THE MODERATOR: I am pleased to be joined with Mirim Lee, our 2020 ANA Inspiration Champion from last year.
Mirim, how are you doing?
MIRIM LEE: I'm good, thank you.
THE MODERATOR: The memories of last year, being able to now call yourself a Major Champion, what did it mean to you to become one here last year?
MIRIM LEE: The feeling is really good to be able to hear those words being called a Major Champion and it definitely gives me more motivation to win again, and for that reason, I'm looking forward to winning more, especially majors.
THE MODERATOR: Do you think of those memories often when you're playing out here on the LPGA Tour?
MIRIM LEE: I will say subconsciously I do think about it throughout my rounds and throughout playing. I think because having won, I've been able to work on -- I'm able to bring myself back to those moments, and having won in that kind of situation, I can draw on those.
THE MODERATOR: You made your 2021 debut last week at the Kia Classic. What was the off-season like for you, and what have you been working on leading into this week?
MIRIM LEE: It was my first tournament back since going back home, and the course was a little bit tough. So I played the tournament just thinking that it was getting me back in the feeling, getting loose again.
Back at home, it was a little bit colder, so I kind of stuck to my same routine, practiced a lot, especially with short game and also my swing, a practiced a lot, worked on those parts.
THE MODERATOR: Were you able to celebrate your major win when you went back home to Korea?
MIRIM LEE: Because of the pandemic, all I could really do was have a celebratory dinner with close friends and family, and I think because of the pandemic, I wasn't able to celebrate as much as I would have or could have. But I did get to have dinner with my close friends and family.
Q. What do you think of the course compared to last September?
MIRIM LEE: I did get to play this morning. I think the biggest difference from the fall is the temperature and just the weather is a lot different. The course differences are there, too. I think that the conditions are a lot better right now, though, to be honest, than the fall. I think in the fall, even though the greens still played hard, it played harder than right now. It's still hard right now, but I think that the greens are a little bit in better conditions overall right now.
Q. How long did it take you to realize that your life had changed as a Major Champion?
MIRIM LEE: I don't think that there has been any big changes, major changes.
Q. When you entered the playoff, were you more relaxed because you had exceeded expectations or did you come in expecting to win and get more nervous as a result?
MIRIM LEE: I'm not lying at all when I say this but I really had no nerves entering the playoff. At that point I was really proud of myself I think for being able to pull myself together and to play with the confidence. But to be honest, I really had no nerves. I wasn't nervous at all.
Q. Everybody remembers the chip-in on 18 last year, the eagle, but you chipped in twice earlier in the round. Have you ever had a round where you chipped in three times like that, and certainly not in that big a moment?
MIRIM LEE: To be honest I think I remember up to two chip-ins, but not three.
Q. 6, 16 and 18. But that's okay. The last day, you were down the leaderboard. Were you thinking about where you were on the leaderboard that day?
MIRIM LEE: Of course I saw it. I saw the leaderboard going into the 18th hole and I knew that going into it, you know, playing out the hole in my mind, an eagle was going to be a little bit tough maybe. But I was able to shoot that eagle and then I was able to calmly use that and enter the playoff.
THE MODERATOR: I'll wrap it up with one last question here. This is the 50th anniversary of the ANA Inspiration. What does it mean to be a part of the 50th edition and as the defending champion.
MIRIM LEE: It does seem that it puts me in a little bit of a unique position, given that this is the 50th anniversary and I am the defending champion entering the 50th anniversary and I think for that reason, I'm looking forward to playing even a little bit more of a solid round and more professionally this week for my fans and all the viewers out there.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports