AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 2, 2025

Mackenzie Lee

Quick Quotes

Q. Nice day today.

MACKENZIE LEE: Thank you.

Q. Can you take us through your ace?

MACKENZIE LEE: Yeah, I was coming off of a bad -- I don't want to say bad, but not a great back nine. I was having trouble adjusting to like the conditions. I'm not really quite used to not playing with a rangefinder. So it was hard for us to adjust being accurate distance-wise.

I made a solid birdie on the hole before that, and I just told my caddie, hey, like I just want to be under par today. That's it. That's all I'm looking for.

We got a good number, 34 yards downwind, playing 35. I step up to the tee box. I hit a good shot, like it was clean, it was nice. Automatic tee pickup. It's what I do whenever I hit a good shot, according to other people. So I just did that.

Then I look, and then it disappeared, but I was like, okay, maybe it's just past the hole down a ridge or something. One of the caddies were like, I think that's in. I'm like no. I'm like no way. I literally just had one last week, like you're lying to me.

Q. Really?

MACKENZIE LEE: Yes. Actually, less than a week ago probably, like four or five days ago I had one.

So I was like you're lying to me. No one could see the green because it's like elevated. It's in that little swell. No one can see the hole. So we're like where's the ball? Where's the ball?

Everyone just runs up there, and they're like we don't see it. Someone looks in the hole, and they're like it's in. I was like that is insane, like wow.

Q. How many aces do you have now?

MACKENZIE LEE: That would be my fourth tournament one, seven probably total.

Q. Wow. Where was the one you just had a week ago? What tournament was that?

MACKENZIE LEE: It's at Clemson, hole No. 7. It was my first shot of the day. I was telling myself I need another warmup because it was shotgun and we were on number -- like all the way out there, like 20-minute drive in the golf carts. I was like okay, let's just try to get this on the green because it's in the front and there's water in front of that.

Yeah, it went in, and I was like that was insane. But this one, you can't really see the hole, and I was like I don't know if it's in. We shall see. Like no one saw it, but yeah, it was in.

Q. You went birdie, ace, birdie.

MACKENZIE LEE: Yes.

Q. So you're saying that before, you were hoping to just finish the round under par?

MACKENZIE LEE: Yes, and then I went 4-under in just three holes, yes.

Q. Did your mindset really change, or did it just free you up? That's a pretty drastic change.

MACKENZIE LEE: I wouldn't say it changed much. Going into the front nine -- because I just came off of a birdie on 18, which was my ninth hole. Going into the front nine, I was like, okay, I got this. I know that the front nine plays a lot easier relatively with less undulation.

So I just told myself keep it going. Then after that, it was just like, okay, let's just keep this. Like let's not waste the 4-under I just made up. Yeah, that was just my mindset, just play smart.

Q. For players that haven't reached the Augusta National Women's Amateur, how do you describe what this first day is like? Outside the ace obviously, but just getting to the golf course, you know it's coming, your name's about to be called on the first tee. How do you describe that?

MACKENZIE LEE: Personally, I don't think it felt too different for me. Obviously staffs are great, just setups are great. It's like really professional, which I feel like that could intimidate a few people.

But I think bigger collegiate events kind of set you up nicely for that. So it wasn't too big of a change for me relatively.

I think the most different part was just the crowd. The crowds, the cameras, like for me it's very exciting. I was thriving in it. I'm like, yes, cameras. (Laughter).

Q. When was your very first ace? How old were you?

MACKENZIE LEE: I don't know. I don't know how old I was. I was probably like 5 or 6. I've been playing golf for a while. I've been playing golf for longer than one of the freshmen on our team, if that explains anything.

Yeah, I think I'm ready to retire. I'm just kidding. Don't put that out there. It's not official. It's not an official thing.

Q. This is such a great week for women's golf. I'm here representing our LPGA-USGA Girls' Golf program. I would like to get your perspective on the women's game and why you hope that more girls pick up golf.

MACKENZIE LEE: Honestly it's a game you can play. Whether you're old, young, whatever, if you're female, male, it doesn't matter. You can play it whenever and however you want.

The connections you're able to make through the game itself is absolutely incredible. I've met some great people, great partners like the two logos on my chest right now and my hat. Like there's just so many opportunities out there just through golf itself.

I think that's one of the biggest reasons why I would highly encourage playing golf, even if it's just for recreational purposes, because I know that, once you get out in the professional world -- like not professional golf but in the workforce, everyone's playing golf honestly.

On the weekend, like, oh, what are you doing? Oh, I'm going to go play golf with whoever. So I think it's just a great way to grow your connection and just build your network.

Q. Looking back on your time playing the game, if you had your 6-year-old self here --

MACKENZIE LEE: Oh, my gosh.

Q. -- what advice would you give her?

MACKENZIE LEE: Well, 6-year-old self was a lot more hopeful and a lot more confident than I am right now, so I'd be like, yeah, you're going to get there. Don't worry. I'd be like, yes, you're good. You can keep on going.

I was actually here whenever I was 11 years old for Drive, Chip & Putt. So I think, if I were to talk to her instead, because I think that was a very pivotal moment in my golfing career, I think I would tell her, yes, it's startling, yes, it's stressful, but at the end it will be very worth it. So keep grinding.

Q. What did it mean to you to make this field?

MACKENZIE LEE: I've been telling everyone I've been trying to get here the past four or five years, ever since it started. Just seeing Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi, just the two of them walking up to the last hole at Augusta, like it's iconic.

I just really wanted to be part of it, and that's what I've been working towards throughout the whole last two junior golf years and then the college career so far.

The moment I knew that I was going to get my invitation, it was really like -- I don't know. It just kind of felt a little sore inside my heart. It was a happy soreness. It was very exciting, but at the same time, it's just like I could feel my emotions kind of going back to the hard moments where I played a bad tournament and my ranking -- I knew my ranking would drop. It was just like all those emotions coming together at once.

Once I was here, I was like let's have fun, like let's just have fun. Let's make the cut. Let's have fun.

Q. Is there something that you were excited to eat off the traditional Masters menu, like ice cream sandwich?

MACKENZIE LEE: I have a dietary disorder. So they've actually been amazing about it, and they try to make sure I'm not missing out on anything. So they've made like custom meals for me, which I'm very, very thankful for for the food and beverage team here. Like they're amazing.

Q. Awesome.

MACKENZIE LEE: I'll see if there's anything that I can have, and if there is, then I'll let you know.