home

jobs

	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

FIELDS OPEN IN HAWAII

February 25, 2006

Meena Lee

KAPOLEI, HAWAII

PAUL ROVNAK: Meena, congratulations. It's a wonderful victory in a 3 hole playoff. You birdied the third playoff hole to win, as well. This is your second career victory. Talk about that, what an exciting finish and the birdie putt to get your victory.

MEENA LEE: I never thought about I'll be winning today, because there was too much gap between the leader at the beginning of today. But after the eagle on the second hole and I had luck of playing well today, so I had a great day.

PAUL ROVNAK: We'll go ahead and take questions.

Q. Talk about the eagle on the second hole.

MEENA LEE: I hit a driver and then I had a 9 wood lose, but the sun was in my eyes and I tried to hit it. And I hit it and I didn't see the ball go in. But the gallery was shouting and screaming, so I knew it went in.

PAUL ROVNAK: What was the yardage on that?

MEENA LEE: 160, but against the wind.

Q. When did you realize you were in first place?

MEENA LEE: I had been looking at the scoreboard all along.

PAUL ROVNAK: Do you remember a specific hole?

MEENA LEE: 160, so I made a birdie, and I looked and somehow made a birdie again and I knew I was one shot behind.

Q. How worried were you about Michelle Wie?

MEENA LEE: I was worried about all the players who are at the top of the leaderboard, not just Michelle.

Q. Michelle's group was in front of you guys and I'm sure you had a pretty hard time playing because you were behind Michelle group.

MEENA LEE: Because there were so many gallery following Michelle, Michelle's group, and we had to wait longer for the gallery to clear off for the second shot.

Q. What do you think about the other Lee? She is 20 years old, feisty, played solid yesterday and today. What do you know about her?

MEENA LEE: I know that she wasn't on Tour last year. I have played in Korea with her before and I have won a playoff with her before.

Q. Do you remember the name of the event?

MEENA LEE: 2002 SK Invitation. She doesn't have emotions coming out her face. She is calm. She is a very good player.

PAUL ROVNAK: Were you nervous during the playoff?

MEENA LEE: A little bit.

Q. You've been in a playoff before. Does that give you confidence?

MEENA LEE: It could be, and it might be just my luck, but I haven't lost a playoff. Every time I have a playoff. I haven't lost any of them.

Q. How many playoffs?

MEENA LEE: Four times, including this one.

Q. Were the other three on the KLPGA?

MEENA LEE: Yes.

Q. Is this one better or worse than your first? I guess your first was pretty special, too.

MEENA LEE: I think this win is more special because everybody thinks a rookie, a first time winner, it could happen, but many people think there will not be a second time, but I did it. I won this event for the second time, and I'm happy.

PAUL ROVNAK: Which one was harder, winning the first one or the second one?

MEENA LEE: The first time is always harder, so the Canadian Open was harder than this one.

Q. So many Korean players play well, including you.

MEENA LEE: There are a lot of good rookies that came in this year, and those players were known as a good player in Korea and has some pressure on it. There's just rivalry between a lot of Korean players.

Q. Joo Mi won last week in a playoff with a Korean, and you won in a playoff with a Korean player. What is it about the Korean players that are excelling at this point?

MEENA LEE: We play a lot, practice a lot, and then we came from our country, from Korea, and our parents are helping us, supporting us, and helping us play well. And I think that's why we're playing good.

Q. There are 32 Korean women now on the LPGA. And I think part of that is because golf is more popular now in Korea than a few years ago. Can you give me your thoughts on why it is more popular now?

MEENA LEE: I think because a lot of Tour players are coming from Korea to the LPGA and we're playing better and there are more coming, so everybody is getting to know about the game of golf.

Q. What's the best element of your game that allowed you to come back and win?

MEENA LEE: First of all, I didn't have any bogeys this round. And second of all, I started with a bogey and an eagle on the first and second hole. And from there I just took off.

Q. How are you going to celebrate?

MEENA LEE: I don't know about today, but I'm going to think about it when I go home.

Q. What will be your next tournament?

MEENA LEE: Mexico City.

Q. Do you think that the Korean men now will catch up to the Korean women? There are so many women on the LPGA. Will men become more successful on the PGA Tour?

MEENA LEE: I know there are a lot of Korean men that are trying to qualify for the PGA now and there will be more. But the PGA will be a lot harder than the LPGA, so it will take some time.

End of FastScripts.

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297