WGC DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY

March 22, 2023

Min Woo

Austin Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Boy, flurry of birdies, couple of eagles, couple of doubles. What stood out to you about that match?

MIN WOO LEE: I mean, it was a highlight reel all day. Had two chip-ins, two eagles. Yeah, did a lot. Finished really well, could have birdied all the last four, and yeah, it kind of sucked to lip out on 15 real hard, and he had -- not momentum, but I hit a bad drive after that, and it seemed like it went to his side, and I'm glad I holed a putt on 17 because if I missed that, he probably would have holed it and I would have lost. It was back and forth all day, and it was such a good match.

I think it would be one of the best rounds all day, and it sucked that one of us had to win. But it was wonderful, and that's what you want in match play. We both played really well.

Q. What's your mentality standing on the tee on 17, because as you said, you've just lipped out again, now 1-down, and he's hit a dart in there?

MIN WOO LEE: I think I was kind of glad that I didn't really see where his ended up. Obviously it ended up five feet from the hole, but on my angle off the tee I couldn't really see because there's a bunker in the way. I hit my shot, which I thought was a little longer than his, and it spun back to 12 feet and ended up holing the putt.

The mentality is you've just got to go out there and step up and hit a good shot. It's tough. You're versing the best players in the world. You're expecting them to make birdies, and you have to go up and make birdies yourself.

I mean, I just needed to hit a good shot, and I'm glad that one dropped in on the right edge there because it sucked the last two holes because I did lip out on those 15, 16, so it was nice.

Q. 17 was kind of tricky, wasn't it. Looked like it hit a wet spot or something.

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, I hit it out right, and the other ones had a bit more speed, and it just lipped out, but I told myself to hit it a bit higher just because there must be something with -- I'm not reading it enough, so I looked a bit further out and hit it, and I don't know what happened, it just looked like it was staying out and then it kind of like just dripped in. I don't know, I guess some unlucky breaks and some lucky breaks. Yeah, nice birdie.

Q. You mentioned it was a highlight reel, and it was fun to watch as a fan, but sometimes when you're right in the middle of it playing, you don't really appreciate it as much. Is it fun even when you're playing a match like that?

MIN WOO LEE: I mean, yes, it is, because like I said, these guys are good. You've got to go out there and actually hit good shots. You're not expecting unforced errors from these top players.

Yeah, it was a lot of good golf there, and yeah, hope I can do it more.

Q. The drive on 5, was that your best shot of the day? What was your best shot of the day if it wasn't that?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, I hit a great drive there. I hit a lot of good drives actually. I changed -- if you guys want to change, I changed my driver shaft yesterday, and that was one key area why I drove it really good. There was a couple drives that were wayward, but it is what it is. But did hit a lot of good drives out there.

Q. From what to what?

MIN WOO LEE: So I went to the red Ventus to the blue Ventus, which is for layman's terms, it's a bit stiffer and a bit less whippier when you get to the ball. Before I used to like to shape the ball a lot, and recently I've tried to straighten up myself a little bit, so when I get to the ball, it's not as behind me, I guess, and it's a bit more in front.

And the then the spin has gone a little down, so that's one key that I really needed to do to get myself from a good driver to a great driver, and it's nice when the ball actually listens to what you're trying to hit.

For a while there I just felt like it wasn't ideal, so just got to a point where I needed to change.

Q. You were at the red and now you're at the blue?

MIN WOO LEE: Yes, at the blue right now, yes. Red last week, blue this week.

Q. You had a great match when you were 17 I understand at Sahalee.

MIN WOO LEE: Yes, yes. I guess he beat me then and I guess I got him this week. That was a really long time ago. Thanks for reminding me. That was probably one of the most fun weeks I've had as an amateur. I think I probably would have been 17, 18 that time, or was it to 17?

Q. You were both 17 years old.

MIN WOO LEE: Okay, so we were juniors, and I think I shot one of the lowest rounds that day and I got into a playoff with him, and yeah, he got me. He made up-and-down on me on the last hole, exactly the same as this.

Q. I think you were down five or six I heard --

MIN WOO LEE: On that last day? Yeah, I was down by I think seven or eight and I had the only under-par round of the day, so it was really cool to somehow get to the top.

Q. So you've been waiting to get him back?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, exactly. We played at the Open, and yeah, this was the next one. I guess this one mattered the most, and I'm glad I got it.

Q. You have all afternoon pretty much at this point, it's not even 2:00. What are you going to do with the rest of the day?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, just hang out. I'm not sure what time I am. I mean, just rest for the afternoon. I had a gym session yesterday, so it's more just resting up and hanging out and chilling out.

I've got a long time until my next one, so maybe a little gym session and then physio.

Q. In a close match like this one, do you get nervous at all on the golf course?

MIN WOO LEE: Oh, I was nervous on the 18th hole, that chipping and that putting. The bunker shot was -- it wasn't the hardest shot, but I'm glad it was on the up slope and I could get a little bit of elevation, but you've still got to go up and hit the shot.

I was nervous. That short putt, I was nervous. We haven't really hit that many short putts today because we give it to each other. But when you have that to win and you don't want to miss, you just step up and you've got to hit a good putt.

Q. What goes through your mind in moments like that?

MIN WOO LEE: I guess it's just adapting to the situation. You're nervous, your hands are sweaty. I think I've played enough to know where it's how to combat it and how to -- I guess it's just breathing and just kind of getting into your routine because you start rushing, so I just needed to hang out and chill.

Q. What did you say to each other on 18?

MIN WOO LEE: Oh, I said, "great match." Like I said, it sucked that one of us had to win and one of us had to lose. It was such a special match. You go back and it was back and forth.

No one got to 2-up, no one got to 2-down, and it was back and forth. He had it in the palm of his hand, I had it pretty close, and then it just flipped so quick, and that's match play, which is the awesome thing.

Q. How close do you feel like you are to winning on the PGA TOUR?

MIN WOO LEE: I mean, it's a marathon, isn't it? It's such a -- it's hard to say. I have been playing wonderful for the last few months, and I hope I can continue that, but I feel like I've just started to get into my craft and not know what shots and know what misses I have, I guess, and after you get that, I think you just need a couple good breaks, and hopefully you can hold a trophy at the end of the week.

I feel like I'm close-ish. I know there's players better than me, but I know I can also hold my own ground. I hope I can get the situation again, and hopefully finish it off.