U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

May 31, 2024

Andrea Lee

Lancaster Country Club

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Please welcome back to the interview area Andrea Lee. We've got to start with the hole-out. What could you see from there, and talk us through the hole.

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, pulled my driver off the tee but had a pretty good lie in the bunker, so I knew if I just hit it solid and got it up anywhere on the green I could two-putt and make a par.

As soon as I hit it, I knew it was a good shot. I saw it kind of land in the front portion of the green and then I saw it trickle from there. I looked away and I was like, it's on the green, it's fine.

My caddie Bob was like, go in the hole, go in the hole, and then it went in the hole. I caught it very last second. I almost missed it, but it was awesome.

Q. Bogey on 17 but a really great par save on 18. What did you see in that putt?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, not quite the bunker shot I wanted. I missed my spot just a little bit. Had about 15 feet, I think, for par, and I hit that putt during the practice round. I knew it was breaking a little left to right and just hit a really solid, confident stroke there, and it was nice to see it go in.

Q. Obviously in great position heading into the weekend. What have you learned about the course and how you can attack it the next few days?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, it's really tough out there. The course requires all of your attention on every single golf shot. Just staying super patient and trying to hit fairways, hit greens and take the birdies when I can.

But par is a really, really good score out here, so that's what I'm going to try and do on the weekend, just try and make as many pars as I can.

Q. You spoke yesterday about putting lesson you got from two big legends out on the LPGA Tour. What did they tell you that's been working?

ANDREA LEE: I don't know if I should just keep it a secret. No, honestly, it's just a little putting thought. I was getting a little handsy at Founders Cup and they just told me to use the bigger muscles a little bit more, use my shoulders.

Honestly, very simple tip. A couple other things but I won't disclose those. But yeah, it's been working super well, and yeah, very thankful for them. I call them like my side putting coaches now.

Q. I know confidence is always such a big thing in professional golf, and whatever happens this weekend, how much confidence have these last two rounds given you in general with your game?

ANDREA LEE: It's given me a lot of confidence for sure. I feel like this season I've played pretty solid golf. I've had a few top 10s and put myself in contention a few times earlier this year. I think those in itself were also confidence boosters coming into this week. I knew it was going to be a great test of golf, Lancaster Country Club.

But I love playing tough golf courses. I love grinding it out and trying to shoot under par on courses like this.

It's just all about staying patient, and hopefully I'll have a pretty good weekend.

Q. You've been a pro for a little while now. What have you learned along the way out on Tour that has matured you to make you ready for what you're about to face this weekend to try to win your first major championship?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I think over the last few years I've matured a lot, just mentally. I think coming out of college, I really put a lot of pressures and expectations on myself to play really well after having a pretty successful amateur career, and I think there was a really big growth curve, learning curve I should say, those first couple of years. I kind of struggled a little bit.

But I had to figure out what works best for me and not look to the top players in the world, what they were doing, and just focus on me. Yeah, my mental game has obviously gotten a lot better. I'm able to stay really patient and positive out there instead of getting so down and frustrated, which is what I used to do in the past.

I think overall I'm just getting better at doing that, and yeah, it's been nice to see some good results so far this year.

Q. You've had success at every level of your career. What goes through your mind now when you see a 15-year-old doing so well in a championship like this?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I mean, it's really impressive. She's playing really great golf. I remember my first U.S. Women's Open I was also 15 years old at Pinehurst, and I made the cut right on the number. I think I shoot like 81 the first day, but then I came back and shot even par. Somehow the cut was 9-over par. So I was just grateful to play the weekend.

But for Asterisk to be playing so well as a 15-year-old, and honestly she's up there, she's in contention for the weekend, so yeah, it's really impressive to see, and the future of the game is bright.

Q. Any more gratifying to be in the position you are given that some of the top players in the world like Nelly and Rose and Brooke among others did not make the cut this weekend?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I just tried to focus on myself and not worry about what other players were doing. The course definitely showed its teeth the first couple of days. Obviously Nelly with the run that she's been on, which is incredible, it's a little surprising to see her miss the weekend. But at the same time, it's such a difficult test, and she's human, too.

But yeah, just got to stay so patient on this golf course, and it gets even the best of us, I guess.