KROGER QUEEN CITY CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY P&G

September 9, 2023

Minjee Lee

Kenwood Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Minjee Lee after the third round of the Kroger Queen City Championship. Solid round today, moving up the leaderboard. Just tell us how you felt about your round.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I mean, obviously it's nice to get off to a fast start. Birdied the first three holes and kind of got nice momentum going into the back half of the round and was able to make four birdies on the back. It was pretty solid overall.

Q. After those first few birdies, what was going through your head, like oh, man, I'm on fire?

MINJEE LEE: I mean, I just wanted to make more birdies after that. But the greens are so firm and really bouncy, so some of the holes you can really -- obviously you can bounce it off the front and bounce it short, but some of them are really unpredictable.

I think it was just playing the course shot by shot, and coming down the last few holes, it got quite gusty and windy.

I think overall I played really solid, and I was able to read the wind and the greens pretty well.

Q. Haven't gone this well since I think the second day at Mizuho. What was clicking? What did you find here that you've been missing?

MINJEE LEE: I mean, I feel like I've been striking it pretty well. It just hasn't really come all together the past few events.

I'm just trying to be really patient and work through my processes and give myself as many opportunities as I can for birdies. That is pretty much what I have been doing.

But today the putts dropped, and I was hitting it really well. Hopefully I can keep the momentum going into tomorrow.

Q. What's been the key to the putting? I know you were working on some things earlier this year. Has it finally settled in and you feel like you're rolling it now?

MINJEE LEE: I think it's just really belief. I think once you kind of have a couple events where you're not putting as well, you probably lose a little bit of that confidence and that belief.

I think I've been working really hard on getting the confidence back, and it's just a process. You can't really rush it, things like that.

I'm just taking it step by step and just trying to put a great stroke on every single putt I hit, and that's all I can do.

Q. Was there something you tweaked specifically, if you want to share? Was it grip or setup?

MINJEE LEE: Not really. I haven't really done anything in particular. I just haven't put so much pressure on myself to -- I have to hole this putt. Just put a good stroke on it, good timing, and see where the ball goes.

Q. I look at a season like you had last year, incredible, incredible season of golf. When you come into this season and it's kind of not all clicking, how have you managed to stay patient and give yourself some grace and know that there are a handful of events left, I can figure it out the last stretch of the year?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I think it's always really hard to back up an amazing year with another really amazing year. You have high expectations, and I think managing that is probably the hardest thing because you know you've been there, so it's like, oh, why can't I do that every week. But obviously you can't because you're human.

I think just resetting my goals and trying to stay in the present I think has really helped, and I'm more of a one-shot-at-a-time kind of girl, and I know I can play and hit the ball well and putt well.

I think it's just managing my expectations and seeing where it ends up. It is what it is.

Q. Were you aware of where you were at on the leaderboard at any point today, kind of moving up?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah. I knew I probably had to have a low round today to be close to the top. I know I was probably like tied for 10th yesterday or coming into today. Yeah, I knew where I was.

Q. What is it about playing with the lead on Sunday that gets you fired up? I think you've won five times playing with a lead on Sunday, which is a pretty big accomplishment.

MINJEE LEE: It's hard to say. I think you always kind of have that thought that someone is going to chase you, I guess, so you're always trying to be one step ahead.

I think it really depends on what situation you're in, but if you have the lead, I think you kind of always have -- not concern, but you're just always trying to be one step ahead.

Q. Talk about getting off to a birdie-birdie-birdie start.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, gave me a little bit of confidence going into the rest of the round. Obviously having a fun start is always nice, and when you're putting it really well, it also helps, so yeah.

Q. You have a penchant for shooting low rounds. You shot 63 four times in your career. You had a 64 earlier this year. What's it like for you when you get on a roll making three, four, five plus birdies in a round?

MINJEE LEE: I think just like having that momentum really helps, especially when you can save your par putts, and that is really the key for momentum out here.

Yeah, obviously making birdies is really nice, but those tricky par putts are really important, as well.

Q. You have won eight times on Tour now including two majors. You've won holding a lead, coming from behind. What is your game plan and mindset going into tomorrow should you hold on to a two-shot lead?

MINJEE LEE: Just depending on how firm they keep the greens, I think obviously some pins are going to be a little more accessible than the par-5s seem to be reachable.

I think depending on maybe the wind and how firm they keep the greens, it will depend on how aggressive I can be.