PALOS VERDES CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY BANK OF AMERICA

April 29, 2022

Andrea Lee

Palos Verdes Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Andrea Lee. Nice little 68 today; 4-under for the week; going to be in contention over the weekend. How good does that feel for you?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, it feels great. I really built some confidence over the last month. I've been playing some really good golf.

On this course you just got to stay really patient. It's super hilly, gets really windy out there, so just playing really smart, which is what I did.

Q. Honorary member here; sponsor's invite. Just how familiar are you with this golf course and how much fun is it to play well at your kind of home course?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, very familiar. I been practicing and playing here since I was 15. Played high school matches here all the time.

So love this golf course. I'm so glad that the LPGA has the chance to come out and play here. Yeah, it's been great. I have a home crowd and people that I know from Los Angeles area following me out here, so it's really nice to have that.

And I work with Jim Gormley the head pro here, so everything just feels like home this week, which is nice.

Q. Probably a little serendipity for you. Just take us through some of your highlights out there.

ANDREA LEE: Off the top of my head, I mean, yeah, I had a pretty solid I guess -- the nines are switched so I'm getting really confused, but started off the back nine. Had a few birdies, a couple of bogeys on the par-3s.

Hit a really good 7-iron into No. 18 to about an inch. I think the crowd was like making noises like it almost went in. But that was nice top a tap-in there.

Just closed it out with a couple birdies on the front nine and on the 9th hole, which was nice.

Q. Had a win on the Epson Tour a few weeks ago. How much did that do for your confidence?

ANDREA LEE: A lot actually. You know, last year was a really tough year for me, and I felt like I learned a lot from it. In hindsight I think it was a good thing that I had kind of a rough time out there for a little bit.

Yeah, winning an Epson Tour event really boosted my confidence. You know, I think the Epson Tour girls out there, they're great competitors, too. I think a few of them could even come out here and win on the LPGA Tour. It's still a strong field.

So, yeah, definitely felt good to get that first professional win under my belt.

Q. What is it about this golf course? Obviously the draw matters out here because if you play kind of late afternoon you're going to get that wind. But what about this golf course makes it so tricky?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I think -- well, like I said, the winds and I feel like you can never get a flat lie out here on this golf course. It's either downhill, uphill, sidehill.

Just have to stay really balanced, and especially with the wind. Yesterday we were last off at 2:00 pm and I knew there would be some high winds out there; just told myself to stay really patient. Even or under par was going to be a good score.

Came out 1-under, which I was really happy with. Yeah, just came out in the morning hoping that it wouldn't be as windy and that I could shoot a better score, which I did.

Q. Looking like you're going to be in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday. What's the game plan heading into the weekend?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, just the same thing as the last couple days. Just hitting fairways, hitting greens, making some putts when I can, and just playing really aggressive but smart at the same time.

Q. What have you and Jim Gormley been working on that's helped your game grow in the past few weeks?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, it's helped me a lot. I've been working with him for a few months now. He's kept everything really simple for me, which is what I need. I'm very much a feel player and not super technical, so keeping it simple.

Been working on putting a lot and I been making quite a few putts in the last couple months, so it just feels good to have that confidence with the flat stick.