KIA CLASSIC

March 26, 2021

Minjee Lee

Park Hyatt Aviara Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Minjee, solid 3-under 69 today. Start with the eagle on 8. How cool was that? What went into that approach and finish?

MINJEE LEE: Actually, I had a really good in them. I think I had 162 meters to the pin and it was slightly into the wind, and I hit the most perfect 5-iron to three feet.

So that was a really nice eagle.

Q. And then you had four birdies, numbers 3, 6, 7, and 14. Any particular one of those maybe stand out a little more than another?

MINJEE LEE: I feel like if you make birdie on this golf course it just feels really good. Sometimes it's kind of tough to get by, so, yeah, if I hit -- I hit quite a few really good shots into the green. I had really short putts for birdie on a couple, so that was nice.

Q. Double on 10. What happened on 10?

MINJEE LEE: Oh, I just made like blooper after blooper after blooper. I hit it in the bunker sort of on to the face of the bunker but I wasn't in the bunker, and then I hit it into the back bunker. So, yeah. That's end of story. It was just not good from there.

Q. San Diego is known for beaches, but you don't want to be in them.

MINJEE LEE: Not in that one anyway.

Q. You mentioned the pins and how different they were on the nines. Take us through the difference in the pin locations.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, for sure. The front nine I think you could be quite a lot more aggressive. The pins were more closer to the front and I think with the wind direction you had a lot more wedges in.

But on the back nine the wind got up a little bit more and then the pins were more on the back and sort of tucked in a couple places.

So with the speed of the greens right now it's going to be tricky. Yeah, I think it was a little tricky on the back nine.

Q. I would imagine a lot better conditions to play manage today.

MINJEE LEE: I mean, yesterday was just really cold and little rainy. Yeah, definitely nicer this morning and just overall for the day today.

Q. Outside of the pins, did the course play a little different than yesterday afternoon?

MINJEE LEE: I don't think so. I mean, it might have played a little bit shorter because just with the conditions not as wet. I mean, it was only a little bit wet, but, no, I don't think there was a huge difference. Just the wind, it wasn't as windy when we played.

Q. Obviously the hole locations, low scores are dependant on pin locations. We've seen low numbers out here.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah.

Q. I think the 18-hole record is 10-under. So what will the weather or the conditions needed to be in order for low numbers to be found over the weekend as you continue to make a charge up the leaderboard hopefully?

MINJEE LEE: I mean, everybody is so talented out here, so anybody can have 10-under par I think. I think mostly if the weather -- I mean weather warms up, the drives will go a little bit longer and the probably the greens -- I don't think they'll firm up too much, so I think you can be pretty aggressive going into the pins.

So I think with more wedges and shorter irons in I think you're going to have a better look for birdie.