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U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 22, 2016

Min Woo Lee

Ooltewah, Tennessee

Q. Start with the chip-in for eagle on 2. Feel like that kind of set the tone for you for the round?
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, it did. It kind of obviously -- obviously there is an advantage going into the (indiscernible) holes because you're 1-up.

Yeah, it kind of settled me in. Yeah, it was just like a momentum boost, though. Everyone was saying Eugene has been hitting it well; I've also been hit ting it well.

Having that chip-in, it was definitely a momentum changer.

Q. No. 8 was big for you; you hit the chip way over, like on the Par 3, but then you made a pretty big putt coming back.
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah. That was definitely -- I was 1-up at that stage. If it didn't go in, could have made the decision of winning or losing. I felt good about the putt.

Yeah, went in, so I'm very happy with how it went.

Q. Put your distance on that putt.
MIN WOO LEE: 25 feet.

Q. Okay. That's about what I had. No. 8, the par-3. Then No. 11, the par-5 there, it looked like you were in good shape the whole hole and he steals that one from you, but then you came back and won three holes. How big was that?
MIN WOO LEE: That was very big. You know, I just got to thank the putter. The putter has done really well. I put the prior shots pretty close and my putter today was pretty good. I'm happy with the three. Those were exactly momentum changers. It was kind of like a cushion going into the other holes, although I did lose it on the last few holes, I got lucky on 18 and had a gap through the trees.

Yeah, still stuffed up, but oh, well. Made a five and that was good enough.

Q. Relieved now that you held on and don't have to think about that putt on 16 tonight, over here, the par-3, the putt to win there?
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, yeah. It was one of those putts where it was very straight, but there was like a slight right-to-left break but a left-to-right grain, so I went inside right and it just slightly slowly went right and I just missed it.

Yeah, just one of those putts.

Q. What were your expectations coming into the week? Did you picture yourself here?
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, definitely. Just beforehand I didn't play good at Torrey Pines. I came seventh. To scramble through the whole week and shoot 1-over, I thought that was pretty good. If I was on my A-Game this week, it was going to be close.

Yeah, so far it's been good.

Q. You feel pressure to match your sister now?
MIN WOO LEE: No, not really. I think it's a momentum boost though because it's history for a brother and sister to win the same tournament.

It's momentum and, yeah, just motivation for tomorrow really. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Have you been communicating with her?
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, been Snapchatting back and forth. She's pretty busy with her schedule though playing the International Crown. We just get Snap Chats back and forth. Been talking a little bit.

Q. Do you know anything about Noah Goodwin?
MIN WOO LEE: I don't know if I -- I played with him at Sage Valley. He's a solid player. Just I got nothing much to say. Just got to play my own game and see what happens.

Q. What is your mindset going into tomorrow?
MIN WOO LEE: Go win it. I've been playing great. I've just got to tidy up some mistakes.

Other than that, I've been playing great. I have nothing against the way I'm playing.

Q. Will you go to the U.S. Amateur?
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, definitely. It's pretty much the biggest amateur tournament in the world. This is the biggest junior tournament. Definitely come back for it, yeah, in a few weeks.

I'm going back to Australia, practice there, come back in good shape, and see what happens.

Q. How do you feel physically after playing as many holes as you have this week?
MIN WOO LEE: It's tiring. But like the last few days I haven't been eating that much on the course, and today I started eating a bit and I feel much better.

I think it's trying to -- you're trying to survive out here, like the heat, and also you got to play good golf. But I think being healthy and strong throughout the round is a strong key to winning.

Q. What are you eating?
MIN WOO LEE: Almonds, nuts. I had a Subway before the break, after the break, and, yeah, that kind of boosted me up. Thanks, mum.

Yeah, I kind of just have bananas, something that can keep me going through the round.

Q. You're going to fly back to Australia before the Amateur?
MIN WOO LEE: I think so.

Q. How long a flight is that one way?
MIN WOO LEE: Probably a day with all the stopovers. I really don't know now. Like we can't predict the future and I didn't know -- I've already booked flights going back home. I don't know. We might change flights. Never know.

I'm looking forward to going back home.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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