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CN CANADIAN WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 8, 2006

Meena Lee

LONDON, ONTARIO

DANA GROSS RHODE: I want to thank everyone for coming in and joining us. I also want to thank Jenny Yoo, who is helping us out with the interview with Meena Lee.

Meena Lee was obviously the 2005 defending champion. It was your first win on tour. You had a great year after 2005, and then you started off this year with another win at the Fields Open.

Talk about all your wins on tour and now coming back to defend this tournament.

MEENA LEE: She had such a good time when she was here last year. And then she's had a really good year so far and she's happy to be back in Canada and she wants to have a good time here. And she's really thrilled to be here, back in Canada.

Q. How does the victory here and the other victory change your celebrity back home?

MEENA LEE: It's not easy to win in the first year of the LPGA, so when she went back home everybody was so surprised that it was her first year and then she won the championship. So everybody was surprised and was so excited about her winning.

Q. Was Se Ri Pak an idol of hers growing up? Is that what led her into golf?

MEENA LEE: She was the biggest idol when she grew up and studied golf. Se Ri Pak is one of the biggest idols in golf, Korean golf players. So yes, everybody wants to be like Se Ri Pak. She's one of our biggest idols, even for players, as well.

Q. Did she start golf because of her?

MEENA LEE: No, she did not.

Q. Welcome to Canada. How do you like the course? How does it suit your game? What do you see as the strength and weaknesses of the course?

MEENA LEE: She got in here last night almost midnight, her flight got delayed, so she hasn't had a chance to go out in the field yet. She has a tee time after this interview, so hopefully she will get some idea before Thursday. So she has no idea about the course.

Q. I presume you played in the British Open. How will playing will it be difficult to adjust to the time change and come here and play your best golf?

MEENA LEE: She travels, of course, every week, so she is used to all the jet lags and everything, so she tries to keep up on the local time. She's pretty much good, in shape.

Q. Getting back to Se Ri Pak. Since she's come on board we've seen the South Koreans do so well, not only on the LPGA Tour, but the Nationwide Tour, as well. Why are they doing so well in golf?

MEENA LEE: Of course they're working so hard and they get a lot of support from family. Their parents really support them. And before they come into the LPGA they're practicing in Korea, so they are ready for this. You know, they have a really good fundamental base and then they're joining the LPGA and coming out of our country.

Q. Compare American courses and Canadian courses, how different are they? This course is 6,600 yards and it's a pretty long course. How is it going to suit your game?

MEENA LEE: There's not much difference in American courses and Canadians courses. She travels to all different courses. There are short courses, there are long courses, and but she doesn't change her strategy or game to the short course or long course. She just kind of maintains her basic strategy and then goes from there.

Q. Is there a type of golf is there a Korean type of golf, is there something that Korean players are doing that allows them to have so much success at such a young age? Do they have a style of golf that they try to emulate do they have a style of golf that they try to play?

MEENA LEE: When they start golf at the beginning I think they are really focused on their skills and they're building up their skills and really hard working. Basically, that's what it is, it makes them good golfers, hard working and really good basics when they start.

Q. The style that Michael was talking about and she was answering, how is that different from American kids? Why are there so many of them?

MEENA LEE: In Korean it's not easy to actually get on a golf course. So before they get on the course, they go to the driving range every day and practice, and then they go on the course. I read an article, Koreans have a low handicap, like a 21, everyone is below a 21 handicap, even the first time on the course. So they really, really practice on the driving range, have a good skill and then go on.

In North America, they go out on the course and have fun. It's a huge thing to get on the course there. They really, really try to get ready before of course it is a lot of money to play golf.

Q. (No microphone.)

How many golf courses are there in Korea?

MEENA LEE: 250.

Q. We have 100 within an hour.

This year's field is a stronger field than it was last year in Halifax. Is it going to be a challenge to defend your championship?

MEENA LEE: When she won last year, she had a very positive attitude. Even those the course is hard, she has a really good feeling about playing here and very constant and ready for the tournament.

Q. That was your first win last year, and probably your biggest pay day. I'm just wondering if you did something special with that money, whether you bought a new car or a new house or you bought your parents something or is there any particular way you spent it?

MEENA LEE: Yes, that was a big check for her, so she bought a house in Orlando and then got a new car. But of course she donates a lot of money to charity as well, for her school.

Q. (No microphone.)

MEENA LEE: I don't think so. (Laughter).

DANA GROSS RHODE: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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