CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 20, 2025

Somi Lee

Tiburon Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, joining me here today after the first rounds of the CME Group Tour Championship is Somi Lee. Somi, really good round today. It was your best of the LPGA season this year. Can you just talk about your round and what went well?

SOMI LEE: (Through translation.) My best score was 8, but I think next time I'm going to try to do 9.

Q. And you made an eagle on 17. Can you walk us through that hole with like cub selection and then how you played?

SOMI LEE: (Through translation.) My original shot went further than I thought; then with the conditions I decided to use a 5-iron and it went exactly as I thought, which was kind of how I was able to make that eagle.

Q. This is your first time playing in the Tour Championship. How did you prepare for this? How did you manage the pressure of playing in such a big event?

SOMI LEE: (Through translation.) It's an honor playing my first Tour Championship, and I don't think I was necessarily in a position to be nervous about anything.

I thought to myself, whatever the score is or how I play, let's just kind of prepare for next year's season. I think that kind of alleviated the stress in today's round to be able to get a better score.

Q. Looking ahead to the next three rounds as the clubhouse leader, what is your focus going to be?

SOMI LEE: (Through translation.) Mind control is probably the most important factor going into the remaining rounds, and unfortunately I wanted to play 18 better. Whether my golf game is good or bad I know that's not the end of my golf career, so I want to do my best.

Q. I was talking to your manager before and he said this is some of the best putting he's ever seen you do. What have you been working on in your putting leading into this week?

SOMI LEE: (Through translation.) To be completely honest I just followed Lydia Ko's putter grip because she's a good player and I thought, why not follow a good player's putter grip.

It worked really well.

Q. Was that the first week you did that?

SOMI LEE: No. Last week also. (Smiling.)

Q. Last week you decided to start?

SOMI LEE: Yes.

Q. And when did you see Lydia Ko's putting stroke?

SOMI LEE: (Through translation.) So I saw it two weeks ago and then I started using that last week. But I don't think the grip was quite right yet and this week we adjusted it, and I think it's working really well.

Q. How did you adjust it compared to last week?

SOMI LEE: (Through translation.) I usually use an arm lock so I want to change to a normal lock so I can feel my hands a little bit more. I adjusted mainly that part and also a few angles in the loft.

Q. So do you have anything to say to Lydia Ko for like thanking her for the round today or anything like that, or a shoutout?

SOMI LEE: (Through translation.) She's my forever hero.