THE 149TH OPEN

July 15, 2021

Min Woo Lee

Mixed Zone

Q. Thanks for joining us, making your major debut this week here at the Open Championship. Can you give us your impressions on the day?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah. I mean, it was fair. You hit it good, and you can score and then you hit it bad, and you get penalized.

I think for my first major, I was enjoying it until I made my triple bogey, but there's another day that I can bring it back.

I think it's fine. It was -- yeah, I think fair is the right answer.

Q. Talk to us about playing on this big stage with so many crowds. What was it like out there? Were you nervous at all?

MIN WOO LEE: No, it wasn't actually too nerve-racking for my first major. I think if you're well prepared, I think you should be fine. But I think for my first major I handled myself pretty good other than that one hole.

I mean, the crowds are awesome. I think I've been playing good because the crowds are back, and I love thriving off them. It's awesome. Claps on every hole even though you made -- even when I made triple bogey, they know it's a tough sport and they clap. True fans out here.

Q. You're obviously in some excellent form and you won last week and you've come into a major championship. Is it hard to back up a win emotionally, mentally and come out on to such a big stage?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, I mean, on the last hole I was mentally drained. I think I got a bit caught up in just the golf round. I won last week; I should be happy. But I'm going to enjoy this afternoon off and hopefully play well tomorrow. I've got not too much pressure on my back, and it was very nice to get that win.

I'm just going to go out there tomorrow and try to make a lot of birdies.

Q. Speaking of your birdies, you did make some out there. Can you talk to us about those?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, I mean, I hit a lot of good shots again today, and I just didn't really putt well. I'm not sure exactly what holes I birdied, but yeah, they were nice birdies. It's the first time putting with this much wind in a long time, so I think it just gets -- you've just got to get used to it, which I guess I haven't really -- I had a couple three-putts, which were a bit painful. Greens got a little -- they're slopey, and all the uphill putts and into the wind putts, they're crazy hard to hit, hit with a good pace. I might just go out and hit a few putts this afternoon and try to get the pace right.

Q. I can't let you go without asking about Minjee. Did you look to her to ask for any advice on how to handle a major championship?

MIN WOO LEE: No, she just said good luck. Every golf course is pretty similar; you just hit the same shot, draw, fade, whatever. No, I didn't get that much advice from her. Probably why I played bad.

I mean, I've just come off a win, so I'm sure she knows I'm playing pretty good. Yeah, just a good luck message.