U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

May 31, 2024

Minjee Lee

Lancaster Country Club

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Please welcome back to the interview area Minjee Lee who shot 1-under today. You knew it was going to be tough conditions but you had seen it yesterday, so what was the game plan for today.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, obviously this morning we didn't have as much wind, so it was a little easier to club here and there. But come the back nine, it was starting to get a little more windy. It was a little more similar to yesterday afternoon.

Q. Knowing how much No. 12 was talked about yesterday, did you have a game plan for it? And then talk us through the birdies on 12 and 13.

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, no, I hit a really good shot in today. There was equally as much wind when I played it, but I hit a different club; hit a three-quarter 7 today. The pin was a little bit in the back. Hit it to like five, six made and made birdie, so it was nice. Stress-free today.

Q. What do you think of the golf course and the setup and it being a U.S. Open course?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I'm really enjoying my time so far. The course is a really lovely walk, so a lot of different type of holes, so a lot of character to the course. It's just nice to look at, and it's tricky. The rough is up. The greens are fast. That's what I expect for a U.S. Open. Yeah, I'm enjoying it.

Q. Do you welcome that U.S. Open test, or when you saw the golf course this week, were you like, this is what it's supposed to look like?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I mean, obviously I love playing U.S. Opens. I love the challenge. I love the difficulty. I just love that I really need to think about what I'm doing and be strategic.

Yeah, I enjoy it.

Q. You're 1-under and the last time I looked tied for the lead. Do you feel like you're playing your butt off? Is this lights out? Or are you a little surprised that the scores are relatively high?

MINJEE LEE: I'm definitely not surprised. I felt like the scores were not going to be super low when I was playing the practice rounds because I thought when I was playing the practice rounds it was already hard, and it would only get harder because of the stress of the tournament.

Obviously tournament mode is different, too, to when you're just playing a practice round. I'm definitely not surprised.

Q. You made a big equipment change at the beginning of the year. Can you talk us through what it was like adapting to that change, and have you made some changes throughout the season, as well, tweaking?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, so I kind of went cold turkey and changed everything all at once. But until now I've changed the ball a couple times, my wedges a couple times. My irons, I kept with them. My 4-iron I changed. My woods and my driver I've kept of kind the same, and just kind of getting used to the look of the club was kind of where it was -- not a struggle, but an adjustment period, just because I had something for so long and then having to change is just -- it's always going to be difficult in the beginning.

But getting used to it, you just need a little bit of time. I think I'm getting there.

Q. Did you just change the ball recently?

MINJEE LEE: You mean like my latest?

Q. What you're playing now, yeah.

MINJEE LEE: In Cognizant.

Q. If you look at your wins, you play so well on difficult golf courses which requires a lot of patience. How have you managed to develop that patience over the course of your career, and how are you feeling that out there right now?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, the older you get, I think your patience gets more. It is what it is. But yeah, in terms of being on the golf course, I just try to stay within myself and just stay as grounded as I can and just try and execute each shot to the 100 percent of my ability and obviously how I want to put full commitment into it.

In terms of being patient and things like that, I think it comes with the nature of being at a U.S. Open. You have to because it's so hard out there. Just try to stay in the moment.

Q. Do you need to look at a leaderboard to know how you're doing?

MINJEE LEE: Not necessarily, but I've never had issues with looking at the leaderboard and seeing where I am. I kind of like knowing where I am, too. I have a look now and again.

Q. Did you think 1- or 2-under --

MINJEE LEE: Going to be pretty good, yeah.

Q. Closing with nine pars, I think that's what you did, right?

MINJEE LEE: Did I close with nine pars? I think I made a birdie on 5.

Q. Just the value of par here, how pleasing is that?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, some holes it feels like birdie or better. But yeah, no, definitely valuable. There's definitely higher scores out there. Pars and birdies feel like gold right now.

Q. What would be the one shot you would like to have back today and why?

MINJEE LEE: If I could remember what it was I would tell you. Probably that one because I made bogey off the tee. I probably could have executed a little bit better under the circumstances, but it is what it is. I can't take it back and do it again. We'll try again tomorrow.

Q. Your description stress-free, not a description we've heard at all this week. What made it so?

MINJEE LEE: You mean that hole in particular?

Q. No, the round.

MINJEE LEE: No, I meant stress free on that hole. Yeah, that hole.

Q. What do you recall rookie Minjee Lee thinking about this place when you first stepped on property? Do you remember much about your impressions then?

MINJEE LEE: I couldn't even remember the golf course when I came here, not even the 1st hole or the 10th hole. It was pretty bad.

I just remember it was beautiful as it is now, as well, and it was a monster of a walk then. I don't remember playing the weekend, so I think I'm doing much better then.

Q. Have you heard from your brother this week?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, he even posted on Instagram yesterday.