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HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA OPEN

April 28, 2019

Minjee Lee

Los Angeles, California

THE MODERATOR: (In progress. )

MINJEE LEE: ...in the middle. So, yeah, I mean, I was pretty comfortable coming down 18. I knew I had a 3-shot lead. Yeah, I just hit a nice shot in there and I just read the putt and holed it.

That was nice.

THE MODERATOR: I know middle of the round things got a little wobbly there. Came back to the field a little bit. Were there any concerns going through your mind or is it just golf?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, probably lost a little bit of focus on that hole. I did the exact same I think on one of the other days, too, lost it in that bunker. So, yeah, lost some concentration there. I tried to get it back after that. I knew I had a couple par-5s coming in, so, yeah, I just was pretty steady coming in today.

THE MODERATOR: You finished tied for seventh here last year as well, so two great years at Wilshire. What is it about this course this seems to suit you so well out here?

MINJEE LEE: I think because it's definitely a second-shot golf course. I feel like my iron play is pretty solid and usually I can be accurate with them. I think it suits me and my game. If my putter is running hot then I have a good chance.

So, yeah, I just think with the greens being a little tricky and fast I think it really suits my game.

THE MODERATOR: It's a beautiful trophy here. Where might that one go in the house? Do you keep your trophies in a spot?

MINJEE LEE: Actually, I have a lot all over because I still have my place in Australia and my place in Dallas. I might have one at my grandpa's house. I'm not sure. But I have trophies everywhere. This one is probably going to go to Dallas with me.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up for any questions.

Q. You played what looked like an impeccable front nine. Seemed to be in control of everything. When you made the turn, I'm pretty sure your lead was five shots. When you move to the 10th tee, is that is factor for you? Do you continue playing just the same or do you make any adjustments?
MINJEE LEE: You know, I didn't have any idea, to be honest. Pretty much from the 1st hole I think we were a little behind, so I was trying to catch up pretty much the whole time.

We got put on the clock on the 10th hole, so, yeah, didn't have in any time for that.

Q. Congratulations. For our PGA junior league girls, old school or new school?
MINJEE LEE: I think I'm pretty old school.

Q. Some of the keys for your success you can pass along to the girls and boys in the junior league programs?
MINJEE LEE: I think definitely patience out there today. I knew I had a one-shot lead going into the day and I wasn't sure -- obviously I can't control what anybody else is doing, so just concentrate on your game and try to focus on every shot.

Yeah, most importantly go out there and have some fun.

Q. When you look back on all your conversations with Karrie Webb, especially earlier when you were a junior, maybe what was the most impactful thing she has said to you over the years?
MINJEE LEE: I think just in our conversations over the years she's just been really supportive of everything I've done. Yeah, just even today I think I got a message. She's like, Way to stay patient out there and well done.

I think just little things like that shows how much she cares for like Australians and all the pros and those coming up through the game. Yeah, I think just being there means a lot.

Q. You had a lot of close calls this year. Been in the top a lot. You always look like everything just rolls off your back. Were you ever impatient that you hadn't won this year coming so close?
MINJEE LEE: No, not really. I mean, two seconds that I had, Thailand, Singapore, I didn't really feel like I lost the matches. I think the two people who won, they just outplayed me on the day. I didn't feel like I played bad Or anything. Felt pretty solid.

And like Hawaii, Brooke pretty much played the game that she had to to win. I didn't feel like I lost, but I knew I was close to probably winning out here. I was pretty solid and pretty consistent.

Q. You're projected to move to No. 2 in the world with this win, your highest ranking ever. What does that mean to you? You're getting so close to the top of the game.
MINJEE LEE: I mean, it's pretty cool. Going to be my (indiscernible). So, yeah, any number in the Top 5 obviously you can jump to that world No. 1 spot with a couple good finishes.

Yeah, I think just it being that close it's in the back of my mind, but I'm not going to dwell too much on it. Yeah, just obviously going to try my every week and hopefully that will happen one day.

Q. Last couple days curious about your thoughts about the greens. Some of the players were not overly thrilled. It's po, so stuff happens, right? Was a lot of your attitude just thinking, I got to play, doesn't matter what's out there, and it never got to you?
MINJEE LEE: I think definitely playing in the afternoon you have to be a little more patient with how the greens, how the green conditions are. You can't really tell where the ball is going to go with all the bumps, but you just hit it and pray that it goes there pretty much.

Yeah, I think the greens were pretty nice to me this week. Yeah, just try and stay patient, read them as best I can.

Q. Going back to yesterday and the triple bogey early in the round and the fact that you were kind of able to get past that quickly and do what you did, what are your thoughts about that? What approach do you take going to the next tee, for example? How do you kind of block that out of your mind?
MINJEE LEE: Well, I just pretty much forgot about it straightaway. The next shot we had to hit it was like pretty daunting, I think, so I pretty much got that straightaway out of my mind.

I was just trying to concentrate on the next shot I had to play. That's pretty much what I did for the whole round after that hole.

Q. The key appeared like speed control on the greens. Looked like you did everything with confidence. What were the keys to managing good speed control this week?
MINJEE LEE: I'm sure I had my moments where I didn't have good speed, but for the most part I felt like because I was pretty solid with my irons I could have 15, 20 feet in the inside, and that made it a little bit easier to obviously have good speed in that range.

If I was a little bit out, I just did a couple putts early before I played that were a little bit longer; tried to judge off that.

Q. You appear to play, regardless of what's happening, with a really even keel. I don't know whether that's actually what's going on inside you, but after the hiccup on 11 and then the three-putt on 15, is there anything you do just to sort of the stay in the moment and keep that patience? It's very easy to say I have to stay patient, but how do you do it?
MINJEE LEE: Well, I was always pretty good at forgetting the hole after I play it. I'm really good at - I think I'm good at - concentrating on the shot, the next shot I have to play. So I think that's something that I've always done pretty well. That really helps me if I make a mistake or if I have a bad hole.

Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure if that's what comes natural to an athlete or golfer, but it's been pretty good for me.

Q. How crucial was the putt you made on 13, the birdie putt? You were right off the back of the green. Right before you hit the putt you had a discussion with your caddie. Was it something he said? I guess you had a couple feet to go to the fringe.
MINJEE LEE: No, I was on the green but it was like a little bit -- there was like the turf was behind.

Q. I see. Did he say anything that made you assess the putt?
MINJEE LEE: No. I think the last thing I said was, It's a little off.

Q. But was that a crucial putt? At the moment I guess you were minus 12 at the time.
MINJEE LEE: I think so, yeah. I think every birdie is crucial. Yeah, it was nice to make that putt, and that gave me a little bit of confidence going into the next couple holes.

Q. First of all, there hadn't been a lot of birdies on 18, but can you just talk about maybe what you felt after you hit that shot off the tee? Looked like you were waving to someone over to the side. Just a short walk up 18 knowing you had it in the bag essentially at that point.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure who I was waving to, but they were all cheering for me so I just waved. That was pretty nice.

Yeah, I mean, I just walked up there and it was pretty close, so I was glad I hit that green on Sunday because last year I didn't. Yeah, I was just happy with that.

THE MODERATOR: Finally from me, you had a little fan who was following you around all week, a little boy. What was his name?

MINJEE LEE: Mica.

THE MODERATOR: What does it mean to you to be able to -- you sign so many autographs for so many people. When you have little boys like Mica and little girls who are out following you, what does it mean to you to be what Karrie was to you for them?

MINJEE LEE: Well, my goal is to be a role model to like I guess the generation coming up playing golf. I just like to give back and enjoy the game as much as I can.

It's pretty special to me to be able to be that kind of role model like Webby is to me and to other kids. It's pretty nice.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Welcome back to the winners' circle.

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