LPGA QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT STAGE II

October 23, 2021

Jaclyn Lee

Plantation Golf and Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So 6-under 66. You move up quite a bit on the leaderboard. Started on the back nine. Birdies at 13, 14, 16. Any of those in particular kind of get momentum going for you? You mentioned you kind of forgot about it.

JACLYN LEE: Yeah, I think I just blacked out during my round a little bit. It was nice to play some steady golf. I would say just the first birdie to get it started for the day; it's always nice to be under par at any point in your round.

So, yeah, I think that birdie kind of just started a nice succession.

Q. Yeah, seven total.

JACLYN LEE: Yeah.

Q. Any of them stand out?

JACLYN LEE: The one on 6. I believe that's the short par -- actually the one on 5 and 6, because 5 is a tricky willing par-4. The tee shot and having a long iron in, and then had a bit of a breaker for my birdie putt. 6 I made a nice little pitch shot and had a tap-in birdie with that pin being on the back shelf, so that was nice.

Q. You had you said your lowest round of the year?

JACLYN LEE: Yeah, I think so. I think this has been my lowest round of the year.

Q. How good did it feel to do that today specifically?

JACLYN LEE: Good, good. Yeah, I mean, this year has kind of been a bit rough for me, so to kind of be playing some better golf in the last few weeks and having some better weeks on the Symetra Tour leading up to this, I think that's helped.

But, yeah, I need that. Going to have to come back to Stage II, so it's nice to play some good golf.

Q. And then playing the Symetra Tour season, how else did you prepare specifically for this type of tournament and what this week holds?

JACLYN LEE: Honestly, it was just playing the Symetra Tour events finishing off the season. I just -- I mean, obviously everyone wants to win an event, but I wanted to kind of view those events as prep events for this.

And the last two events of the Symetra Tour were based on the Money List, too, so there was some pressure to make some cuts as well to be in those events, which, I mean, I tried to simulate as being pressure for this week.

Q. Uh-huh. You played here before.

JACLYN LEE: Uh-huh.

Q. When was the last time?

JACLYN LEE: 2018.

Q. Okay.

JACLYN LEE: Yeah.

Q. What do you remember from it or how it's changed or how does the week --

JACLYN LEE: Right.

Q. How do you approach this week this time around versus then?

JACLYN LEE: Yeah, when I was playing my practice rounds this week I was kind of in shock of how much I didn't actually remember. Like I remembered some holes but I couldn't remember like which one was Bobcat or Panther for sure. But, I mean, I think that week was a blur for me, too, being in school still.

But just trying to take my past experiences knowing that I can get through it. I mean, when I came through in 2018 it was only 25 and ties, so that felt like a lot of pressure, too.

And then so I think having the 45 and ties this week kind of helped as well.

Q. You've had an injury two years ago.

JACLYN LEE: Uh-huh.

Q. Last year?

JACLYN LEE: 2019 is when I got injured. That was during my rookie year. Yeah, it's taken me a little bit to kind of get back to where I feel like my game was like back before I got injured just between rehabbing from the injury and then making some swing changes and having those hold up under pressure.

Q. Back injury?

JACLYN LEE: No, it was a wrist injury.

Q. Wrist?

JACLYN LEE: Yeah. Nonsurgical, but I had to get some shots and a lot of rest.

Q. Uh-huh.

JACLYN LEE: Yeah, there was a good three-month period where I wasn't allowed to hit any putts.

Q. Oh, wow.

JACLYN LEE: Yeah.

Q. To have gone through all that and to be on the cusp of the last stage, Q Series, what goes through your mind with the possibilities? Not that you think too much about them, but knowing that all that is there.

JACLYN LEE: I think I'm just excited for it. I think the last four weeks on Symetra Tour it was tough. Started out with two really tough golf courses in terms of walking, and a really demanding one in Arkansas.

So that kind of took the wind out of my sails and I was just trying to make it through the last two, to be honest. It was a nice break before I got here and I was really just taking it one week at a time.

So, yeah, I'll probably -- probably going to be the same thing. Q Series is a little bit a ways away, too. So, yeah, just one week at a time.

Q. And then mindset for tomorrow knowing what you accomplished today to set up for maybe hopefully a little more relaxed day tomorrow?

JACLYN LEE: Yeah, so that was nice, to be able to give myself a bit more of a cushion heading into tomorrow. But same game plan tomorrow: Just play some steady golf, yeah, post a good score.

Q. Jay keeping you calm out there?

JACLYN LEE: Yeah, he is.

Q. Jay's a good guy.

JACLYN LEE: Yeah, he is. I had him on the bag for the first five events I played on LPGA this year, so it was nice having him back on the bag. He knows my game.