BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 27, 2022

Andrea Lee

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Andrea Lee coming off her 2-1 victory over Stephanie Meadow. Congratulations on the win. How does it feel to be moving into the round of 16 at your first Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, feels amazing. Honestly, coming into this week I didn't have too many expectations. It's really hard to win a match out here against any girls, so to get through this round robin part of the match play event, it means a lot, yeah.

Q. So you tied the first day, correct?

ANDREA LEE: Uh-huh.

Q. So that means you played all 18 holes, and then yesterday you went 2-up so you still played a lot of holes. How are you feeling after all that golf?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I'm feeling all right. Just to pace myself and get a lot of rest. As soon as I get back to the hotel I shower, eat dinner, and go straight to bed.

Probably do the same thing tonight. Potentially two rounds tomorrow, so definitely going to try and sleep well tonight.

Q. How are you managing mentally the fact that you still potentially have a lot of rounds in front of you?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I'm just taking it day by day. You never know with match play. You could go really low, win; play not so great and win. I feel like the last couple days I didn't really have my best stuff, but I played better today against Stephanie and she was a really good competitor.

So, yeah, it was a fun match for sure.

Q. I see you were down most of the beginning of the match, and then you finally went 2-up on the 17th hole. What did you do mentality-wise to pick yourself up there from a deficit?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I was really patient all day. I don't think I took the lead until after the 14th hole, so just knew there were holes out -- lot of holes left, and par is a really good score out here. It's really firm, the greens, and got really windy there for a little bit, so par is a good score.

Actually on 12 I think I holed out for eagle, which was pretty cool. So I think that was kind of the momentum shifter for me.

Q. Yes, I do see that. Sometimes you never know. So you did eagle. Tell me, kind of take me through that eagle.

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I mean, I hit a good drive down the left center of the fairway; had 115 to the hole and I was just trying to hit the front number, which was 105.

The wind was a little into off the left, so I just hit a nice little pitching wedge, and, yeah, it went in. I didn't even see it go in. Some ladies were clapping on the side. I was like, oh, must be pretty close. Then the cameraman he was like, it went in. He made this gesture, so that was pretty cool, yeah.

Q. Quite a few of you young Americans who have made it to the round of 16. What do you think that says about the depth of the American golf situation in?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I mean, I think there is a lot of depth on the American side, especially in match play. You know, I think that shows us that we can do well.

You know, I know the Solheim Cups, they haven't been quite I way we wanted to the last couple times, but I think we're all really strong. First major winner of the year was Jennifer Kupcho, and I think there is a lot of good young American players up and coming. I think it's a great thing for American golf for sure.

Q. I was counting, and there were 14 major champions who were in this field, but the round of 16 so far there is I believe 9 of you now who don't have a win on tour. Does that make you change your approach, make you a little more comfortable going into the round of 16?

ANDREA LEE: Not really. Like I said, I just take every match match by match, just try to focus on my own game no matter who the opponent is. Could be a major champion, could be a non-winner on the LPGA Tour. Everyone is capable enough to win out here. I'm not surprised that there are a lot of girls that haven't won moving on to the round of 16. Any matchup is going to be a good one.

Q. If I'm not mistaken, you're a Stanford player.

ANDREA LEE: Yes, sir.

Q. Are you living out the karma of this week?

ANDREA LEE: Definitely. I was so stoked for them. It's been seven years since we won the last national championship. They have such an amazing team Rachel, Rose, they led that team to victory.

And Brooke Seay and Aline Krauter who were my teammates at one point, they fought until the end. I'm so proud of them. I really want to congratulate them.

Q. We'll see one or two of them out here I think pretty soon.

ANDREA LEE: I think so. Next week. I think a couple of them will be out at the U.S. Women's Open, but I think you maybe meant the LPGA Tour. Eventually they definitely will, yeah.