BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 25, 2023

Alison Lee

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Alison Lee. Down after the turn, what was kind of the mindset to kind of get yourself back into this match?

ALISON LEE: Yeah, I mean, it was playing tough out there. I felt like my game was in a good place. You know, Muni was making quite a few birdies here and there and there is nothing you could do.

So I felt like I was playing great. Definitely was a challenge coming down the stretch. Got it back to even and then I was down two, so definitely was a little nervous coming down the stretch.

But I felt confident that I was playing well. I made some really, really good, important putts on the last few holes that really, really helped me out.

So thankful for the putter and thankful I get to still be in the mix.

Q. Yeah. Speaking of that confidence, to get yourself back into a position like you did, how does that translate into the rest of the tournament as we go on?

ALISON LEE: I mean, that's how you play good golf, you know, especially match play. You really got to try and block out all the negatives, because it is match play and you do got to just get over all the bad shots and bad holes.

I mean, at the end of the day it doesn't matter and you still have plenty of holes left and anything can happen. Especially with match play, literally anything can happen. Even the last few holes there were times when I was in a spot and I thought, you know, I would lose the hole and then I would make a good comeback putt or my playing opponent might have made a small mistake.

So you just never know with match play.

Q. Was there a memorable hole that you made a shot or made a save or something and you were like, okay, I'm in this still?

ALISON LEE: A huge hole for me probably was 15. 15 I made a really good six-footer par putt and Muni missed hers. I felt like it kind of changed the momentum a little bit of it.

16 I made a really good long birdie putt and she came back and made a birdie as well.

And then same with 17. I had like a 10-footer for par; was able to make that. She missed her birdie putt so it kept me in the mix.

So, yeah, I mean, because coming down the stretch I got it back to even, was 2-down, and I was a little bit disappointed in myself. I mean, those putts were huge.

Q. Yeah. Yesterday you had a decent lead and let it slip away. Today you were behind most of the way and found a way to win. Is this just an indication of what match play is?

ALISON LEE: Yeah. Honestly, yesterday I did not play well. Maria didn't play well either. We both were kind of struggling as the day was going on. It was kind of rough.

I did have a lead, but honestly, to me it didn't really feel like a lead because we were both playing poorly. I mean, we had a couple holes halved with bogey. I lost couple holes because I made bogey. She lost a few because she made bogey.

And today honestly I feel like I played great. I made quite a few birdies out there. Yeah, overall today I probably shot six strokes better I think.

Q. Uh-huh.

ALISON LEE: Yeah, and I have both matches, but that just shows you what match play is. Doesn't matter how you play, you just got to beat your opponent.

Q. So you're in control of your group now, but Danielle is standing in your way tomorrow. What do you expect to play against Danielle on her course here?

ALISON LEE: Yeah, Danielle, obviously a great player. She knows this course well. I know this course fairly well, too. I live up here in Vegas so I have played this course quite a few times.

That doesn't make the course any easier than it is, no matter how many times we've played it. Yeah, should be good fun. Honestly I just feel like if I played like I did today I should be good, I should be solid.

Yeah, you just never know what the next day holds.

Q. And then if you don't want to go there I'm fine with that, but a year ago at this tournament is when you went public with your mental health story. Just wanted to see where you are with things right now and how you're feeling about life and golf in general.

ALISON LEE: Yeah, from a life perspective, it's great. Golf is always iffy. You know, you could have a great week and you feel great. Even on some weeks when you played all right you don't feel great because you always feel like you could do better.

Golf honestly to me personally is like a drug. You want that high of hitting a good shot, performing well, and sometimes even if you have a top 10 at the end of the week you're still not happy. It's almost like nothing is ever good enough.

So it's just working through that and making sure I celebrate the little things and really just stay positive and really enjoy the moment.

I mean, it's beautiful out here. The weather has been amazing for us the last couple days, especially for here in Vegas. So, yeah, just trying to look around and enjoy it and enjoy this walk and enjoying the golf course.

Q. Great. Your story is very inspirational.

ALISON LEE: Thank you.

Q. Appreciate you sharing it.

ALISON LEE: Yeah.

Q. As you mentioned, Vegas resident. Talk about playing at home, friends and family, if they came out, all that fun stuff.

ALISON LEE: Yeah, I mean, middle of the season it's always tough. Everyone starts to get a little tired. We're on the road a ton. Starting to get a little fatigued, but it's always nice to sleep in my own bed, play at a golf course I'm family, having my family here.

It's just nice to be home honestly. We don't really get to be home much in the middle of the season, so I'm really appreciating this. Obviously playing a course like Shadow Creek, I mean, it's the best in town. It's one of the best in the whole country.

So yeah, mix of great golf course, staying in my own bed, I mean, you can't ask for much better.