A quick-fire Q&A with Australia’s two-time major champion, in which Minjee Lee spills the beans about a myriad of topics, including her hidden talents, her dream foursome and why she’d love to visit Antarctica(!)
Australian Golf Digest Women: Hey, Minjee. Ready to answer 59 questions?
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Minjee Lee: Oh, yeah.
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OK, here we go. What do you miss most when you’re not in Australia?
Coffee, for sure.
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Favourite course on your schedule this year?
Shadow Creek.
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Go-to travel snacks?
Fruit, definitely.
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Other than Min Woo, who else in your family plays golf?
My whole family plays, both my parents.
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How old were you when you first broke par?
I think about 14 years old.
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What’s your most treasured possession?
My US Open trophy.
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Best shot you’ve ever hit?
My first [LPGA Tour] win on the 15th hole. I hit a 4-iron. It was getting dark in the fog, and I made eagle. So yeah, that was my best shot.
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One word to describe your first major, the 2021 Evian Championship?
Unexpected.
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Two words to describe your second major, the 2022 US Women’s Open?
Well deserved.
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Who would be in your celebrity foursome?
Oh, that one’s hard – but Tiger, Serena Williams and probably my brother.
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Favourite club in your bag?
Oh, 8-iron.
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Bucket-list golf course?
Oh, that one’s hard. I’ve got too many.
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Who has the best swing on the LPGA Tour?
Best swing? There’s too many. I don’t have [just] one.
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How about who has the best swing on the PGA Tour?
Oh, I think Scotty’s got a pretty good swing. And Min Woo.
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Who’s your best friend on tour?
Probably Hsu Wei-ling. She ‘rookied’ with me the same year, so I’ve known her for 11 years now.
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Nice. If you could play golf with any historical figure, who would it be?
Payne Stewart.
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Great answer. Which country would you love to visit and why?
I’d love to visit Antarctica because no one really goes there and it’s kind of amazing.
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What’s one key to your pre-round routine?
My stretching routine.
What data do you look at first on a launch monitor?
Carry distance.
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Go-to coffee order?
Just a regular latte, extra hot.
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Favourite podcast?
I don’t have one.
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Most used app on your phone?
Instagram.
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If you could steal something from someone else’s game, who and what would it be?
Lorena Ochoa, putting.
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Vegemite or Marmite?
I don’t like either, but Vegemite because I’m Australian.
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Any superstitions?
I only use No.1 on my golf ball.
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What would your walkout song be?
Oh, that’s difficult. Nah, there’s too many options.
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Do you look at your stats during the season?
No, not really.
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OK. Well, which stat have you made the most improvement on?
Probably my ‘shots gained approach’. My irons have gotten much better over the years.
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Do you prefer a busy day off or a lazy day off?
One-hundred percent a lazy day off.
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Who was your favourite player growing up?
I’ve got to say Tiger. It was just awesome to watch him when he was in his prime.
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Who’s your favourite non-golf athlete? Right now, Jannik Sinner.
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When you’re on the course, how do you deal with the unexpected?
I kind of just breathe through it or have a snack. I don’t really do anything too special because I’m pretty calm anyway, but I have a little chat with my caddie and just try to get my mind off it.
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When are the moments you lean on your team most?
Obviously in the lows, times when I struggle, and I think they just know what to say and when to say it.
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Are you a good cook?
I try to be, but no.
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What’s your go-to meal?
Korean food because I grew up with it. Probably kimchi-jjigae.
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Best stop on tour for food?
LA. I can’t go wrong. And New York.
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If you weren’t a golfer, what would you be?
I’ve always wanted to do something with kids. I wanted to be a children’s doctor, so yeah, maybe something along those lines.
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What’s the most starstruck you’ve ever been?
Starstruck? I don’t know if I’m really that type of person. I’ve not really been super-starstruck before.
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Was there a moment during a tournament when you faced great adversity?
There’s a lot of times when I’m facing adversity. I think mostly getting in my own way, so I think I would say a lot more times than none.
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And when you do face that adversity, how do you overcome it?
It’s easier said than done, but I just try to acknowledge it and think of it as, That is the process that you have to go through to get better, and just try to keep myself as grounded as possible.
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Describe your caddie in one word.
Scottish.
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How would your caddie describe you in one word?
I think he’d say I’m a good boss.
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Do your friends have a nickname
for you?
Not really, I don’t think so. They just call me MJ or Minjee.
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Favourite player to be paired with?
Anybody who’s quick, but Nelly’s probably the quickest on tour.
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Name to watch out for on tour?
I actually played a couple of holes with one of the rookies this year. She won the Toto Championship – one of the Japanese players that’s coming up. Her name’s Rio Takeda.
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Go-to swing thought?
Just cover the ball.
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If you could change one rule in golf, what would it be?
I think the divot rule where if you hit into someone else’s divot, you should get a [free] drop.
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Besides golf equipment, what’s one thing that’s always in your bag?
Sunscreen.
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Any hidden talents?
I want to say yes, but… I’m a little handy. I like to fix things and I can untangle things well.
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Best dressed on tour?
I am going to be! With Malbon this year.
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Go-to karaoke song?
OK, you’d never guess this, but Taylor Swift, “Love Story.”
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What’s a career goal of yours?
Hall of Fame, for sure. That’s always been my all-time goal.
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All right, fill in the blank. “I would not be as successful as I am without…”
My team.
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Favourite sports team?
I’m going to say the Freo Dockers AFL team.
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Most common takeaway order?
Thai food for me. I just like a good curry or a pad kra pao.
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Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Oh, that one’s hard, but probably just the one that I always go back to: always try to enjoy yourself. Just have fun, even if it’s on the course, off the course. And always try to find joy in the little things.
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Last question, what would you do with a full day off?
Definitely sleep in, go to the beach, have a great coffee, have a great meal, hang out with my friends and just have a chill day. Go have a beer.
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Thanks, Minjee. That’s 59 questions.
Thank you.
Photo by: Kevin C. Cox/getty images
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