THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome inside the press room here to the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G.
We are joined by Minjee Lee. Minjee, I know you played the back today for your pr-am, but what are your thoughts on the golf course? I know it's a little wetter than we would've liked it.
MINJEE LEE: From what I've seen so far, I think it's really quite a fun track. There is a mixture of short holes, long holes. I know it's playing a little more wet right now, but hopefully as we get along through the week and it will dry out a little bit more. I know the weather is supposed to be a little bit better the next couple days hopefully.
So, yeah, no, I'm really looking forward to I guess seeing all the course tomorrow.
THE MODERATOR: Are you a player that likes these conditions, a little bit softer, or wants it hard, fast, firm?
MINJEE LEE: I feel like I can't really pick and choose. I like whatever is right in front of me, so, you know, I do enjoy playing the fast and hard conditions, but obviously if it's softer and it's more of a ball striking kind of course, then I enjoy that as well.
THE MODERATOR: Big news came out yesterday. ESPN+ is going to be out streaming feature group coverage for the first time on the LPGA Tour -- in recent years. You're part of that coverage. How excited are you to see ESPN+ really invest in the LPGA Tour and give our fans what they want, which is more hours of coverage?
MINJEE LEE: Right. I think it's really great they're coming on board and having a few more featured groups. I think the coverage is going to be really great for or tour. And also just as players, just to get a little bit more people interested in us as well.
So I think it'll be really good just for everybody.
THE MODERATOR: Are you a player that when you're not on the golf course you follow a lot of featured group coverage?
MINJEE LEE: I actually do. I just like having it on on ESPN+. I have Peacock, so I leave it on and just do my thing here and there. Yeah, do I keep it on.
THE MODERATOR: To be a part of something that's that big for the tour -- and they're going to be on for quite a while, you're whole round basically.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah.
THE MODERATOR: It's probably one of the first few times you've ever played with something like that, right?
MINJEE LEE: I think so. I think last week maybe I had it for nine holes, but I think it's cool that sometimes we have like I guess in-round interviews and things like that. I watched it on TV.
I think that's really fun. You can sort of show a bit more of your personality. I think that's what our fans want, and for them to be able to show that I think it's a really great thing.
THE MODERATOR: Brand new thing with ESPN+; also and new event this week, Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. Golf hasn't been -- the LPGA Tour hasn't been in the Cincinnati area for 33 years.
MINJEE LEE: Right.
THE MODERATOR: Just how excited are you to be in Cincinnati? Have you been to Cincinnati before?
MINJEE LEE: I have not, but I saw Judy Rankin on the course is she said she played her first U.S. Open here in Cincinnati. Maybe at this golf course; I'm not sure.
But, I mean, I guess we haven't been here in really, really long time. I feel like the crowds are going to be really good, so, I mean, today it's been quite busy.
So, no, I think it's going to be a great turnout.
Q. Minjee, two wins this year have both come at older, classic golf courses. Is there something about the look of that sort of architecture that you particularly like? How does that translate to here?
MINJEE LEE: I think the courses that I have won at and have done well at have been kind of ball-striker's golf courses, more like second-shot courses, I guess.
So I think obviously the stronger part of my game is my iron play, so I think that that really complements around this golf course as well.
It kind of reminds me a little bit of the Founders course we played around here, so yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Just kind of looking through your season, you've been really successful. Obviously won the U.S. Open presented by ProMedica; got that win at the Founders Cup. Just kind of looking through the rest of the season, looking ahead to this week as well, what are some of your goals? Seems like you accomplished a lot, but knowing you I feel like there is still some left in the tank.
MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure how many events we have left, probably, what, eight odd? So obviously want to do well in the final probably five that I play, so definitely starting from this week I want to be contending on Sunday.
So, yeah, hopefully -- world No. 1 is kind of in the back of my mind always, so I think that's going to be probably my goal until the rest of the season -- for the rest of the season.
THE MODERATOR: You've always been in the conversation as one of the top players out here. What has changed for you this season that has allowed you to become that multiple-time winner? Obviously always a good ball striker, but what's been changed mentally or...
MINJEE LEE: I'm not sure mentally, but obviously when you're hitting it well and seeing the results, even the mental side becomes better.
So I think a little bit of length off the tee has really kind of helped me for my iron play, which has helped me have shorter putts on the greens.
So I think it's just a bit of everything has helped me become the golfer I am right now.
So, yeah, I mean, I don't think I can pinpoint one thing. But probably a series of a lot of things.
THE MODERATOR: Just tying into that ball striking, this golf course requires a little bit of precision. The fairways are decently wide, but some of the greens you got to kind of play the quadrants. How key do you think ball striking will be this week as you approach Kenwood?
MINJEE LEE: I mean, the nine that I played, the greens have actually been quite small. I don't think they've been really that big at all.
And like you said, the quadrants of the greens, depending on where the pin is, you want to be pin high. Probably not long or short.
Obviously the fairways are quite wide, so being how wet it is, we're getting absolutely no run. So, I mean, I think it's going to be really important this week just to be on the fairway and obviously on the greens.
The rough is a little bit thick and thatchy right now, so, yeah, being out of that will be helpful.
THE MODERATOR: Just final question. With all of that considered, how do you keep the expectations in check, stay patient, and just understand that like you're going to have to let it come to you a little bit?
MINJEE LEE: I mean, I feel like I've been hitting it really well. Like last week I hit it really well, but probably just didn't have it on the greens.
I felt like I have been really patient. It's obviously's quite wet here, so I think patience is going to be needed. But I'm not sure, like the greens are running really well considering how much rain they've had, so I think the scores will be quite low.
Hopefully we can be pretty aggressive.
THE MODERATOR: Looking forward to it. Good luck.
MINJEE LEE: Thank you.
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