Majors are her priorities however Australian star Minjee Lee says making historical past and changing into her nation’s first world No.1 “means every little thing to me” as she prepares to make her 2023 debut.
Lee, who gained her second main on the US Open in 2022, is presently ranked No.3, having risen as excessive as No.2 and stated “it hurts” having come so near attaining an Aussie first.
Rankings for ladies have been solely launched in 2006 and no Australian has ever received to No.1, together with the legendary Karrie Webb regardless of her dominance within the early 2000s.
Teeing it up on the LPGA occasion in Thailand this week to get her season underway, Lee stated she had loads of objectives for the 12 months, however being formally recognised as one of the best participant on the planet was on prime.
“To me, in all probability means every little thing in the intervening time. You realize, I’ve been shut a pair occasions, and since I needed it a lot it hurts to not have the ability to be in that place,” she stated.
“So, you understand, clearly I don‘t know what it entails as a result of I haven’t been there earlier than, however I believe if I preserve going by means of my processes in my golf recreation and simply keep on with what I do know and what I’m good at, then I do know that enjoying good golf, that’s like the results of it.
“So I‘m going to attempt to not put an excessive amount of strain on myself.”
Lee struggled to provide her finest in the direction of the again of 2022, ending fifth on the Australian open, her last occasion in a protracted 12 months.
After an extended than regular break, and now refreshed, she declared avoiding burnout was going to be a giant a part of her planning this 12 months.
However these rating ideas are all the time there too.
“I believe in the direction of the tip of final 12 months I type of tapered off a bit of bit, so I believe I nonetheless have quite a bit in me. I’ve objectives that I need to meet and quite a lot of issues that I need to do but,” Lee stated.
“I believe most of my objectives revolve across the majors now, and so they‘re in all probability proper up the highest of my precedence checklist.
“However I believe additionally one in all my huge objectives is to not be too drained by the tip of the 12 months. I need to tempo myself all year long and be completely satisfied. I believe if I‘m completely satisfied, I’m completely satisfied on the golf course as properly.
“So, yeah, clearly golf-wise, majors are a giant objective, and world No. 1 is behind my head.”
