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HONDA LPGA THAILAND

February 22, 2018

Minjee Lee

Chonburi, Thailand

Q. What a finish. That was some eagle at the last.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I mean it just hit the collar. I was like, Oh, I don't know if I am going to have enough. Such a big break there.

I'm glad it caught the hole.

Q. Pretty scorable conditions today. Your mother is a bit of a tough marker. She said you're 66, but still a couple of missed opportunities. You've got to be pretty happy though.
MINJEE LEE: Oh, yeah. Well, being a spectator is a little bit different than being a player obviously.

Yeah, no, I hit it pretty solid. I hit a lot of solid putts today. So, yeah, I'm pretty happy with my result.

Q. What do you think is key to playing well around this golf course? Seems to be in pretty good condition, but can still be a tough test.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah, definitely. I think it's definitely a second-shot golf course. I mean, your approaches are really important, and obviously being in the right spots with the undulation, I think that's pretty important. And obviously if you have a hot putter that's going to help you.

Yeah, I think your iron shots are definitely a big part in playing well here.

Q. You've had a red hot start to the season. What's been the difference for you at the start of this season?
MINJEE LEE: I think I just felt a little bit more fresh and more ready to go. Yeah, I actually wanted to play, and so I decided to play like the three events prior to this week.

Yeah, feeling pretty good. Yeah, just want to keep playing well.

Q. You had a great eagle there on your final hole. You said it was about a 45-foot putt. Walk us through your final putt there on 18.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah, it was straight up the hill because the pin was like tucked all the way back. Yeah, I mean, I had a pretty big swing, right-to-left putt, so I thought, Just go as close to the edge as possible. Just clipped the edge and sort of rolled up there.

So, yeah, glad I saw it go in.

Q. You said No. 13 you also had a 50-footer for birdie?
MINJEE LEE: I think on 11.

Q. 11, that's right.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah. Yeah, I just holed a really long putt there, too. Yeah, no, just got the right line. I think I got lucky there.

Q. Luck, but also some skill. Were you just feeling well today? Clearly you played solid, a 66; eagle there on the end.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I started with 1-under after the first nine, so, yeah, I'm hitting it pretty solid. Just got to hole a couple more putts on the back nine.

Q. I don't think it's your first time here.
MINJEE LEE: No, this is my fourth time.

Q. Compared with the last three, for this year how do you feel?
MINJEE LEE: I don't feel that much different. I mean, it's pretty early in the season so I'm pretty fresh.

Yeah, I mean, I don't feel that much different than any other year. Yeah, I am just trying my best out there.

Q. What is your plan for the next three days?
MINJEE LEE: I'm just going to play my game and just stick with my game plan: just hit good iron shots and hit good putts.

So, yeah, just do everything that's in my control.

Q. Great 66 to open the round today; 45-foot eagle on 18. Walk us through the final putt that really closed out a great round for you.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I think it was about 45 feet straight up the hill swinging really big right to left. I needed to go pretty close to the edge of the green, so I think it just clipped there and I think maybe put it on line. Yeah, no, I'm glad it went in.

Q. For those of us who don't do this professionally and see a big, swinging putt like that, how do you view that in your mind when you look at something like that, a long putt, that's you know is makable but it's going to take a lot of work to get there?
MINJEE LEE: I sort of see just like a straight line to where I think the break point is going to be. Yeah, I just sort of pick a spot and try and hit it as close as possible to there and try to get the right speed.

Q. You make it sound so easy. We'll go to another long putt. You had a 50-footer on 11. Walk us through that one. What got into your putter today? Seems to be on fire for you.
MINJEE LEE: On 11, I think that one was a little bit more luck.

Yeah, it was a little longer than the one on 18. I just sort of got the right line and I was like, Oh, hit the hole, because I thought it was going to run a little bit by. Yeah, no, obviously it went in, so...

Q. Were you feeling that a big low round like this was in you to start off the tournament, or were you just looking to get off on a good foot?
MINJEE LEE: Definitely just on a good foot. I don't try and put a score on it or anything. I think putting more expectation on yourself is probably harder because it's so hot out here.

So, yeah, I'm just trying to hit good shots and just play solid. Yeah, that's what I did today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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