CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 16, 2023

Alison Lee

Tiburon Golf Club

Flash Interview

Q. All right, joined by Alison Lee. Just take us through your first round here at the CME Group Tour Championship.

ALISON LEE: Yeah, I mean, honestly, before the round started there was a lot of wind on the range so I was mentally preparing myself for a tough day out there.

But, yeah, I'm really happy with my 6-under round. You know, when I got there the breeze kind of died a little bit so made it a little bit easier out there mentally, and being able to work my way around the courses.

But really happy with my 6-under. It's always tough to follow up a second place with a good round, another good week, so really happy with my start.

Q. What were some of the challenges out there, especially with all the rain from yesterday?

ALISON LEE: Yeah, I would say the main challenge was just trying to get the wind right and getting the numbers right and staying mentally in it, because like I said, really good stretch of events. It's tough to follow that up, and I feel like I have a little bit of extra pressure on me to do well.

But, yeah, I didn't let that get ahead of me. Yeah, really happy with my round. I played really great. Didn't make too many mistakes out there. Only missed couple greens. Didn't make my bogeys made a lot of really good putts.

Just overall, I mean, it's nothing too exciting. I feel like I played really consistently out there. I've been playing really consistent golf. Yeah, just hopefully can ride this wave into the last event.

Q. You mentioned a few times coming off the second place finish at BMW, last week at The ANNIKA. You talk about not wanting to put so much pressure on yourself. What are you doing to alleviate that? What are you doing to maintain that consistency to stay towards the top?

ALISON LEE: Just trying to stay fresh every day. Not changing too much into my routine. Doing my best to really unwind off the golf course and not think too much on it. Obviously I am a little disappointed with my last two finishes. Obviously if you told me a month before that I was going to go second place, second place, I wouldn't have believed you.

So, yeah, just trying to treat every day like a new day and a new challenge. That's what I tried to do today, and tried to make as many birdies and tried to play a bit more aggressively, especially with some of the putts I had with it raining and being a little bit slower.

So, yeah, thankful some of them, the hole caught the ball, so hopefully I can keep doing that and play another three good days. It's so tough to play four rounds of good golf. Even playing one round of good golf is tough, so putting four rounds together is obviously the biggest challenge.

So three more days to go. Hopefully keep in the same mindset and hitting it like I am now.

Q. How mentally -- I don't want to say exhausting, but it's exhausting to keep this kind of -- you said two T2s, but in there with a win on the LET. How mentally exhausting is it to win such good golf?

ALISON LEE: It's definitely exhausting, but also so much fun. You know, being in contention going into the weekend, being one of the last groups on Sunday is obviously what we crave for, what we practice for, what we strive to do when we come out here and play.

It has been mentally exhausting, but so much fun, and just trying to stay in the moment and really enjoy it.

Especially at the very end of the season I feel like a lot of girls have -- we are all very tired. It's been a marathon of a year.

At the same time I feel like towards the end of the season you kind of have a little bit of weight lifted off your shoulders. You're in the last event of the year. Really big purse, no cut, limited field. So it does take some edge off, but just trying to do my best to play great because it's obviously a big week; a lot of money on the line as well.

For me too, to prove to myself that after two great weeks, hopefully I can take that experience and everything I learned over those two events and just do the best I can.

Q. We saw you at the beginning of the year in those situations quite often really. It never looked like you were super comfortable being in, but the last three or four weeks you've looked super comfortable. Mentally what switched for you in this kind of position up at the top of the leaderboard and playing some dang good golf right now?

ALISON LEE: I wish I knew. If I knew the answer I feel like I would've been in this position a long time ago.

But it's so hard to say. I mean, it's easy to just tell yourself, hey, just try and be comfortable out there. Just try and play golf like you don't give an F and you just play aggressive golf.

You play confident golf. It's easier said than done. You know, I've been able to channel that the last month or two where I can just -- yeah, honestly does feel like I have a weight lifted off my shoulders. I've been playing really great.

It does suck that it's at the end of the season. I wish I could have had this earlier on in the year. But, yeah, it's just so hard to say. I wish I knew.

I feel like if anybody knew the right answer everyone would be shooting 10-under every day out here and it would make golf really tough. That's the beauty of golf.

So, yeah, I'm just glad I'm in this moment. I've been in positions before where -- I mean, I didn't know where the ball was going, didn't think I would make a cut; didn't think I had what it took to be out here anymore.

But with all the hard work I've been putting in and just all the patience and the best team around me to help me get here, I feel like, I mean, that's just been the key.

Q. Finally from me, just kind of challenging conditions out there. Next three days, obviously want to keep a good streak going, but what's the mindset going into the next three days?

ALISON LEE: Obviously the goal now is to win. After the last two events the only -- I mean, the best I can -- like if I want to get better than where I was last week it's obviously to win. That's what I want to do.

Like I said, I know what it takes to win now, especially after playing those last two events. Just trying to minimize mistakes and picking myself if I do make those mistakes and playing confidently and play aggressive golf.

It's tough to play aggressively when you don't feel like you're playing your best, but I feel like right now I'm playing really solid and feel good about where my game is, so just keep pushing on the gas, on the gas pedal, and trying to mistake as many birdies as I can.

On holes where I feel like I mess up or missed a good opportunity, there is always next hole, and I'm going to keep doing that until the 72nd hole on Sunday.