BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 28, 2021

Minjee Lee

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

Q. ...like this match play is great setup for next week's U.S. Open; why?

MINJEE LEE: I just think because it's a bit of a confidence boost when you win each match. I think because you can really focus on each shot at hand and you're a little bit under pressure on each of those shots.

I just think it's a great confidence boost going into a major. And it's at a wonderful place, so really enjoying my time.

Q. How about this golf course, Shadow Creek? What's it like playing this course? It looks really tough.

MINJEE LEE: It's just pure. Like the fairways are hard and fast and the greens are really rough, hard. So I just think you're going to have to hit really good shots in and have really good putts, hit good putts.

No, I just think it's a great place for match play. So, yeah.

Q. Minjee Lee, you were one of three winner-take-all matches today. Win you did. 4&3 over Moriya Jutanugarn. You never trailed today. Pretty strong performance.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, it was actually quite a tough match. I mean, I thought she was going to give me a couple of those holes but she just holed a lot of par putts and just kept the match rolling.

So, yeah, no, I had a really solid day today and came out with a win so I'm happy.

Q. When you can have that kind of winner-take-all match where it's you or her, kind of a preview if a knock-out match, how nice was that to have that style of play versus other groups trying to figure out who is going where and when?

MINJEE LEE: You know, I was really just concentrated on my match. I mean, I knew I had to win, so I just went out on the golf course and tried to be as aggressive as I can when I could be.

Yeah, no, I just pretty much had one goal in mind and it was to win today. That was -- it was nice. Just a good mentality.

Q. You play the winner of Group 9 tomorrow.

MINJEE LEE: Uh-huh.

Q. Right now, Hannah Green and Mel Reid are tied. Aza Munoz leading Gerina Piller. If things were to finish as they stand you would be playing Aza.

MINJEE LEE: Oh, okay.

Q. What do you know about Aza? How much have you played with her?

MINJEE LEE: You know, I played with her here and there on tour. Yeah, no, I think she's a really good match player. I think she's going to be pretty relentless out there.

Yeah, I think I played well today, so hopefully I can just keep it rolling and play well tomorrow as well.

Q. Can you take us through holes 7 and 8. You won hole 7 with a par, on the Par-5, and then you birdied. Just take us through those two where it kind of stretched you to 2-up.

MINJEE LEE: Was that to go 2-up?

Q. Yeah, 2-up and 3-up.

MINJEE LEE: I think it was on the front nine, wasn't it?

Q. Yeah, 7 and 8.

MINJEE LEE: I think we tied two holes with birdies at some point. I'm not really sure when it was.

Q. Yeah, 4 and 5.

MINJEE LEE: 4 and 5, yep. Was I already 2-up then?

Q. You were 1-up at that point.

MINJEE LEE: So after that -- I'm not really sure what happened, but I just tried to hit the fairway and then tried to hit the green and two-putt. It's really tough out here. The greens are really rock hard, and as long as you got a short iron in you can sort of control where the ball is going.

Yeah, you know, I just try to play my game. I can't really remember what point those two holes were, but I was just concentrating on each of my shots, yeah.

Q. If you can continue to reach toward the goal of winning there is the potential for 72 holes over the next two days.

MINJEE LEE: Yep.

Q. Do you remember the last time you played that much golf?

MINJEE LEE: No, but as long as you finish before those 18 holes, then I think you wouldn't be playing 72 holes over the weekend.

So, yeah, just finish before then.

Q. That's a good idea.

MINJEE LEE: Yep.

Q. With the heat and maybe a little bit more humidity today than we have had the rest of the week, what's a go-to snack and how best do you stay fuelled out there?

MINJEE LEE: I had a banana today. I really didn't feel that hungry out there. I had a good breakfast. You know, I just try to have as much water as I can on the golf course.

It is really, really dry out, and, you know, just with the wind it just -- I don't know if it's the allergies, but it just makes my throat really croaky.

Yeah, I'm just trying to stay hydrated. My lips are already cracking. I think that's really important.

Q. How did you celebrate the birthday?

MINJEE LEE: I just went to Eataly and picked up some food. It was really late by the time I got back. Yeah, no, it was nice.

Q. And you had your cake waiting for you?

MINJEE LEE: I had a little bit but I was full already after dinner.

Q. Save it for tonight.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah.

Q. Advance to the round of 16 and celebrate.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah.