AT&T BYRON NELSON

May 9, 2023

K.H. Lee

TPC Craig Ranch

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome K.H. Lee into the interview room here at the AT&T Byron Nelson, our 2021 and 2022 champion. Thanks for joining us for a few minutes. If you can take us back to last year winning this tournament for the second time, beating Jordan Spieth by one shot. If you can take us back and talk about what that meant to you.

K.H. LEE: I always have great memories here, and so lucky for win last year. 9-under par last day, and then really cool experience for me and very nice memory.

Q. Only three players have won the same tournament three straight years in the last 40 years: Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker and Stuart Appleby. What would it mean to you to win this tournament three straight years?

K.H. LEE: Yeah, honestly, very good pressure for me, but still, I'm very thankful for that opportunity, three times in a row champion. I try my best. If that happens, it's really cool.

Q. You have three top-10 finishes this year in 16 starts. Most recently you finished tied for eighth last week. Just talk a little bit about the state of your game coming into this week.

K.H. LEE: Yeah, I think getting better my game. A couple months ago, I struggled with putting, but I think last week getting much better, my putting, but it's only confidence for putting and irons, so I think ready for this week.

Q. What is it about this course that fits you so well?

K.H. LEE: I like this golf course. Course shape a little wide, and I like to try hard with my driver, so hit driver harder, a little more wider fairway, I like it.

Also, I don't know why, when I'm here, putting really good and confidence here, so that is I think key for me.

Q. When you walked this course today, did you feel that confidence you were talking about? Does that come back immediately?

K.H. LEE: Yes. A lot of good memories. When I stand on No. 1 tee or No. 10 tee, it's a lot of good memories here, and then a lot of confidence for me.

I played the back nine today, and I'm walking on 18 green, and I remember 2021 and 2022. Very nice memory and then very good confidence for me.

Q. From what you have seen of the course this year, did any changes stick to you? Obviously particularly the 12th hole now being a par-4.

K.H. LEE: Yeah, I played the nine back, so I saw the change par-5, two years, and then this year, par-4.

I remember a lot of eagles over there, but I think not much eagles this week. But still, my ball shape a little draw, so still I like that the ball shape, little draw shape. Still I'm very comfortable on the tee box. Just change my goal, just try and make a birdie.

Q. Obviously your two wins have come here. Take me back to before you won; do you feel like a different golfer at this point, having won? Do you feel like it's validated you? Do you feel different than you did then?

K.H. LEE: Yes, I'm more confidence than before not winning tournaments, but I remember 2021 win, a lot of rain, delayed two and a half hours. Feels like first win is very hard, I remember, when I won. So I'm really proud of myself and more confidence for me.

Q. You had a top-10 finish obviously in the last tournament. Do you feel you have more momentum going into this tournament than you did the last two years?

K.H. LEE: Yes. I think, yes, very good momentum and more confidence. I think last year a little struggle with my game, and then when I'm back here, winning last year and then back to momentum.

But this year, top 10 last week, and I think more confidence than last year. Hopefully good result this week.

Q. As you prepared to come here this week, were you aware of the news about the shooting that happened just a few miles from here? Did you follow the news about the eight people who were shot and killed near here?

K.H. LEE: Yeah, I heard a couple days ago. Very feel bad. Hopefully we players have a good game, play well. Hopefully they feel -- sorry about that. When we play well, give comfort to the community.

Q. Did you notice between 2021 and last year that there was more fan attention last year than there was in the first time you won here, and maybe are you expecting more fan attention this time around as you go for a three-peat?

K.H. LEE: You mean like more pressure or --

Q. More fan attention.

K.H. LEE: Yes. A couple of guys just called K.H. Lee a couple times on the tee box or fairway. It feels really good. Some guys text me something, so I feel very good, yeah.