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CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPNovember 20, 2019Jeongeun Lee6Naples, Florida THE MODERATOR: All right, ladies and gentlemen. We're back with Jeongeun Lee6, our 2019 U.S Women's Open champion. Also has ten Top 10s on the season, currently second on the Money List with nearly two million in earnings this year. Welcome in. it's good to have you. You're ending your rookie year. So not including that U.S. Open Women's Open win, what have been some of the highlights for your first year on the LPGA Tour? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) You know, the most memory I had, I mean, obviously winning the U.S. Women's Open. But when I played in Mediheal tournament I had a playoff. That was my first playoff. Then also after winning the U.S. Women's Open, the ShopRite tournament I was leading and I was playing pretty well. So that was the most memorable that I ever had in an LPGA tournament. THE MODERATOR: Is that Mediheal tournament when you really felt like your game had come together and you were maybe figuring out how to be on the LPGA Tour? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) Actually, before Mediheal tournament I had a Korean tournament which called CreaS F&C, my apparel sponsor company. But the time difference in Korea and San Francisco, I mean, it was so hard like physically and mentally. I was really surprised at how I got through it. Then I didn't know that I will be on a playoff. THE MODERATOR: So outside of your play, what you have you learned most about yourself as you finish off your rookie year? It's been a long year for all of us. What did you learn most about yourself? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) You know, when I start playing first LPGA tournament and then the middle of the time, I mean, I was fine and I was satisfied with my scores. But later, you know, after winning the tournament, you know, I started to feel a little bit more exhausted and my scores weren't that very consistent just like before. But, yeah, I just think that I played so many tournaments, most of the tournaments. But for next year I'm just going to manage myself to save some energy and prepare for the next tournament. THE MODERATOR: This is your first time playing the CME Group Tour Championship. You've been out and played Tiburon yesterday. What are your thoughts on this golf course as we get ready for the final event of the year? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) Actually this golf course just reminds me of U.S. Open golf course, especially fairway and everything. Like green-wise it felt like very -- the grass seems very similar, and do I felt like a little bit confident and just kind of reminds me of like the U.S. Women's Open tournament. But, yeah, but my shots and putts are not that great, but I'm going to try my best as I can this tournament. THE MODERATOR: Open it up for questions. Q. Going from the KLPGA where you play every event in one country to the LPGA Tour where you're in 13 countries, the majority of them in America, what surprised you the most and what was the most difficult for you in making that transition? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) You know, when I used to play in KLPGA, like usually the pro-am usually you can just ride a cart. You can just ride a cart and practice. But in LPGA you have to walk no matter what, even during the pro-am, and so that was like the most hardest thing I ever experienced. Also the time difference, too. Korea time and U.S. and other countries. So, yeah, the most thing I've ever learned is that coming to America, like all the golf courses are very different and the environment is great. So it's just -- I feel like I learned a lot of course management in the U.S. Q. I was wondering if you could share what you think was the biggest mistake you made this year, if you think you made any mistakes as a rookie. Obviously such a big transition. Just wondering if you thought there was something you're going to do differently next year. JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) Yeah, you know, I didn't really physically and mentally really consistently like prepare all the time, so I just think I need to focus on like how I should make my condition to be stable. So, yeah, that's why I think my shots and putts are not very consistent and not going really well. Yeah, I'm just going to focus on my short game with pretty much all my shots for the next year. Q. What was the better value of winning the U.S. Open, $1 million or the prestige of a major? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) In earning the huge amount of prize I didn't really think about it much because I just needed to prepare for the next tournament, which is ShopRite tournament. So I didn't really think about it too much, what I should do with $1.5 million. But, you know, my parents been taking care of my prize money, and so I just think that I feel really grateful and proud of myself that I won the U.S. Women's Open, yeah. Q. Do you know what the prize money is this week? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) I know that comparing to U.S. Women's Open and this tournament, this tournament is higher than U.S. Women's Open. THE MODERATOR: What would it mean to you to win the two biggest paychecks, to win $1 million and maybe this week $1.5 million? That's a life changing amount of money. JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) You know, I will be happy if I won this tournament, but money is money. You know, it will be the most memorable if I win this tournament. You know, I know that if I win this tournament then my world ranking will go up to the 1st. That's all I know about. But, yeah, if I win this tournament then I will feel more confident for the next year. Also. And I thought about Olympics, and so if I play well in this tournament obviously my ranking will go up and so I feel more kind of stable and think that I can make it into the Olympics. Q. What was it like at home in Korea when Inbee won the gold medal? Was it as big as when she won any of her majors, or was it bigger? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) You know, Inbee had injured with her finger, and so all of us in Korea, they were anxious about like if she's going to play well in the Olympics. Gladly she played well in the Olympic tournament so we felt relieved. We were proud of her what she has done. Q. I guess what I meant was the attention greater for the Olympics than it was for any of the majors that she won? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) Olympics is one of the biggest things in Korea, because if you don't end up playing well in Olympics you have to wait for another four years. Major, yes, it's a really big thing too as well, but Olympics is I think biggest impact in Korea. THE MODERATOR: Anything else? I'll ask my last question. You joked in Charleston that $1 million would win a lot of ramen, could buy a lot of ramen with that. Is there any sort of fun splurge you would get to treat yourself after a wonderful year if you were to win this week? JEONGEUN LEE6: (Through translation.) Yeah, so besides purchasing a house or cars I thought about like purchasing more clothes and shoes, what I wanted, so I been buying those stuff a lot. But besides that, you know, if I don't earn a lot of money then I was just hoping that I could purchase a TrackMan, but gladly I purchased a TrackMan. Yeah. THE MODERATOR: You're the fourth person who said TrackMan, so they're very popular. Congratulations. We'll see you later this week. JEONGEUN LEE6: Thank you. Thank you so much. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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