The LPGA Tour BMW Ladies Championship (total prize money: $2.2 million) was held at Seowon Hills (par 72) at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi-do for four days from the 19th to the 22nd.
As a result, Lee Min-ji, who reduced 4 strokes on the last day, recorded a final total of 16 under par, and won the championship by catching a birdie in the first overtime match against Allison Lee.
In an official interview after the match, Lee Min-ji said, “The beginning was important because we were tied for the lead at the start of the last round. After making two birdies in the beginning and making bogey on the 9th hole, I thought, ‘Let’s catch a few birdies in the second half.’ That’s what happened. “he said.
Lee Min-ji then said, “I wasn’t that nervous about the first five holes in the second half, but I was excited and looking forward to it,” and she actually picked out three birdies in this section.
Meanwhile, Lee Min-ji added, “As a player, you want to compete for the championship every week, and I enjoyed competing in that situation, so I enjoyed the game.”
There was also a question about overtime. Lee Min-ji responded, “Actually, it was the fourth overtime match this year, so I got used to it, and I know Allison Lee well. We met in the finals of the 2012 US Girls Junior Championship, and when I remembered that time, it somehow felt more familiar.”
Lee Min-ji continued, “It seems like a huge task to compete one-on-one with a close opponent and at the same time a player who is competent and has the best skills. So during the overtime, I thought, ‘Let’s just keep the fairway well,’ and ‘Then make a good second shot and then putt. “I thought, ‘Let’s do well, so let’s make a birdie.’ I was glad that it worked out as well as I thought,” he said, looking back at that time.
Lee Min-ji achieved her 10th win on the LPGA Tour with this win. ‘I think this win felt even more special because I have a lot of family and friends here. I know that her grandmother also came and supported her, so the question was also asked, ‘What does today’s win mean?’
In response, Lee Min-ji said, “Korea is the place I always wanted to win the most. It’s even more special because my parents’ roots are in Korea. It was amazing, special, and nice to see my family and friends gathered together for the overtime game.” did.
Minji Lee also said, “Right after I won, I saw my grandmother while she was in a daze, so she just hugged me and told me, ‘Well done.’”
Just the week before, Lee Min-ji’s younger brother Lee Min-woo won the Asian Tour SJM Macau Open. By winning for two weeks in a row, it was a ‘family blessing’.
Lee Min-ji said, “I was really happy that my younger brother won, and I think it must have motivated him to some extent. I always keep an eye on him when he competes. Although I can never tell him directly, I think he is doing well and I am always proud of him. Together. “It’s nice to be able to achieve good results,” he said.
Lee Min-ji, who said in an interview before the competition, ‘I want to answer the question of what it would be like to win in Korea,’ said, “It’s not much different. Of course, I felt good because I won. Of course, it was even more special because I won in Korea, and personally, “I thought it was the icing on the cake because it was my 10th win on the LPGA tour,” he said.
Minji Lee achieved her 10th win on the LPGA Tour nine years after her tour debut. When asked, “There must have been a goal you set after your LPGA debut, to what extent do you think you have achieved it now?” Lee Min-ji said, “I didn’t set a special milestone of 10 wins.”
At the same time, Lee Min-ji said, “Usually, when people around me tell me after a game, I tend to realize, ‘Oh, how many wins I have in total.’ Rather, my goal is to be in a position to compete for the championship on the weekend every time I compete. “I think 10 wins is a number that makes me feel worthwhile because it is the fruit and reward for my efforts so far,” he added.
Lee Min-ji emphasized, “As for my future goal, I haven’t been ranked No. 1 in the world yet, but I think I need to work harder. Golf is an unpredictable sport, so I want to be No. 1 in the world within a few years, when I can.” did.
When asked about the difference between attending a KLPGA tour event as an invited player and attending an LPGA tour held in Korea, Lee Min-ji said, “For example, when I participated in the Hana Financial Championship, I had to follow the KLPGA rules and regulations. “Other than competing with Korean players, I don’t think I felt much of a difference.”
Lee Min-ji, who teamed up with Brad Beecher, Inbee Park’s long-time caddy, for two wins this season, said, “I will continue to work with Brad Beecher in the future,” adding, “Brad became my caddy relatively recently, in June-July, but they are both Australians, so they are known as Australians.” “There are a lot of things and we fit well together. I’m happy to win with him,” he said.
Lee Min-ji, who came close to winning the KLPGA Tour Hana Financial Championship last month but missed it, added another win in a month. Regarding this, Lee Min-ji said, “As a golf player, I am more accustomed to situations in which I do not win than to win, but I always struggle with such situations and try to adapt and overcome difficulties.”
Lee Min-ji continued, “My personality is naturally calm and positive, and I think I tend to forget bad memories and focus on the next shot. When I experience a mental blow, I try to work harder and use that to motivate myself, and I try to avoid the same situation again. “I try not to touch it,” he added.
Although she entered the professional world at a young age and achieved a lot as a golf player, Minji Lee responded to the question, “I don’t think I had much of an ordinary life other than as a golfer,” saying, “For the first three years of my debut, like everyone else, I maintained my right to participate. “That was my goal, so I participated in many competitions and stayed busy. As time went by, things became a little more stable,” he said.
Lee Min-ji said, “And now, 9 years after debut, I think I’m finding a good balance. It’s not just ‘I’m going to make 100 putts’ or ‘I’m going to practice for practice,’ but it’s about how to practice and how to manage my time. “I now know better how to operate it, and I think I have more leeway and balance in that regard,” he added.
At the same time, Lee Min-ji said, “Personally, in relation to golf, I want to contribute to the LPGA tour in some role after retirement and develop the tour before leaving. Whether it is as a role model on the course or on TV, or a role to nurture juniors, I don’t know what that will look like. “I don’t know, but I want to play a helpful role for the LPGA, women’s golf, and junior players,” he emphasized.
BY: 안전놀이터