AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

August 22, 2024

Andrea Lee

Mixed Zone

Q. You put up a good score in tough conditions. How was your day out there?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I was mentally prepared to grind it out today. I knew the weather conditions were going to be really tough. It was super windy. On the first tee shot it was straight into my face. I had like 160 into the pin, and I had to play like 190. That kind of just shows how tough the front nine was.

I think the wind calmed down a little bit on the back, but it was just really tough out there, and I knew par was a really good score. Overall I'm really satisfied with the way I played.

Q. You teed off at 12:15; it's now 6:30. It was a long day out there.

ANDREA LEE: I can't believe that, actually. There was a bit of a delay on 11. There were, I think, four groups on the tee, which was crazy. Managed to get it all in. Hopefully the last groups will do the same.

Q. That's something we talked a lot about, the pace of play. Six hours; why is that happening?

ANDREA LEE: I'm not sure. It was obviously really tough conditions today, so the pace is going to be a little bit slower. Two-tee start has its kind of overlaps, as well. Then you've got a hole as tough as 11 where everyone is kind of backed up, and hitting into that 30-yard left-to-right wind, it's going to cause a bit of a delay. I didn't expect 6 hours and 15 minutes, but I was kind of estimating maybe 5:45, but hopefully the pace will be a little bit better as the week goes on.

Q. How do you entertain yourself during the wait on 11?

ANDREA LEE: On 11, I sat down on my bag for probably about 15 minutes. I knew it was going to be like a 45-minute wait. I just used it as a time to sit down a little bit and get some food.

Q. The conditions, are they the hardest you've ever played in? What would you compare to that was close in any other places?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I think the conditions today on the front nine were definitely the windiest I've ever played. It was really tough out there. I think the closest might be Troon back in 2020. I remember it was really windy, as well. Like the Postage Stamp I literally had to aim like 50 yards left, so it was pretty similar. I think today might have been a little bit stronger, but it was definitely some of the toughest conditions I've had over here in Scotland.

Q. On 16 and 18, good approach shots. What clubs did you hit and how close would you estimate the putts were?

ANDREA LEE: On 16 I only had about 74 yards into the pin, and I had about five, six feet for birdie. Unfortunately missed the putt. Just read it a little low. But it was still a good hole.

On 18, I had 83 yards in, played it about 70 with the downwind. Went a little long, but I made the putt. That's all that matters.

Q. What would you say was the key to your success today?

ANDREA LEE: I think the key out there is just staying really patient and knowing that you just kind of had to play for the wind and take different lines off the tee and different aims into the greens, just trusting that the wind will take it there. Yeah, and just hitting fairways and hitting greens, honestly. If I had birdie chances, then we try and take advantage of those. Otherwise just two-putt out of there with a par. I think I did pretty well.

Q. What part of the game was more difficult with the wind being so strong? Was it standing over putts? Was it maintaining your balance on iron shots?

ANDREA LEE: Yeah, I think with the wind, every shot felt just a little bit harder than normal, just trying to maintain the balance and just trying to stabilise out there. I feel like the key -- like what I did, I would just wait for the gusts to stop and then I would just quickly try to hit the shot as fast as I could.

Hopefully the conditions are a little bit better tomorrow, but it's Scotland, so we're going to get a lot of wind, and I was prepared for it.