THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 9, 2023

Min Woo Lee

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. Overall solid start. How would you assess what was clicking today and your thoughts on the day as a whole?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, everything was clicking, especially the putting. I think the putting was really solid. I did change something with my putting. Felt like I missed a lot of putts right, so I started lining the ball up, and they started on line, which I thought I was doing without the line. So it was quite nice to actually see the ball rolling on the intended line.

Everything was pretty good, solid off the tee and solid approach play, which is a nice recipe, especially on this course, but overall.

Q. Back to the 15th tee, what was the reaction as that happens and what's going on in your mind?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, it was a weird one because I had never experienced that before. It was kind of a funny story. I thought I had -- at the beginning of the week I thought I had an allergic reaction to the electrolytes I was having, and if you don't have electrolytes you get cramps and then I got a cramp. Yeah, it put the puzzle pieces together, and that's what happened.

I'll get some treatment after this, and yeah, I just swung my driver, and at the end of it I kind of overextended my calf and wasn't the best of timing, but I'm happy to get it done, and I didn't actually hit it that bad with the cramp. Thankful the physio came out and helped me out there.

Q. So you had been feeling that a little bit earlier in the week, wondering if the electrolytes was --

MIN WOO LEE: No, the calf was a random thing, just out of nowhere, and yeah, I could show you my -- I don't want to show you my face when it was a few days ago, but it was swollen and it was bad and lots of red. It wasn't ideal. It got to the point where I came here on Sunday and I couldn't even go out on the course because my eyes were half shut.

I'm pretty happy to be standing here talking to you guys right now.

Q. Just getting in the field, top 50, was that on your mind at all at the Honda that you were kind of close to the number?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, definitely was, but I was playing pretty good, so I wasn't really focused too much on that. After the Saturday, I was coming 60th or something, and I knew I needed to shoot a low round to have a chance. I think it ended up being one-eighth of a shot that I got in from 51st to 50. So everything worked out well, and like I said, happy to be here.

Q. With the cramps, was it an allergic reaction to whatever drink you were drinking?

MIN WOO LEE: No, it wasn't, but it's funny how the cramp happens because you don't drink electrolytes and I haven't been drinking electrolytes for the last few days, so that's probably part of what happened, so I'll make sure I drink electrolytes.

Q. Do you know what caused --

MIN WOO LEE: The physio said it was just an overstretch, so it might have been tightness in the calf and I overstretched it. That's what he thinks. There's no discoloration or anything which I'm thankful for because it didn't feel the greatest, but hopefully it's only a calf stretch, overstretch.

Q. You said you started lining up your ball. When did you start doing that?

MIN WOO LEE: Well, literally today. It was like a yesterday thing, the day before, I just started to line it up just because I didn't feel like I was starting it on line.

Usually when it does, I putt pretty good, and it's just been a couple rounds that it just -- everything was leaking right, so I just thought, aim it, and it worked out well.

Q. Playing in Europe, how much does the creativity and the shot making you need there translate to this golf course?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, a lot. Definitely the rough is really thick over here in America, so you can't -- you need a little bit of imagination, but it's a lot of hacking out of the rough when you're near the green.

Yeah, there's definitely using creativity from European courses just because you have to use a lot of shots, and over here I thought today I hit a lot of irons off the tee and 3-woods and drivers, so it was a mix of variety, which is awesome, and obviously there was a favorable wind on most of the holes, and yeah, I hit it good off the tee, which helps.

Q. What's your biggest weapon on this course? Is it length? Is it the shot making I just asked you about? Is it something else?

MIN WOO LEE: I think approach and putting, but also you have to hit it good off the tee to have some good approaches. I made my first bogey on 14, I think, and I was a yard off the fairway. If you get it on the fairway, there's definitely chances for birdies, but if you're not, you've got to just get it back in play.

I think everything you need pretty good here.

Q. You're a first-timer here. Several Australians have had success here. Have you watched many of those victories on television? And have you leaned on any of those champions to gather some intel for this week?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, not too much intel, but I guess just when I watch the highlights, the last couple nights of Tiger in 2013 and all the highlights pretty much. I know it was a different time, but Tiger hit a lot of -- not many drivers and a lot of 3-woods and 5-woods. That kind of gave me confidence that I could do it today and this week.

I played with Adam and Jason on Tuesday, and that was helpful. Not that they were giving me tips or anything, but just a couple things off the tees, where pins can be. Yeah, definitely those guys helped, and they've helped me throughout my whole pro career, not just this week.

Q. Did you pull those highlights up on YouTube? Is that something you do often?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, especially a course that I don't really know. Every year it's a bit different, but yeah, just because I don't know much about the course, it does help, what they hit on this tee, and if they're doing it, it must be pretty good, and obviously highlights of the best play on that hole and that week. Yeah, it's nice to get some good mojo for --

Q. Did you pull up when Tiger won?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, well, I mean, I've watched pretty much all the highlights from when he won to the last year. Yeah, it's nice to get info off the pros, and that was helpful.

Q. Who wins when you play against your sister?

MIN WOO LEE: Off the same tees, I will, but when we play off -- when she plays off the ladies and I play off the men's, it's pretty close. If we had a sprint, I think I would win, but she's so consistent. So I think over 100 rounds, I think she would beat me because I can hit it sideways and she doesn't hit it off the fairway.

Yeah, it's pretty close, I think.

Q. Just wondering, your focus for the rest of the year is going to be in Europe, and if that goes well, is this likely to be your last year in Europe?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, obviously I support both tours. I started on the European Tour, and they've helped me grow as a player, but obviously you want to be on the PGA TOUR as a golfer. You'd obviously play like the big events in Europe, and I'm happy to be here. It's a great pathway to get out here, and it's nice that they've had that alliance.

But it's an awesome thing. You just play well in Europe, and you can come out here and play.

Q. How do you feel about fellow Australian and defending champion Cam Smith not being here and participating, and have you been in touch with him, given that he lives in the area?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, I'm not too good of friends with him just because we don't -- we've never kind of crossed paths. But I'm friends with his coach and kind of everyone around him. But he was older than me as an amateur and I never really got the chance to talk with him. I would just say hi now and then and play one or two practice rounds.

I mean, he obviously played really well last year. To me, it is what it is. Obviously there's different tours, and you can't play both -- I would say hi to him if he came out, but yeah, it is what it is.

Q. Had you had that type of cramp on the course before?

MIN WOO LEE: I never had it, it was just random.

Q. Any physio work today that you need to do this afternoon?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, for sure, I'm going to check it out, because I need to. It's a weird thing, but I need to get it checked before tomorrow.