BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 24, 2022

Alison Lee

Shadow Creek

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here about Alison Lee at the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play presented by MGM Rewards. Alison, you're sitting because you're smart. You know what it's like to be out here. You just finished your pro-am. Legs are tired.

How does the golf course look as you get ready for this week?

ALISON LEE: I mean, the golf course is in great shape. No surprise there.

Living in Vegas, I'm lucky enough to come out here once in a while and use the practice facility and come and play 18. It's always in great shape. It's never not in great shape. So, yeah, no surprise there.

Got to play nine holes today. The course looks awesome. I think they did a really good job with the setups. Playing pretty similar to last year.

I would say it's maybe a little bit softer the fairways, but other than that, it'll be a fun week.

Q. How much time have you spent out here practicing and getting ready for the week?

ALISON LEE: Not a ton. I wish I had more time. But I feel like I know this course pretty well. I didn't really need too get extra rounds in to try and figure things out. The first time played here was five, six years ago, so I feel like I know the course pretty well.

Yeah, at the end of the day you just need to hit good shots, so...

Q. Good shots, absolutely. We're also here to talk to you about a really great piece that you worked with the LPGA on that just went up on the LPGA website last night, your reflections piece talking about your journey and how you got to where you are. Just wanted to ask about that journey, the ups and the downs and how you emerged from it the smiling player who is in front of us today. What was your thought process as you wedge through that piece with us?

ALISON LEE: I mean, a million emotions. I was really happy to write that piece. I was also very sad to write that piece. Million emotions going through my head. I'm really glad I wrote it. The main purpose was I'm not the only one. And not to say the struggle I'm going through is more of a struggle than anyone else's, because I know there is way worse that people are going through besides obviously going through a mental health issue.

Yeah, I just want people to be comfortable and be open to saying their truth and communicating with other people about it. I mean, sometimes when you're in moments like that you just drown in your own thoughts and it makes it worse. I feel like people shouldn't be afraid to come forward and really talk about what's going on in their head.

I mean, everyone has a bad day. Everyone has something that they're going through and people don't know. They just live in their own shoes and don't realize that everyone else is going through the same thing.

Q. You talked about some of those low points. Who do you talk to to get through it? What have you done yourself that's really let you embrace some of that anxiety and concerns to focus on becoming a better person physically, mentally?

ALISON LEE: I would say multiple people. You know, the first answer that most people would give is go see a mental coach or therapist or something like that.

I did try that route. It wasn't for me, because I felt like they would tell me things I already knew and it wasn't something I could get through. Whatever is going on in your head it's so hard to tell yourself to get rid of negative thoughts. It's easier said than done is.

So I would say the people that helped most was my mom, all my friends, and my coach as well. Swing coach, Chris Mason. Him and I worked together for probably four years now, and, I mean, I wouldn't be sitting here playing on the LPGA still if it weren't for him.

Yeah, I mean, just communicating with friends. I mean, all my friends, coach, mom, they're all I would like to say like my unpaid and volunteer therapists that I vent to. Sometimes you need to let it out. I think that's really healthy.

It does give a different perspective on life and it really tells you -- I mean, even working with my coach, I mean, instead of attacking golf from 100% mental perspective, just do whatever you can control. Just taking it one step at a time.

Took me a really long time I feel like the last few years to really come out and of it and to feel good about my game and feel good about myself. Sometimes it takes people a few months; sometimes it takes people a few years.

You just need to be able to be open to talking to someone about it. There are a bunch of people out there who can help get you through it, yeah.

Q. So it does seem like talking and embracing that unknown seems to have helped you both on and off the golf course. You're happy, smiling, and playing well. How do you feel that's helped you improve your game?

ALISON LEE: I mean, the million dollar question obviously is what came first, right, the chicken or the egg? When it comes to golf terms, it's what came first, a good shot or confidence?

Because they do go hand in hand, so sometimes even though you're feeling down, you hit a good shot and you get a boost of confidence, and the rest of the round you can play well or vice versa.

It's just finding that happy medium and finding what works well for you. You need both to have a good round, good week, good year. Finding what works best for you you. Everybody is different.

For me, you know, taking a break from a golf really helped. I mean at my lowest point I would get so obsessed with golf. I couldn't get it out of my mind. I would look at my swing videos over and over again and it's the same exact same swing and I'm just getting in my own head like freaking out basically and not being able to sleep.

And so really separating it and kind of stepping back from golf and taking some time off and hanging out with friends. The communicating part I feel like is the No. 1 key, because it really gives you perspective into other people's lives and shoes and really shows you, wow, what I'm going through is honestly so small compared to what the rest of the struggles out there are.

I feel like that's super important, yeah.

Q. Are there any other athletes, any other people in your life that you looked to as inspiration as you worked through the challenges and came to terms with them?

ALISON LEE: Yeah, of course. There is multiple athletes out there who have through the same thing competing at the highest levels. Simone Biles comes to mind I feel like with the previous Olympic Games. Being on top of the world you would think she could do ever routine with her eyes closed.

Sometimes society's pressures around you just get the best of you and you just can't perform. It's hard to explain to people who have never been there and understand.

I remember playing in a tournament, and before I even tee'd off on the first tee, my heart -- I looked down at my apple watch and I saw that my heart rate was 170 and I was just standing there.

I mean, sometimes -- and especially with a sport. Like especially gymnastics where it's dangerous. Sometimes when your heart is racing that fast and you can't think straight your body doesn't do what you're telling it to do.

So especially for someone like her it could be dangerous. For golf, if you don't swing properly you're not going to hit the ball straight.

I guess it's just going through those emotions and trying to work through it. Like I said, a lot of people who have never been there won't really understand.

Not to say it's the worst thing in the world, but it's just -- that's an individual person's journey to go through it and see and work their way trying to get out of it. Because, I mean, no one is ever going to -- no professional golfer is ever going to have an entire career where golf is easy.

Some weeks it will be, but I would say you're just going to have to learn to deal with all the pressure, all the anxiety, all the emotions you have. It's going to become part of your daily life basically. It's a question of if you can handle it and how to handle it, yeah.

Q. Thank you so much for being so honest and for talking about it. I'm happy you seem to be doing well and are at point you can talk. It is great. We've had you speaking about this. We had Lizette last year. We've had so many players opening up about what looks on an outer shell to be the amazing life on a pro athlete on the road, but everything that goes into it and we are all just humans.

ALISON LEE: Yeah. Thank you, yeah. Like I said, if you talk to any athlete -- I mean, especially if you've played for a certain number of years. Any athlete who's still pretty young and hasn't gone through all those emotions I feel like it's still pretty fresh.

If you ask a lot of the veterans that have been here five to ten years, you go in waves. So you to find what works best for you and what can make you a better person and better athlete and a better golfer.

Q. Considering what you've been through on your journey, how important is it for to you get a win? How strong is the desire to win? Or is it just being out here is the joy at this point?

ALISON LEE: To be honest, you know, my first few years on tour I would, you know, end the year disappointed. I would have a good year and I wanted to win so bad. I finally got my first win last year on the LET, which was awesome, so fun. I didn't think it would take me seven years to get my first victory, and obviously now I want it. I want it so bad.

And there are weeks where I show up and I think this is potentially the week; this might happen. And then there is other weeks where I'm just like, let's just try and get through the week.

Even a few events this year where I had a really good first round, I felt super good, felt great; then you have just kind of one day where you just don't feel right. Because I feel like to win a tournament everything needs to fall into place.

You need to feel good, you need to be hitting it good. You get a couple good breaks, too. It's four days of golf. It's a lot and you're competing against the best in the world, so you need to be 100% on top of it.

Not going to lie. I want it. I want it so bad. I'm not going to kill myself if I can't ever get there. Will I be disappointed? Probably. As I look back on my career, I just feel like I need to take the positives from it and be really grateful.

You just need to kind of mentally think about your round and your year and your career as something positive. I mean, the same goes on the smaller scale on the course. If I hit a good shot you need to tell yourself, oh, I hit a good shot. You can't be, oh, I wish it was two feet closer.

You have to take the positives. And so I do want to win. I really do. If I don't, it won't be the end of the year. Am I going to keep trying? Of course.

Q. Do you look to someone like Ryann O'Toole for inspiration? Took her ten years to get a win.

ALISON LEE: Yeah, I mean, Ryann, she's it's also UCLA alum. She also played Solheim Cup back in the day and struggled for a few years; finally got her first win.

People even say with Annika, too. She didn't hit her peak in her career until her late 20s. So, I mean, I know it's possible. I know I can do it. I feel like I'm good enough.

Hopefully in the next few years whenever thing falls into place I can do it. I feel like I've been pretty close the time I've been on tour. Yeah, we'll see. Obviously that's the end goal of each week. I mean, you want to come to each tournament wanting to win, so, yeah.

Q. Going to change topics here. Was wondering about your journey, how you ended up in Las Vegas, how you chose it and why you stay here, what you like about it?

ALISON LEE: Yeah, so I'm originally an LA girlie. I grew up in LA, went to UCLA, and my first year on tour -- you know, everyone moves out of California. Most people move out of California for tax reasons obviously.

When I turned pro I was still in school and I thought, okay, I'm going to stay in California because I want to pay in-state tuition because I wasn't on the golf team anymore when I turned pro and I had to pay for my own tuition at UCLA.

My first year on tour I played really good and I paid in-state tuition, but my taxes were through the roof. You know, I did want to buy my own place, and so Vegas seemed to perfect because it was close to home. I mean, if I want to go visit my friends or family it's only a four-hour drive or less than an hour flight. Super cheap flights, too.

And it's Vegas. I mean, if I ask my parents or friends to come visit me the answer is always yes. And golf courses here are amazing, too. We have quite a good, like a nice good community of pro golfers that live in Vegas and we always get together and play golf and kind of have friendly matches stuff like that.

So I'm really glad I chose Vegas as a home base.

Q. I think I counted 17 guys on the PGA Tour based here or went to school here. Where is your home course?

ALISON LEE: Southern Highlands. Yeah, we have quite a few guys out there and girls. We got Jenny Shin and Tiffany Chan who are playing this week who are at Souther Highlands. Kevin Nah is out there. We have a few other guys. Kurt Kitayama, Xander just joined, Doug Ghim.

Yeah, it's nice when we go to the course and we see only friendly faces and maybe play a friendly match or nine holes or something like that in the afternoon.

Q. I asked Danielle this because she's considered kind of the ambassador out here for this course. Do you get a lot of questions from your peers about how to play Shadow Creek? Or does that all go to her?

ALISON LEE: Not really. I mean, a lot of girls have been out here and played last year. I would get questions about the course, but not necessarily how to play it.

I don't know, that's not really a question a lot of girls on tour ask each other. I don't know if it's a pride thing, but I don't think I would go to someone whose home course it is and ask, oh, what are all the dirty secrets.

This course is very different than others. It's not just what you see is what you get. You have to play the slopes. You have to play is smart and know where to leave the ball, where to hit the ball as well.

So feel like a lot of the girls like Danielle and I and some of the girls who have played out here quite a bit maybe do get a bit of an advantage because we have played here a bit more than a lot of the other girls out here.

But, yeah, like I said to Christina, at the end of the day you have to hit good shots. If you hit good shots, you know, holes will come.

THE MODERATOR: I'm going to wrap up with a question about tomorrow. Taking on Amy Olson first round. Also got in your pod, Atthaya and Tiff Chan. What's game plan tomorrow for taking on Amy?

ALISON LEE: So I was trying to think about this. I actually played Amy in the U.S. Girls Junior back in the day when she won.

THE MODERATOR: I was there, too. Bedminster.

ALISON LEE: Yes. I want to say it was the first round, too, the round of 64. So hopefully I get my revenge. I know it's 15 years later, but, yeah, that'll be fun. I love Amy. I love every one I'm playing with. They're all super nice girls. Hopefully doesn't get too feisty, but I think it will be a fun, friendly match.

THE MODERATOR: Especially with Tiff, a little USC, UCLA rivalry going on there?

ALISON LEE: Yeah. Tiffany also is an MGM ambassador and we both practice at Southern Highlands, so we practice together a lot. So yeah, that'll be fun.

Q. A Trojan can practice with a Bruin, huh?

ALISON LEE: Yeah. After school is over. Not during.

THE MODERATOR: Speaking of, the NCAAs are going on right now. It's great to see all the great coverage on TV and rose Zhang playing so well.

ALISON LEE: Yes.

Q. You had great memories of your time at UCLA. What are those girls going through right now?

ALISON LEE: I don't know. I mean, when I was there it wasn't match play yet. I think it's really cool. I wish I was able to play match play when I was there because I feel like it would've made things a lot more interesting.

But it is a lot of golf. I'm sure they're all really tired. They're running on adrenaline. I think when I last checked it's going to be really close. I think they're done now. I haven't looked. I don't really know what's going on. But they were really close. Did they lose? Oh, they lost. Okay.

I mean, I think the fact they made it to the top eight, I think that's awesome. USC didn't make it. I need to point that out.

THE MODERATOR: Yeah, they lost 3&2 to Auburn.

ALISON LEE: Yeah. But I definitely do miss my time at UCLA. Don't regret one second of it, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks so much Alison. What you wrote, what you've said is going to help a lot. Appreciate you helping with that.

ALISON LEE: Thanks.

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