Alison Lee wins by eight in Saudi Arabia with record-setting performance

One week after Alison Lee lost in a playoff on the LPGA, she ran laps around the field in Riyadh.

One week after Alison Lee lost in a playoff on the LPGA, she ran laps around the field in Saudi Arabia. Lee shot a mind-boggling 61-61-65 at the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series event at Riyadh Golf Club.

Lee smashed the LET’s 36-hole scoring record by six shots with her 22-under total.

She went on to beat the field by eight shots, finishing at 29-under 187, which matches the tour’s tournament scoring record. Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, the recent hero of the Solheim Cup, finished solo second after rounds of 65-63-67. Charley Hull finished third at 18 under.

“I made a lot of really good putts,” said Lee of her opening brilliance. “Statistically [this season], driver, greens-in-regulation, everything’s been really good. But I just haven’t been able to get that confidence in the putter and that’s been the biggest thing.”

On the LPGA, the American Lee lost in overtime last Sunday to Australia’s Minjee Lee at the BMW Ladies Championship. Alison has two other top-10 finishes on the LPGA this season.

Alison’s first professional victory came at the 2021 Aramco event at Sotogrande. A former No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the 28-year-old former UCLA student turned professional in 2014 after winning the final stage of LPGA Q-School.

Lilia Vu, a two-time major winner who currently ranks No. 1 in the world, finished eighth in Saudi Arabia. Minjee placed sixth.

The LET’s Saudi-backed events remain controversial given the wide-ranging human rights abuses Saudi Arabia has been accused of, especially toward women.

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