COGNIZANT FOUNDERS CUP

May 13, 2023

Minjee Lee

Upper Montclair Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Minjee Lee, our defending champion and now clubhouse leader heading into the final round at the Cognizant Founders Cup. Going into tomorrow, what are just some of your thoughts, feelings, nerves about being the defending champion and being in the lead?

MINJEE LEE: You know, I'm sure I'll be nervous coming down the first hole, but I think they're good nerves. I feel pretty good about the golf course and how I'm hitting it, so just going to play my game and play aggressively when I can and play smart when I have to. Stick to my processes and game plan, which I have been doing.

Q. Yeah. Is it better to be in the lead heading into the final round on this courses or to be in the chase and a little more aggressive?

MINJEE LEE: I guess it's all relative, how you think about it. I'm just going to try and get more ahead I guess now that I'm not coming from behind.

So it's just a mindset.

Q. Do you feel comfortable with a three-stroke lead knowing that par is a good score out here I guess?

MINJEE LEE: I mean, there are birdieable holes. Some of the par-5s are reachable in two. Few holes you can really go for it with some wedges.

So I feel pretty good about where I'm at. Hopefully I can put up another good score.

Q. After bogeying 1, did that rattle you at all? You finished your round with a perfect mark with no other bogeys.

MINJEE LEE: Not really. I think it just gave me a little bit more motivation to make a birdie to get it back. I put a string of birdies together and it was nice to finish on a good note.

Q. Couple of other players have mentioned how you kind of appear carefree on the course and don't let a lot get to you, at least that you show. What do you feel internally in those big moments?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I mean, I'm mostly pretty chill when I'm playing, like I show. But there is like a little bit of nerves. Just depends what kind of situation I'm in. I just try to, you know, hit one shot at a time and just one foot in front of the other.

Q. And you talk about wanting to be aggressive on this course. Is there anything in particular that might have you step back and play a little bit more conservatively?

MINJEE LEE: Probably just the pin placements, just depending where they are tomorrow.

Q. Couple quick questions. On 1, what lead to the bogey?

MINJEE LEE: Probably my drive. Hit it right and it just was like literally off the first cut, but it was just overhanging with the tree a little bit and it went through the green.

Q. On 8, looked like you hit a bomb. How far was that?

MINJEE LEE: I don't remember 8. Sorry.

Q. Yeah.

MINJEE LEE: 8th hole, what does it look like?

Q. It was across the green and rolled in for a birdie. Really long putt.

MINJEE LEE: Was it a par-3?

Q. Yes.

MINJEE LEE: Oh, yeah. It's just that hole, with that wind, with that pin placement, it was hard to get it close. Just to be on the green I thought it was a pretty good effort.

I was like, I'm just going to put a nice stroke on it and try and get it close, because it was like 50 feet. Went in, so bonus.

Q. And on 12 eagled, and that was roughly 20?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, probably 18, 20 feet.

Q. My final question is: For the first two days you said you weren't thinking about winning because you wanted to be in position.

MINJEE LEE: Uh-huh.

Q. Are you starting to think about winning again?

MINJEE LEE: Not really. I'm just chillin'. I'm not really thinking too much or doing anything obviously.

Yeah, I'm just going to play my own game and stick to what I can control and stick to my game plan.