Jeeno Thitiful is feeling grateful, sarcastic. She had just been reminded that in four previous appearances at this week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship she had not finished outside the top 10, which was meant to be complimentary.
But Thitiful chose to see it in a different way.
“Thanks for the pressure,” she deadpanned, adding:
“No problem.”
That drew a smile, and the symbolism was thicker than any rough course.
It feels like pressure is everywhere for Thitikul. It was there last week at the Honda LPGA Thailand event, Thitikul’s home event, a tournament she considers equal to any major when it comes to value. Then there are the majors themselves. She won everything except one. There is also the pressure to be at the top of the world rankings because then the world tends to look your way.
And yet?
No problem. To deal with this, Thitikul said on Tuesday that she swears by a four-word mantra. It’s a pressure deflator, as is using a hint of sarcasm, and the saying is this:
Dance in the rain.
That’s deeper. That’s thoughtful. That’s because of her pressure points.
How Jeeno Thitikul approached the pressure at the Honda LPGA Thailand event
On Tuesday, Thitiful said she was still a little sleep deprived. Adrenaline will do that, and on Sunday at the Honda LPGA Thailand it was flowing. Still, she said she decided that whatever happened, her home country’s fans would get a show.
And they did. And Thitikul won by stroke.
“The nerves will always be there, but you have to beat the nerves,” she said. “Sometimes you worry more about the future, about what I’m going to do next.
“But I said to myself, this is the moment when you need joy, you need joy with excitement, you need joy with the nervous moments.
“That’s why I try to dance a little in the rain.”
Then it’s on to the next week, and the chance to do it all over again.
“I feel like all you want is that day, and yesterday was another day where the trophy wasn’t there anymore,” Thitikul said. “It’s a new week, it’s a new journey, it’s new themes.”
How Jeeno Thitikul will approach the pressure as she chases a big win
Jeeno Thitikul claims 8th LPGA victory – and first in home country Thailand
By means of:
Jessica Marksbury
The theme that Thitikul has yet to win a major has haunted her; her best result was second place at last year’s Evian Championship. Still, her thought is: there are five chances this year. And next year five. And so on.
More dancing.
“Obviously when the pressure moment, the nervous moment comes, you’re not going to experience that every time,” Thitikul said. “…You got 10 times, you won’t get it 10 times. Obviously you’ll fall for sure.
“But I think the times you fall, you learn what you’re going to do next time. But if you fall, that’s fine. Because you’re coming back for the eleventh time.”
Thitikul also said she learned last week that she doesn’t need a “perfect 100 percent” game to win. In Thailand she thought her iron game was well below that.
“So I think for the goals for the majors, for whatever, I think that will always be with me,” she said. “That’s obvious when I’m not 100 percent of my game, but I have to show myself and be able to bounce back.”
How Jeeno Thitikul will approach the pressure of being world number 1
Interestingly, so had Thitikul ranked number 1 previously – for a week, after the 2022 Toto Japan Classic, when she was 19. Then she said she was putting pressure on herself. But things have changed.
Thoughts have changed.
“It’s definitely different from my view of things,” Thitikul said. “I see perspective in every way to see that, because I think at that time I was so young, and then I put a lot of pressure on myself. I know a lot of people already noticed me and they were already expecting me. … At that moment I saw things so seriously. Even if I miss one opportunity, I felt bad about it.”
“Right now, if I have a bad chance, it’s okay, you have one more. I think it’s more relaxing. It’s a little thing to deal with. But I said to myself, I really enjoyed being where I am now and then I won’t stay in this position forever. There will be more top players coming up, but I want to perform as best as I can and enjoy this position.”
“>
#world #number #surrounded #pressure #swears #fourword #mantra