THE MODERATOR: All right, joining us ahead of the JM Eagle LA Championship is Alison Lee. Alison, it's been a very exciting year for you. Coming up on the first birthday of your son Levi. Can you give us a short overview of the last year in your life?
ALISON LEE: Yeah, I can't believe Levi is already going to be a year old. He's going to be a year next week at Chevron, so we'll try and do something small next week. We celebrated his birthday with my family last night and did a fun, small intimate dinner.
It's been so crazy. I truly can't believe how time flies. But also in those moments during the day, those couple hours during his wake window where I'm reading the same book over and over again it feels like, okay, when are you going to sleep next?
Yeah, it's just been such a crazy journey. It's so many up and downs. I feel like I've done everything I can to try and do my best to prep for this comeback this week. I actually wasn't going to play my first LPGA event until next month at Mizuho.
I decided I wanted to try and come back a little early and compete at Chevron as well. It's been so crazy. I feel really lucky with how my body has been able to recover. I had to have an emergency C-section in April last year, but six weeks later I was able to hit balls, and four months later I was able to play my first LPGA event.
It's been a lot. It's been a learning journey. Every day looks so different, just trying to find time to sneak out of the house and hit some balls and prep.
But it's just been so much fun. I mean, being a mom has been so cool, so rewarding, and I'm really lucky Levi is honestly super sweet. He rarely cries or gets too upset.
I just feel really blessed with life this past year. I have to complaints.
Q. You have some strong LA ties. Obviously born here and then a attended UCLA. Talk about what it means to be starting your 2026 season here in kind of a home game.
ALISON LEE: Yeah, it means a lot not only because I'm so familiar with LA, but I have so many friends and family here and all the people coming out to support. Typically when I have events here I usually have a pretty big crowd coming out to watch, which is so nice to have.
We play over 20 weeks a year in our schedule and it's rare we even have one family member come out and watch. To have a big crowd out there supporting me will be so much fun. Being close to home, parents live in Valencia, 30, 40 minute drive. Levi is there with my parents and going back and forth a little bit.
It just feels so familiar. The LA traffic sucks but it's familiar. The air is familiar. Like this golf course, too. I got to play at El Cab when we were in college at UCLA. We had a tournament here.
So it's just nice. It's just nice. I feel like I'm coming back home yeah.
Q. You had an exciting experience few weeks ago commentating at Aramco. Talk about that.
ALISON LEE: Yeah, so like I mentioned before, I wasn't planning on starting my season until next month, and I love Shadow Creek. I mean, it's one of my favorite golf courses. Probably in now Top 5 of all-time.
And I offered Golf Channel, like I told them -- I offered my time. I would be open to doing a small role or whatever role they had available. I was more than happy to come out and help.
They said oh, you want to be a full time analyst in the booth that week? It was kind of like, oh, wow that's a really big, important role. And I was happy to do it.
It was a very difficult job. It was way more difficult than I thought it would be. It was long hours. Like I think there were a couple days because I was trying to practice before the coverage started, too. So I would leave at 6:00 a.m. and wouldn't get home until 8:00 p.m. So it was long days but it was so cool to see behind the scenes of what goes on and how everything goes on with Golf Channel and how they want to showcase the women and make it a great viewing experience to help elevate our game.
At the end of the day that's what all of us want. So to try and be a part of that and hopefully it was a great experience for viewers and listeners. I've gotten a lot of nice feedback from people saying I did a great job. Obviously no one will come up and tell me I did terrible.
It was a lot of fun. It was very eye opening. Like I said, it was really cool to be a part of. It was nothing like I thought it would be. I thought it would be a lot easier and it was a very difficult job. Grant Boone next to me really helped and guided me through the whole process. Tom Abbott, as well.
Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
Q. I saw the video on Instagram of Levi watching you on TV in your analyst role. What was it like to see him watching you in that role?
ALISON LEE: Yeah, it was so cool because every day he's learning new things and he's changing. You know, for me just being there every day sometimes you don't notice those things. He's growing up. He's noticing this. He knows I'm his mom. Things like that.
That was one of those moments he was looking at the TV pointing and smiling, like, oh, my gosh he knows I'm his mom. It was a really cool thing to see and just shows -- I can't believe he's going to be a year next week. It's so crazy. That was one of those moments.
Q. What was his favorite birthday present and did you make him a particular cake?
ALISON LEE: No. So we did a smash cake photo shoot so got a bunch of great footage of that. We got him or my cousin got him a little plastic set of clubs and he loves that. I think he's been watching us. I take him to the golf course with me once in a while.
He knows the deal. He grabs the end of the club and will start whacking things around the house. He's whacked me in the head a few times now.
Yeah, I'm really hoping I can get him into golf when he's older.
Q. What are your expectations for this week?
ALISON LEE: Oh, I mean, I feel like I have very high expectations but also want to be realistic.
Not to be negative in a sense, but my prep these days are just -- like they're not the same as like over a year ago. Coming into an event or even in the offseason I would be spending hours and hours practicing, in the gym, spending time with my coaches.
Now that's just not the case. I probably practice half the time that I used to. So when I think of it that way sometimes I just don't feel prepared.
Not because I'm not playing the way I want to. Just I know what I've done in the past to prep for on event and just didn't look that way now. I'm still trying to come to terms with trying to perform well and practice efficiently to get ready for an event.
Yeah, who knows. I played an LET event in February and realistically going into that one I thought, I just want to make the cut and play on the weekend. Going into the final round that week I was in contention, so that felt really nice to see. Shooting under par and making a lot of birdies out there felt really good.
So, yeah, realistically this week that's probably the goal right now, just to make the cut. Deep down of course I want to come out here and win and perform the best I can, but I would say base level, if I make the cut I'll be happy.
But I want to play well. I'm still searching for my first LPGA Tour victory. At the end of the day that's what I want most and that's why I'm playing this week.
Q. With your maternity status you returned to a couple tournaments in the fall, Kroger and Walmart, to test the waters.
ALISON LEE: Yeah.
Q. This week, preparation for this week, granted it's a home game because you have all your family here. Is your preparation for this week different from where it was this fall based on those test events lack of a better term?
ALISON LEE: Yeah, definitely. When I was playing those practice events it was just like play nine holes, maybe hit a few balls, and go spend time with my son, give him a bath, put him to bed.
This week I'm utilizing the free hotel JM Eagle got for us, especially for early tee times. Going to try to get proper rest at the hotel and have my parents take care of my son. Especially on nights, because he ain't sleeping these days.
So just try and get a little bit more rest so that I can be ready for tournament days.
Like yesterday I was out here for I think like almost six hours and I'm typically not at the course on Mondays especially for that long. Today will be another long day. My putting coach is out here this week so working with him a little bit of a my practice round.
Yeah, especially starting this week, like it feels like it's go time. This is how it's going to start. I'm going to be playing a full basically schedule starting this week. At least for the next three, four months.
That's in the calendar. I mean, I want to make the Solheim Cup team. You know, that's essentially the end goal. I'm not expecting any special treatment from Angela. She knows that. I want to be able to earn my spot. I want to show her that I have what it takes to be on that team, and of course I have to play really well.
So that's what I want to try and do, like set myself up for success and try to make sure I'm doing everything I can to prep, because I don't get the same prep as I used to.
So, yeah, just do everything I can and set myself up for success.
Q. You mentioned that initially you were going to plan to return to Mizuho. What went into the thought and decision process to return here this week?
ALISON LEE: A lot of it had to do with playing a couple months ago and playing a lot better than expected when I played in Saudi. I wasn't expecting to play amazing.
This offseason I kind of just took things a little bit easy. I tested some new equipment out.
Just wanted to go and play an event and see how things were. I think I was fourth place going into Sunday. I didn't have a great Sunday.
But it was great to play really good and put myself in contention. It just showed me that my game is in a pretty good place. I just felt like having what is it, like three months off before my next event was just too long.
So I definitely wanted to play Chevron and I thought this was the perfect place to start. Being close to home, testing the waters, spending time close to family and having them around and having that extra help I think goes a long way, especially traveling with my son.
So that was mainly it.
Q. You were close to having a little one during this time last year. You weren't here at this tournament. This was the first here in Los Angeles outdoor sporting event after the LA fires. You were with us on media day and you saw how it's continuing that this tournament is taking on a big are initiative versus just birdies, pars, and bogeys? As a born Angelino and family is still here, what does it mean to have sponsors like JM Eagle and Plastpro what they're doing this week to not only continue that narrative, but to help to support and elevate you guys in women's sports?
ALISON LEE: Yeah, I mean, JM Eagle and Plastpro I think over the last few years in general have just done so much stepping up for the women's game, especially women's golf. They're the first sponsor to raise the purse that much for us. I remember during the player meeting all the players' jaws dropped to the floor when we were told how much the purse was going to be for this event.
On top of that, getting better with the gifts they provide and the hotel room and elevating this event in general has been really cool to be a part of. Definitely glad I'm playing this year in 2026 because I feel like a lot of the women who have retired or haven't been able to play up to this point are definitely missing out.
It's cool to see the precedent they've set for the LPGA. Now you have other companies and people stepping up and providing and writing bigger checks for the LPGA. Doing more things for the LPGA to elevate the women's game.
And then with the fires, I think they have just done so much to give back. I feel like most people don't truly have kind hearts like that. I'm not saying people don't have kind hearts but I feel like the amount they care for this community is so cool.
Not only are they supporting an LPGA event here in Los Angeles for me personally obviously I'm a bit biased. To have an event here is so cool. It obviously costs a lot of money. There is a lot of great courses out here.
And then also to keep it here in LA and also support all the firefighters and donate so much, providing homes for a lot of firefighters who lost their homes in the fires, you just don't see other companies and people out there doing things like that for their community.
It's cool to see how many they care about Los Angeles and how they want to better the community as a whole. It's just so cool to be in close proximity like Walter and Shirley. So to be a part of that is really, really cool.
Q. Congratulations on being a mom.
ALISON LEE: Thank you.
Q. It's exciting, right?
ALISON LEE: Yeah.
Q. Are you sleeping any better?
ALISON LEE: Four months -- up until last month he slept 12 hours. Last month, I don't know what possessed him at the dark hours of the night, but he could be better. I'll just say that.
Q. How does it affect you and your game?
ALISON LEE: Yeah, so I truly feel like the way -- like how he sleeps at night directly correlates to how I perform. There are days where he won't sleep great and I'll push myself because I see my trainer -- this is my schedule typically during the day: See my trainer at 6:30, go home, he usually wakes up when I get home, and I'll watch him for a few hours and go practice for a few hours.
But when he doesn't sleep it's so much harder to train and focus when I'm practicing, and sometimes I feel like when he doesn't sleep great, and especially when I don't sleep great, I feel like there is no point. What's the point in hitting range balls or trying to lift heavy at 6:00 a.m. when you're low on energy levels?
So there have been days where I'm like, I need a break. Over the last month I've had a cough for a month straight. Just feel like my body is not getting any better, which is why especially for this week -- I felt like a month ago really prepared, but I'm not gonna lie, this week I am definitely a bit nervous to start on Thursday. I just don't know the state of my game.
Yeah, definitely tough. Which is why this week, you know, at least a couple nights I'm probably going to try and stay at hotel here. My parents are great with Levi. They've been a tremendous help. Maybe hoping to have them watch him for a couple nights so I can just recharge and get ready for the week.
Q. Golf question: What part of the game are you trusting more this week and what part of your game are you having trouble now that you're coming back?
ALISON LEE: Yeah, I would say my iron play and approach shot play is the strongest part of my game. That's usually what I rely on the most.
I feel like for this golf course with a lot of the undulations and I can feel like maybe the greens are starting to firm up a bit will come in handy this week.
And putting. Putting is probably always been the weakest part of my game so I'm seeing my putting coach later today to get a little bit of work in. Yeah, I didn't watch too much of the golf last year. I saw that Ingrid won. I didn't really get to see how the course was playing.
I remember there were a couple greens that were very firm when I was watching the coverage last year. So just keeping those things in mind and working with my caddie today and yesterday during our practice round figuring out how to navigate the golf course. I haven't played here in like more than ten years. They've done a few changes.
Yeah, really excited.
Q. Last question, random question: Very important for the Mexican community here in LA. What's the best taco place here in LA?
ALISON LEE: Oh, gosh, not tacos but growing up I always would go to El Taurino and King Taco. Those are the two places I went to a lot.
Q. You know it's going away, right?
ALISON LEE: Both or...
Q. The original, yeah.
ALISON LEE: That's sad. I used to go there all the time when I was young. Those are my two. And before too, El Taurino they had a carne asada burrito that was like $4, $5; now it's more than $10. It's crazy.
Q. I want to go back to TV for a minute. Just curious besides the long hours, what was so difficult more so than you anticipated?
ALISON LEE: Oh, my gosh, so many things, so many things. Thankfully I had Grant next to me. It's just knowing when to speak I think was the toughest par, knowing how much time I had to speak.
It's just so fast. Especially now with all the new cameras switching back and forth between players, a lot more of the transition, it's a little bit more quick. So knowing when to speak, when to say the right thing, when I need to wrap it up and transition to the next thing or the next shot.
Things like that were a bit tricky. Grant was right there next to me. I could tell sometimes there would be a little bit of silence and he would look at me and like signal, okay, you say something now, things like that.
And we had our headset on and usually the producer talks in your ear about, okay, this is the next thing we're going to be showing on the screen. I would be saying my thought or trying to finish my thought and I hear someone talking in my ear.
So it's trying to keep my train of thought. Yeah, knowing what to say and when to say it. Thankfully I -- the women out there going and playing, or actually, sorry, going and watching them practice and get a few tidbits here and there and grab a few nuggets to share on the broadcast, things like that I don't know when to say. I don't want to say it too early because they're going to show more over and over and over again, so I don't want to give away all the stuff I learned about her at the very beginning of the broadcast and just try and sprinkle it all around.
So it was just a lot, and in it general over the last year I haven't talked to like adult human for more than probably 15 minutes. So to speak for four hours and be like really focused was that in itself was so hard for me.
But it was great for my brain activity I guess. Just to get human adult interaction.
Q. Is television something you think you would like to do down the road when you're done playing?
ALISON LEE: You know, I've thought about this. That was kind of the main reason I wanted to do it, to see if that's something I could see in my future. If I'm being realistic I don't think I see myself doing it in the next probably five to ten years.
When I'm a little bit older. I do eventually want a few more kids. It is such a tough job. They travel so many weeks out of the year. It's like a full week thing. Almost as if it I were playing on Tour again.
As of right now, definitely not. My main goal and what I'm focused on now is playing on the LPGA Tour because that's my main goal now. Maybe TV in the future. It's not a no. Definitely not in the next five to ten years. Not something -- realistically something I see myself doing.
Q. Thank you. Good to see you back.
ALISON LEE: Thanks.
Q. I was just wondering Alison, what is something about your personality that actually helps your golf game?
ALISON LEE: I would say I'm pretty even keel. Like when I'm out there I don't ever get too upset or too excited. I'm just pretty mellow throughout the course of the round.
Whether it's a really good day or really bad day. I would say that's probably what helps me the most.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you is much, Alison.
ALISON LEE: Thank you, guys.
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