Tag: 2022 Women’s British Open

Here’s what Minjee Lee must do at this week’s AIG Women’s British Open to become World No. 1 for the first time

No Australian has been No. 1 since the rankings began in 2006.

Minjee Lee has dominated the majors of late, winning two of the last six with two additional top-5s. Coming into the second round of the AIG Women’s Open, the Aussie was a combined 58 under par since the 2021 Amundi Evian, 22 strokes better than the next player, Georgia Hall.

On Friday at Muirfield, Lee added a 1-under 70 to move to 4 under and take a share of the mid-day clubhouse lead with France’s Celine Boutier.

Currently No. 2 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, Lee has a chance to move to No. 1 for the first time with a victory at Muirfield, with Jin Young Ko likely missing the cut at 5 over. Lee also could rise to No. 1 with a solo-second finish, should Ko finish 54th or worse and No. 3 Nelly Korda finish solo-third or worse.

No Aussie has been No. 1 since the rankings debuted in February 2006. South Korea’s Ko has been ranked No. 1 for 27 consecutive weeks dating to Jan. 31, 2022. She’s been No. 1 a total of 133 weeks in her career.

The laid-back Lee seems to take it all in stride.

“I definitely know where I am on the leaderboard playing,” said Lee. “I try not to think too much about the other stuff. I’m still the same person. I’m still going to, I hit a little white golf ball around a field. That’s always been my mindset, and whatever comes with it I’m going to embrace it and be the best person that I can be.”

Lee, 26, hit 14 greens in regulation Friday and took 32 putts. She carded 15 pars on the day.

An eight-time winner on the LPGA, Lee leads the tour in scoring (69.17), money ($3,426,980) and CME points. A two-time winner this season, she has three additional top-3 finishes.

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Brooke Henderson, fresh off second major win, calls Muirfield her favorite links course yet

“I just love the way it feels and the way it looks.”

Brooke Henderson won her second major title, and first in six years, two weeks ago at the Amundi Evian Championship, and then promptly pulled out of the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open to recharge.

She took the unplanned off-week to tour a couple of castles in Scotland and practice at Carnoustie, site of last year’s AIG Women’s British Open.

This year’s British Open will be contested at iconic Muirfield for the first time. Muirfield has hosted 16 men’s British Opens, dating to 1892. It was only three years ago that the club invited its first female members in 275 years. This year’s champion will join a list of 16 men who have won an Open at Muirfield, including the likes of Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.

Henderson, the winningest Canadian golfer of all-time – male or female ­– played nine holes at Muirfield on Sunday night and 18 on Monday and said it might be her favorite links course yet.

“I just love the way it feels and the way it looks,” said Henderson. “I mentioned some of the spectacular views of the water, which is really cool. You can see it from a lot of different holes, actually, which is pretty neat.”

Brooke M. Henderson of Canada lift the trophy after winning the The Amundi Evian Championship during day four of The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 24, 2022 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

With no top-10 finishes to her credit yet at the British, Henderson isn’t as high on the list of favorites as one might think, despite her recent triumph. She’ll rely heavily on older sister Brittany, who has more of an analytical mind, to help her manage her way around a course originally designed by Old Tom Morris.

“I’m very much just a feel player,” said Henderson, “so coming in, I like to see the golf course and kind of feel my way around. I feel like we make a really good team that way. The two methods kind of fit really well together.”

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