know, we can’t do much with that wind, but I think 8 under, I think it’s a really, really good round.
TOM KIM: Yeah, it was a great week. Obviously second sucks. No, I think walking today just being able to be in the final group with her brings back a lot of good memories from the old days and to share this experience with her was really special. You know, hopefully maybe in the future we’ll have another chance again.
Q. What was your favorite shot that your partner struck today or this week? What was your favorite shot Tom hit and vice versa?
JEENO THITIKUL: I think I have a lot of shot that like from him. I think from him like all the wedges that I have like that he have, like he just like put it like this all the time pretty much.
TOM KIM: Obviously she put us in the final group, she putted really, really good yesterday. Obviously that bunker shot on 16 wasn’t in a really good spot and for her to kind of pull off some big shots in big moments to give us a chance really. That last hole birdies, at the end of the day it is big for us. Solo second instead of tie goes a long way. It’s so impressive to see her play. I’ve only seen her on TV. To actually see her in action under the gun to be able to pull off those shots is really cool.
Q. Jeeno, how is the vibe of this week different than CME?
JEENO THITIKUL: Oh, it’s totally different. I think this week is the week that Tom talked the most on the course I believe, do you think?
TOM KIM: Probably.
JEENO THITIKUL: I think I’m the one who make him kind of talk on the course, too. It’s a good vibe. We know each other for long, long time, but just like we play once and twice. This is like the first time that we had paired together like serious, serious golf. We did great and I love I told him like I might not be here next year, but he’s like, nope, you have to be here, you have to play.
TOM KIM: Yeah, definitely this event, I don’t think I’d like to play with anyone else but her. It’s just growing up in Asia, I think really from people who we played with, she and I were the only ones who really took the courage to come to the U.S. and play on the big tours. I think she’s really inspiring people from her country to come over here and to play on the LPGA.
And I feel like my country, not a lot of people are trying to take on the big role and come to the PGA TOUR. Like I said, it’s so cool and I don’t think I’d like to I’d like to win this one with her again hopefully in the future, but definitely won’t play with anyone except for her.
Q. One more. You guys are too young to remember the J.C. Penney Classic, but it was just like this event, a partner event. It ended in the ’90s.
JEENO THITIKUL: We was born in like 2002 and 2003.
Q. Exactly. But what do you think if you were younger and watching this event, how do you think this would have inspired you as a kid to watch men and women play together?
TOM KIM: I think it’s really big because when you see like from Asia, when you see Asian players on a global stage, when I was a kid seeing like my fellow countrymen play on the PGA TOUR inspired me a lot and it encouraged me to like really attack my dreams.
I think especially with this format, it’s so special where not is it just guys, it’s actually like different genders of men and a girl coming together and playing together. I think it’s going to be really cool.
I lived in Thailand for a few years before I came to the U.S. I think her stardom is so big there, so people over there I think will see us and want to come to this stage and play with maybe their fellow countrymen. I think it’s it’s a big steppingstone for people in Asia.
