MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 10, 2025

Min Woo Lee

Quick Quotes

Q. Disappointing there at the end, but overall are you happy to be 1-under in the first round of the Masters?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, hit a really nice putt, just lipped out. It's one of those things, if you're giving yourself birdie putts at Augusta National, you're doing a good job. It's a tough golf course today. It was a tough golf course. Yeah, very happy with 1-under.

Obviously could have had a couple more, but again, tricky pins, and I played very solid. So that's a plus.

Q. You're now Australia's highest ranked player in the World Rankings. Do you feel that pressure or do you like that pressure?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, no, one day I dreamt of that, so I'm here now. It is a very cool feeling. I still feel like a kid. I always say that, but I still feel like a kid and I look up to Jason and Scotty up there in the rankings.

Yeah, it's quite nice I guess to see that ranking, but we're looking further than that.

I mean, it's good. It's great. I've been trying to get to World No. 1. It's still a quest. Just want to keep playing well and putting myself in contention.

At these tournaments, at the majors, there's obviously pressure, but there's pressure every tournament. You've got to play well, and you don't want to play bad. So yeah.

Q. Exciting news about the Olympics, a mixed event in 2028. Maybe you and Minjee, how exciting would that be?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, that would be very cool. When I saw it, I was thinking, is my sister going to play another four years, and I'm pretty sure I will be, but yeah, it would be very cool. I don't know, it's not replacing the original, though, is it?

Q. It's adding.

MIN WOO LEE: It's adding, so that would be awesome. I would love to team up with her and give it all we got.

Q. Have you spoken to her since that announcement?

MIN WOO LEE: No, no. I mean, I might mention it, but no, nothing.

Q. You've had some incredible Sundays here, but how nice is it to get off to a fast start?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, I think just being a little bit of a better player, just maturing a little bit, and obviously that win helped a lot. I think just getting a bit more comfortable in these conditions with all the people.

It is very nice. You can shoot yourself out of it, but you can stay in it on Thursday. I think I did a really good job, and yeah, hopefully the next three days are good.

Q. You're now a winner on the PGA TOUR; describe where you were last year versus now.

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, it's a bit of both. I had a lot of confidence, obviously, coming into this week, but then last year I had no expectations because I had a broken finger so I was kind of just go out there and play.

I think I was like 4-over through 7 and I was like, yep, that's pretty much a broken finger and a cold. But I managed to actually play really good after that and come 22nd.

Yeah, I think in a way, very similar. I felt really good in different ways. But yeah, I was very cautious of when I was in the gym last week.

Q. How hard is it to manage your expectations this time around?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, obviously there's going to be a lot of talk after the win, but I think I did a great job in Houston, and I think I just kind of had to -- I have to keep that mentality and keep that mindset going forward.

You can get very caught up in it, but just enjoy and have fun, but trust the process and lock in when you need to.

Q. Have you ever leaned on anyone to learn this golf course or any outside resources?

MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, obviously a lot of YouTube, a lot of Masters coverage. I knew the place before I even came here four years ago. Obviously everyone is like -- it's a lot hillier, which was very true. I was very tired after the nine holes or the 18 holes that I played. I've been here a while now, and my legs feel tired just from walking up those hills.

Just knowing, yeah, from that and -- obviously Jason has been a great help. Scottie has been a great help. A lot of the Aussies, they've all played well here, so to lean on them, I would say most of the Aussies have given me help, and hopefully I can do that to guys coming up, as well.