As Player of the Week on LPGA.com, Numa Gulyanamitta gives a peek into her week as told to a LPGA Media Official in Thailand.
It’s been a fun week so far here at home in Thailand. This is my second week out on the LPGA Tour and I’ve already been lucky to play at home. I’ve had a couple of friends come out to see me play this week and my parents are here. Lots of people are sending me texts and Facebook messages wishing me good luck. It’s been nice so far.
I’m from about 40 minutes away south of here but on the East Coast too. It’s easy for friends and family to come if they have time. Maybe Saturday or Sunday there will be more people since it’s not too far of a drive.
But it’s also kind of a lot of pressure this week because it’s my first home tournament and everybody expects me to play good since I did so well at Q School and everything. My sister Russy, who has been caddying for me this week, has kept me going and not worrying about what other people think. I just need to play my golf and that’s what happened in today’s first round. It was a good start [shooting a 3-under 69 in Thursday’s opening round], but it’s just the first day.
Last week was my first event on the LPGA Tour and it felt a little weird being on Tour but it’s exciting too. It’s every feeling all together in one place. My first tournament on the LPGA Tour, you see all of these players who have had a lot of success and you know how good they are. I finally am on the same tour. It was an exciting feeling but at the same time I was nervous. I put a lot of pressure on me as well. I just felt like my first year I have to do good. I felt like I had to start my year off good and I think that pressure is why everything happened the way it did last week.
My sister is caddying for me this week. That’s a good thing. It helps a lot. She caddied for me at Q School too and she helped me there a lot. It’s the same this week. She has helped me to relax and try to ease me up a little when things get too intense. She keeps me positive and keeps the round going. We just talk and talk and try to have fun out there. With her on the bag, I don’t try too hard to play good.