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/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
Off the Course: Jessica Lee
1/11/2019 2:07:00 PM | Women's Golf
With the spring season kicking off February 2, Gopher Sports will be featuring Q&As with each Minnesota women's golfer. Next in our series is sophomore Jessica Lee. Lee, a Hinsdale, Ill. native, set new personal bests in round score (74), tournament score (228) and score to par (+12) at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate and tied for 53rd. She competed twice as an individual in her freshman season. At Hinsdale Central High School, she finished first in West Suburban Conference along with regionals and sectionals in each of her four years. Lee was a two-time state medalist in 2014 and 2015, finished in third in 2013 and 2016, and helped lead the Red Devils to their first team state championship. She was named the Oak Brook Female Athlete of the Year and an Esmark All-American in 2015. Lee was also a four-year member of the Dean's List and National Spanish Honor Society.
Gopher Sports: With a full season under your belt, what have been the biggest changes from being a freshman to a sophomore?
Jessica Lee: The biggest change from freshman year to sophomore year is having to cook for myself! I am very bad at cooking, so it has been a big adjustment for me to make my own food on the weekends when the athletic center does not offer us dinner.
GS: How would you describe yourself as a golfer?
JL: As a golfer, I am very level-headed and conservative. I prefer to hit higher percentage shots in order to minimize the number of mistakes that I make per round. One area that I always strive to improve is to not over-think my swing since I perform better when I think less.
GS: What did you learn in the fall season and what do you hope to accomplish in the spring?
JL: During the fall season, I relearned how I play my best. Since coming to college, I allowed my academic stress to influence how I thought and played throughout rounds. It wasn't until this year that I was fully able to just "relax" on the golf course, enjoy each round, and not think too much while I stood over the ball.
GS: You and Kate Lillie, along with two of the team's recent signees, Emma Carpenter and Grace Curran, all hail from the state of Illinois. What does that mean to you and what do you think it says about golf in the state?
JL: Illinois junior golf has always been very competitive and I am looking forward to having two fellow Chicagoans joining the team next year. Both Grace Curran and Emma Carpenter are great competitors and will be great assets to next year's team. It is exciting to have my college team include players that I never met, and players I grew up competing against.
GS: What drove you the most to come to the University of Minnesota and to the women's golf team, and what have you enjoyed the most over the past year and a half?
JL: I initially considered Minnesota because I wanted to attend a university that also had a dental school, since I wanted to become an orthodontist. During my official visit, I met Maggie Heggerston and Muyu Wu and I really enjoyed talking with them. Since being here, I have loved my teammates and the coaching staff. I am very thankful for our great team culture and practice environment; I am looking forward to the upcoming years with our team utilizing our new facility.
GS: What is one thing Gophers fans should know about you?
JL: I initially played competitive tennis and wanted to play collegiate tennis until I was in 7th grade; I had never swung a golf club until I was 13.
Gopher Sports: With a full season under your belt, what have been the biggest changes from being a freshman to a sophomore?
Jessica Lee: The biggest change from freshman year to sophomore year is having to cook for myself! I am very bad at cooking, so it has been a big adjustment for me to make my own food on the weekends when the athletic center does not offer us dinner.
GS: How would you describe yourself as a golfer?
JL: As a golfer, I am very level-headed and conservative. I prefer to hit higher percentage shots in order to minimize the number of mistakes that I make per round. One area that I always strive to improve is to not over-think my swing since I perform better when I think less.
GS: What did you learn in the fall season and what do you hope to accomplish in the spring?
JL: During the fall season, I relearned how I play my best. Since coming to college, I allowed my academic stress to influence how I thought and played throughout rounds. It wasn't until this year that I was fully able to just "relax" on the golf course, enjoy each round, and not think too much while I stood over the ball.
GS: You and Kate Lillie, along with two of the team's recent signees, Emma Carpenter and Grace Curran, all hail from the state of Illinois. What does that mean to you and what do you think it says about golf in the state?
JL: Illinois junior golf has always been very competitive and I am looking forward to having two fellow Chicagoans joining the team next year. Both Grace Curran and Emma Carpenter are great competitors and will be great assets to next year's team. It is exciting to have my college team include players that I never met, and players I grew up competing against.
GS: What drove you the most to come to the University of Minnesota and to the women's golf team, and what have you enjoyed the most over the past year and a half?
JL: I initially considered Minnesota because I wanted to attend a university that also had a dental school, since I wanted to become an orthodontist. During my official visit, I met Maggie Heggerston and Muyu Wu and I really enjoyed talking with them. Since being here, I have loved my teammates and the coaching staff. I am very thankful for our great team culture and practice environment; I am looking forward to the upcoming years with our team utilizing our new facility.
GS: What is one thing Gophers fans should know about you?
JL: I initially played competitive tennis and wanted to play collegiate tennis until I was in 7th grade; I had never swung a golf club until I was 13.
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Teeing Off - ANNIKA Intercollegiate
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