Tag: Meijer LPGA Classic

Nelly Korda wins again in 2021, this time at Meijer LPGA Classic

This marked Nelly Korda’s second win of the season and her fifth since turning pro in 2016.

BELMONT, Michigan — When Nelly Korda strolled down the 18th fairway Sunday afternoon with just a one-shot lead, she didn’t let the stress overwhelm her.

She composed herself, finished off the hole for birdie and earned a two-stroke win, finishing with a Meijer LPGA Classic tournament-record 25 under. She hasn’t always been able to do that. Before this week, she said she’d be liable to crumble under the stress a tight tournament can put on her shoulders.

“On Sundays when I’m in the final group, I forget to smile and laugh and I’m so zoned in on hitting these perfect shots and making sure I execute everything perfectly that when something is off just a little bit I get so angry at myself and so hard on myself,” Korda said. “Today I was like, Ok, we take it how it is and just enjoy the moment.”

She needed that happy demeanor on the course too. She entered Sunday’s final round with a three-shot lead over tour rookie Leona Maguire. But that lead vanished and after just four holes, the two were tied at the top of the leaderboard.

Korda struggled on the front nine, going just 1 under while Maguire was 4 under for the day and had no signs of slowing down. But when they made the turn, something clicked in her head. Just stop stressing and have fun.

“Honestly, I didn’t start the day off well. I was not hitting fairways. The holes that I dominated on were the par 5s, I was scrambling for par,” Korda said. “I told myself to stay in it, enjoy the moment, have fun. I talked to my caddie about anything just to kind of keep on going.”

That flick of a switch sparked a dominating run for her. She started the back nine 5 under through her first six holes, which included an eagle on a driveable par 5. But Maguire wasn’t going away easily.

The runner-up wouldn’t let Korda get comfortable at any point in the round. Her largest deficit at any point was three shots, but she turned it into a one-shot gap after a birdie and bogey by Korda pulled her right back into the hunt. While Maguire fell short of claiming her first LPGA win, she said she knows she’s making a name for herself now.

“I’m really starting to feel like I belong out here, even though it’s still my rookie year, I’m feeling more and more comfortable every week,” Maguire said. “My first time in the last group going into the final round, and really proud of how I managed that.”

Korda said that the Ireland native kept her on her toes all afternoon. She was impressed by how she handled the massive situation she was put in for the first time in her career.

That’s emblematic of the whole tour though, according to Korda. She said when she first started as a pro there were just a handful of players in contention every week. But now, she sees the entire field as potential contenders.

“So the rookies out here are playing well. Leona is playing well,” Korda said. “I just think the girls are just starting to dominate. You go into a week back in the day I think you would say, oh, five or ten people could win. Now you look at the field and you’re like, anyone can take home the victory.”

This marked Korda’s second win of the season and her fifth since turning pro back in 2016. This win was a bit more special for the 22-year-old, though, One of her biggest fans, Sophia Howard was in attendance.

Howard, a 14-year-old west Michigan native, was born without a right hand but is an avid fan of Nelly and her sister Jessica. They met earlier this year and played a round together in Florida. But seeing her sink the final shot to earn the title was a special moment for both of them.

Even if Howard had to run to catch a glimpse of it.

“She was at a softball tournament and she texted my sister when I was on at 18, and she said she ran through the third fairway just to get to the green to watch me win,” Korda said. “So that was really cool to see her and for her to be there.”

The moment helped put everything in perspective for Korda. With another major coming up at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Atlanta, she’s making sure she doesn’t lose that.

But if she isn’t able to reach the top of the mountain again for a while, she won’t overwhelm herself with stress trying to get back in the winner’s circle. She’ll just live in the present and savor every second of it.

“[I] actually really enjoyed today. Honestly, there have been times where on Sundays I really haven’t enjoyed it, the stress kind of ate me and I didn’t stay in the moment and [didn’t] enjoy playing golf on a Sunday in a final group,” Korda said. “But today I really enjoyed it.”

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Nelly Korda is all smiles after scintillating career-best round at Meijer LPGA Classic

Korda made 11 birdies on the day, tied for the second-most in LPGA history. Just two less than Annika Sörenstam’s 13-birdie performance.

BELMONT, Michigan — When Nelly Korda was making the turn at Blythfield Country Club on Saturday, a loud horn sounded.

It was a weather delay. Something Korda dreaded, as she shot 5 under on the front. But the 45-minute break didn’t slow her down a bit. She shaved five more shots off her score in the back half and finished the day with a 10-under 62, a career-best. She’s currently sitting with a three-shot lead at 20 under heading into the fourth round of the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Korda made 11 birdies on the day, tied for the second-most in LPGA history. Just two less than Annika Sörenstam’s 13-birdie performance 20 years ago en route to a 59.

“I was sticking it close. Just I guess was feeling it out there today,” Korda said. “I had a lot of close putts, I was really dialed in with my irons and wedges. That helps when you have shorter putts.”

She started the day five shots off Leona Maguire’s lead, but wasted no time clawing her way back up the leaderboard. She started her round with three straight birdies. She shot her lone bogey of the day on the 11th hole, just one hole after restarting from the weather delay.

Though her only slip-up on the course came shortly after the delay, she said it didn’t affect her play much. She felt confident over her ball and the damp greens let her aim straight for the pin, knowing the ball wouldn’t roll far after it hit.

Nelly Korda hits a tee shot during the third round of the Meijer LPGA Classic. (Photo by Will Kennedy/Holland Sentinel)

“Definitely got a lot softer, you can be a lot more aggressive on the greens,” Korda said. “The greens get bouncy, they’re a little slower but bouncy. For them to be soft I can just aim at the hole and shoot at it.”

While Korda came back on the course like nothing even happened, the same could not be said for Madelene Sagstrom. She was rolling through her first nine holes, matching the leader’s 5 under. But after the delay, it was a bit slow for her.

Though she played a bogey-free round, she didn’t birdie again until the 16th. She followed it up with another birdie on 18 to shoot a 7-under 65. That’s good enough for third place heading into the final round, but if it weren’t for the bad weather she felt she could’ve scored lower.

“I wish I could have kept going because I was playing so well,” Sagstrom said. “After you stop and then we didn’t get to warm up, I was just trying to find my momentum again and I’m happy I got those 2 under after the delay.”

Maguire, who had a comfortable three-shot cushion heading into the day, wasn’t able to protect her lead. She finished her round 2 under and sits in second place overall at 17 under for the tournament.

Her holes from tee box to the dance floor was solid all afternoon. But earlier in the week when she was able to drain putts, on Saturday she wasn’t able to. As soon as she signed her scorecard she hit the practice green trying to lock in for the final round tomorrow.

“I played pretty well from tee to green felt like. Gave myself a lot of chances. Just didn’t hole any putts today at all, couldn’t really get it going,” Maguire said. “You have to hole putts around here to make some birdies. I didn’t really do that.”

Though she said she’d have like to stay in the lead heading into Sunday, it might not all be a bad thing. With Korda taking over atop the leaderboard, the Ireland native said she’ll be able to play free in the final round.

She’s still in search of her first LPGA victory, but she knows all eyes won’t be on her when they tee off tomorrow. They’ll be on her playing partner.

“All the pressure is on Nelly. Everybody expects Nelly to win tomorrow. She’s ranked [top 5] in the world, nobody expects me to do anything,” Maguire said. “I’ve really got nothing to lose. I can just go out and play golf and see what happens.”

Korda’s sister, Jessica, had a solid day herself. She shot 5 under Saturday and is tied for 12th, eight shots back of the lead. She knows that most of the field has a long way to go to catch Nelly.

But at Blythfield, where players are consistently shooting well under par, anybody can get hot at the right time. This week, it’s all come down to how the greens have rolled.

“Out here the greens are slow so it’s just trying to get the putts to the hole. That’s kind of it,” Jessica said. “I think a lot of us out on the golf course are leaving a lot of putts center and a little short so gets a little frustrating.”

For Nelly, she hopes to keep to momentum rolling into Sunday. After missing the cut in the US Open, her only missed cut of the year, Saturday’s round helped boost her confidence sky-high.

Now the trick is trying to keep it there tomorrow.

“Every day a new day, there is still 18 more holes,” Korda said. “There is a lot of girls bunched up, a lot of birdie opportunities, so take it shot by shot and see how it goes.”

Contact Assistant Sports Editor Will Kennedy at Will.Kennedy@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @ByWillKennedy and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.

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Leona Maguire’s strong finish powers her to three-shot lead at Meijer LPGA Classic

The Ireland native finished with a par, eagle and a 30-foot birdie to take a three-shot lead at the end of the second round.

BELMONT, Mich. — As the holes were filling up on Leona Maguire’s scorecard, it looked like she’d been in a tie for first place heading into the weekend at the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Then her final three holes happened.

The Ireland native finished with a par, eagle and a 30-foot birdie to take a three-shot lead at the end of the second round. She finished the day 8 under to make her total score for the tournament 15 under, three shots better than her closest competitor.

“We were kind of in-between clubs. I absolutely flushed a 5 hybrid, [it] went way further than I thought and pitched pin high and stayed on the green,” Duncan said. “And another really nice putt on nine, that pin was really tucked. I just tried to be disciplined, played 30 feet right of the hole and took my chance.”

She started the round hot, shooting a 5-under 31 on her first nine. But a couple of errant drives cost her once she made the turn, and she turned in consecutive bogeys. Still, she got back on track, going 5 under over her final five holes.

The 26-year-old had to fend off challengers Suh Oh (12 under), who finished 7 under on the day, and Lindy Duncan (11 under ), who also shot 7 under. Maguire said she’s used to having one good day at a tournament, but usually can’t string together consecutive solid days. Her impressive performance has given her confidence heading into the final two rounds.

“Was really proud of how I came out today,” Maguire said. “Last week in San Francisco I was leading after day one and struggled on day two, so it was nice to put a really good number back to back in rounds one and two and even go one better today.”

While she’s in the driver’s seat for her first LPGA win, Duncan is sitting just four shots back looking for her first title as well. It was a career day for the South Floridian, shooting 5 under on her back nine to take the lead into the clubhouse until Maguire and Oh overtook her late in the afternoon.

Even though there was a two-hour rain delay in the morning before she was able to tee off, that might have helped Duncan. She said the greens felt smoother and slower, which let her play a bit more aggressively. But the wet weather still made for its own challenges.

“I think the front nine it was pretty receptive and the greens were definitely rolling a bit smoother,” Duncan said. “I kind of just tried to take it one hole at a time and just take notes as I went on and just tried to pay attention to those little things…it was definitely changing.”

Oh, who took off in the afternoon, is just three shots back of Maguire. She had a bogey-free round Friday and has played just one hole over par through the first two days.

Still, she’s not getting too far ahead of herself thinking of glory. She doesn’t have a score in mind she wants to hit the rest of the weekend. The Australian is just taking it one shot at a time.

“[I] just kind of kept my cool. I think that was quite good,” Oh said. “I guess just have to kind of hit one shot and then the next shot and see how it turns out, just kind of keep it going.”

Nelly Korda, the No. 2-ranked player in the world, made a move on Friday. She shot 6 under for the day, bringing her overall score to 10 under, well within striking distance.

“The greens were definitely a lot softer today so you could be more aggressive,” Korda said. “So I could really hit my numbers today, and I had a lot of good numbers going in.”

The surprise of the tournament is that two-time Meijer LPGA Classic winner Brooke Henderson missed the cut. She shot a 75 on Thursday and rebounded with a 5 under 67 but it wasn’t enough. She finished 2 under, 1 off the cutline.

But back at the top, Maguire is living in the moment. She and Duncan both played college golf at Duke, though they never crossed paths in Durham. Still, they’ve become close friends, practicing together outside of Orlando.

As they head into the final rounds in West Michigan, the two Blue Devils might have to go head to head for their first tournament victory.

“We practice and play together quite a bit,” Maguire said. “She’s been a good friend of mine, and it’ll be nice to go head-to-head with her down the stretch this weekend.”

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Lindy Duncan shining at Meijer LPGA Classic with a 17-year-old on the bag

Lindy Duncan is in search of her first win on the LPGA Tour. This weekend could be memorable for Duncan and her caddie.

BELMONT, Michigan — When Lindy Duncan strolled into the clubhouse with the lead through two rounds of the Meijer LPGA Classic, she wasn’t accompanied by a longtime confidant carrying her bag like so many other pros.

Instead, it was 17-year-old Aubree Crane, who met Duncan less than a week ago.

“I was busy at tournaments so my dad called the caddiemaster [at Blythfield Country Club] and told them a little about me,” Duncan said. “I’m a bit on the quiet side and they recommended Aubree.”

The 17-year-old Rockford High School student normally caddies at Blythfield to make some extra cash when she’s not in class. Though Duncan reads her own greens and picks her own clubs, Crane has been a welcome addition to her team.

She’s watching one of the most successful streaks in Duncan’s career too. After two rounds she holds the lead at 11 under. The South Floridian is in search of her first win on the LPGA Tour. So this weekend in West Michigan could be memorable for both of them.

“It really has been surreal, I don’t think it’s really hit yet,” Crane said. “Like this is the big leagues, this is really serious, but I’m sure it will sink in later.”

Lindy Duncan (right) poses with her caddy Aubree Crane. (Photo by Will Kennedy/Holland Sentinel/USA Today Network)

In Friday’s second round, Crane was right by Duncan’s side as she shot 7 under, totaling eight birdies along the way. One of those birdies, on the par-4 16th hole, she sank from about 20 feet out.

It was a bit of a rollercoaster going on in Duncan’s head when the ball came off the face of the putter. But when it dropped in the cup it helped give her a strong push to finish the rest of the round.

“It was rolling and I was joking with one of the other caddies after because I said, Go and then I said, Sit and then I said, Go, and it just dropped,” Duncan said. “The crowd there gave me a really nice cheer, so that felt great.”

The ovation the crowd gave Duncan is something that Crane will never forget. She said every moment she’s spent on the course this week has been like a dream that she doesn’t want to wake up from.

The coolest part though has been seeing the world’s best golfers up close and personal. While her family, friends and other Blythfield caddies are on the outside of the yellow ropes, she’s on the inside.

“I’ve been able to see and meet some really cool people this week,” Crane said. “Just being really involved has been so cool, it’s much more than I could have ever imagined it to be.”

So with 36 holes to go for the unlikely pair, they’re feeling confident heading into the weekend. Duncan said she knows she’s playing well right now and hopes she can sustain it for a couple more days.

But when she inevitably goes through some tough times on the course, she’ll just power through it. If her caddy can carry a bag that’s as big as she is for four hours a day, then Duncan can overcome a bad shot here or there.

“She’s just a great person to be out there with,” Duncan said. “She’s tough, she’s carrying this bag, got blisters on her feet, she doesn’t complain about anything.”

—Contact Assistant Sports Editor Will Kennedy at Will.Kennedy@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @ByWillKennedy and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.

Gabi Ruffels in contention at Meijer LPGA with former PGA Tour winner on the bag

In five starts on the LPGA, Ruffels has made three cuts and earned $63,176.

Gabi Ruffels made her professional debut at the Gainbridge LPGA in February on a sponsor exemption. The bright Aussie star left USC early to pursue a professional career with no status on any tour. She’d have to rely on sponsor exemptions and Monday qualifiers to make her way.

This week’s Meijer LPGA Classic is Ruffels’ fifth exemption of the season. Her final exemption – the LPGA allows up to six for non-members – comes next week at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

It’s not lost on Ruffels that a non-member, Yuka Saso, won the tour’s most recent major.

“If I could do that,” said Ruffels, “that would be pretty awesome.”

Ruffels opened with a 5-under 67 at the Meijer with her coach, Grant Waite, on the bag. Waite, a PGA Tour winner from New Zealand, looped for Patty Tavatanakit for her first two events of the season. She tied for fifth at the Gainbridge and finished T-14 at the Drive On in Ocala with Waite inside the ropes. In April, the LPGA rookie went wire-to-wire to win the ANA Inspiration.

Patty Tavatanakit
Patty Tavatanakit talks with her caddie on the ninth tee during the first round of the Gainnbridge LPGA at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club on February 25, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

Tavatanakit, Ruffels and Waite are all members of Isleworth in Windermere, Florida. Waite also works with Jennifer Song, who like Ruffels, is a past U.S. Women’s Amateur champ. Ruffels began working with Waite earlier this year.

“He’s played on the PGA Tour I think for 10 years,” said Ruffels, “so it’s really cool to get some of his knowledge and insight and have him on my bag. It’s been awesome.”

Ruffels, who is currently two strokes behind a foursome of players at 7 under, could earn her card and avoid Q-School by either winning an LPGA event or earning the equivalent of the top 40 on the points list by season’s end. She’s currently the equivalent of 83rd.

Gabi Ruffels
Gabriela Ruffels reads a putt on the 15th green during the first round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club on June 17, 2021 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

In her five starts on the LPGA, Ruffels has made three cuts and earned $63,176. She’d be exempt into the second stage of Q-School based on her Rolex Ranking of 136th. Players inside the top 400 are exempt into Stage II. Players within the top 75 as of Aug. 9 are exempt into the final stage, now known as Q-Series.

Ruffels has also made appearances in two Symetra Tour events, finishing fourth and 17th.

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LPGA: How a host family cured Lauren Stephenson’s putting woes

During Thursday’s opening round of the Meijer LPGA Classic, Stephenson said it felt like the ball had a magnet to the hole.

Lauren Stephenson called her coach, Tim Cooke, after a missed cut in Hawaii last April and explained that she’d been struggling on the greens. When asked what side she’d been missing it on, Stephenson said everywhere – short, long, left, right.

Her coach’s advice: Go buy a new putter. It’s time to look at something different.

As luck would have it, there was big supply of putters to choose from at the home of her host family for the week at the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open. Scotty Leonard, a caddie at Wilshire, connected Stephenson with Peter Mack, who happened to have 20 putters sitting around his putting mat.

Stephenson, a former Alabama standout who set an NCAA scoring record in 2018 (69.76) that was eclipsed by Rachel Heck last month, fell hard for the Scotty Cameron Phantom X Putter and asked Mack if she could cut it down and put it in the bag. He gifted it to her.

Stephenson tied for 12th that week and took a share of seventh the next.

During Thursday’s opening round of the Meijer LPGA Classic, Stephenson said it felt like the ball had a magnet to the hole.

Lauren Stephenson putts on the ninth green during the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at The Olympic Club. Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

“It was like I couldn’t miss,” said Stephenson, who opened with a 30 on the back side (her front) and had 27 putts en route to an opening 65.

“I felt like before that was the only piece missing,” she continued. “I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole fast enough. With this new putter I found a new confidence, I guess. Super comfortable on the greens, had no three-putts today, so felt like I was rolling it good.”

Stephenson shares the early lead at the Meijer with Charley Hull, Leona Maguire and Nasa Hataoka. Hull eagled two holes coming in to finish her round, draining a 40-footer on the 14th and a 15-footer on the 18th.

“It’s nice to be in some warm weather in shorts and T-shirt,” said Hull. “I get a bit stiff when it’s cold, especially with the fog the last two weeks. It’s nice to be out and playing especially with fans. It feels a bit more like normal life now.”

Min Lee, who finished runner-up to Matilda Castren last week at the Mediheal, sits one back at 6 under.

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Min Lee – not to be confused with Minjee Lee – is making a name for herself on the LPGA

For starters, LPGA player Min Lee is not Minjee Lee. Folks get them mixed up all the time.

For starters, Min Lee is not Minjee Lee. Folks get them mixed up all the time. For years, Min Lee pointed out, her bio page on a major golf website has featured Minjee Lee’s picture. The same thing happens in stories written about her back home in Taiwan. Even in Minjee’s native Australia, Min Lee gets mistaken for the five-time winner from Perth.

Min Lee took to her personal Facebook page to jokingly clear up the matter: “I am Min Lee, only six letters. Not too hard to member. I am from Taiwan.”

Min Lee doesn’t get worked up about the confusion. She’s used to it by now, and it’s easy to see from her infectious personality that she’s a good sport in general. After a narrow loss to Matilda Castren at last week’s LPGA Mediheal, Lee went out of her way to offer a heartfelt congrats.

“Obviously she played much better on the front,” Lee said of Castren’s incredible start, “so I’m not going to punish myself because it was a great week.”

So great, in fact, that Lee jumped into position to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, vaulting 150 spots to No. 126 in the Rolex Rankings.

Last week Lee aimed to become the first player to win on the Symetra Tour and LPGA in consecutive starts. After claiming her third Symetra title on May 30 at the Mission Inn Resort & Club Championship, Lee held the 54-hole lead at Mediheal for the first time since joining the LPGA in 2015.

Castren made history by becoming the first player from Finland to win a tournament with a sensational final-round 65. But Lee, with her delightful personality, bright smile and gutsy play, made a lot of new fans, too.

Lee said she feels comfortable this week in Michigan at the Meijer LPGA Classic because she has stayed with the Fink family for several years now. Since she arrived in Grand Rapids, they’ve celebrated the June birthdays in the Fink home along with Min, who recently turned 26.

Castren isn’t in the Meijer field but recently secured tickets from the USGA to watch the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. She’ll be back in action next week at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

Lee spent all of 2020 back home in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic, competing on the Taiwan LPGA, and credits time spent practicing alongside male professionals for the improvement in her short game.

“That was a lot of fun practicing with the guys,”  she said, “because their point of view, it’s so much different than the women’s.”

Lee came to the U.S. in 2013 to train at Annika Sorenstam’s Academy near Orlando and work with the Swede’s longtime instructor Henri Reis.

She’s been bouncing back and forth between the Symetra Tour and LPGA, though that will end after a T-31 at the Pure Silk Championship and a runner-up finish at Mediheal.

“My only goal is just to settle down on the LPGA,” she said, “and then try to stay on here as long as I can.”

Lee grew up playing the piano but really focused on the guitar during the pandemic. She keeps herself calm during rounds by playing classical music in her head.

“I want to have a band,” she said, “but a one-person band maybe. My goal is to create my songs.”

Lee had the week off before the Mediheal – she wasn’t in the U.S. Women’s Open – and she spent the time learning to cook with a friend who lives in the Bay Area.

“We were making Taiwanese dessert,” she said, “and I made some duck, and it turned out really good. I loved it.”

The fun-loving Lee is expressive on the golf course and converses easily with media. She seems quite comfortable in whatever situation she finds herself in these days.

There was added inspiration, of course, in compatriot Wei-Ling Hsu’s break-through victory at Kingsmill.

“That really makes me want to fight harder,” she said. “I mean, because it’s been how many years, like 10 years since last time Yani won the tournament?

“We grew up together, we’re about the same age, and we train together when we grow up. We have been classmates all the time, and I’m really thinking about, if she can make it, I can do it, too.”

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Min Lee – not to be confused with Minjee Lee – is making a name for herself on the LPGA

For starters, LPGA player Min Lee is not Minjee Lee. Folks get them mixed up all the time.

For starters, Min Lee is not Minjee Lee. Folks get them mixed up all the time. For years, Min Lee pointed out, her bio page on a major golf website has featured Minjee Lee’s picture. The same thing happens in stories written about her back home in Taiwan. Even in Minjee’s native Australia, Min Lee gets mistaken for the five-time winner from Perth.

Min Lee took to her personal Facebook page to jokingly clear up the matter: “I am Min Lee, only six letters. Not too hard to member. I am from Taiwan.”

Min Lee doesn’t get worked up about the confusion. She’s used to it by now, and it’s easy to see from her infectious personality that she’s a good sport in general. After a narrow loss to Matilda Castren at last week’s LPGA Mediheal, Lee went out of her way to offer a heartfelt congrats.

“Obviously she played much better on the front,” Lee said of Castren’s incredible start, “so I’m not going to punish myself because it was a great week.”

So great, in fact, that Lee jumped into position to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, vaulting 150 spots to No. 126 in the Rolex Rankings.

Last week Lee aimed to become the first player to win on the Symetra Tour and LPGA in consecutive starts. After claiming her third Symetra title on May 30 at the Mission Inn Resort & Club Championship, Lee held the 54-hole lead at Mediheal for the first time since joining the LPGA in 2015.

Castren made history by becoming the first player from Finland to win a tournament with a sensational final-round 65. But Lee, with her delightful personality, bright smile and gutsy play, made a lot of new fans, too.

Lee said she feels comfortable this week in Michigan at the Meijer LPGA Classic because she has stayed with the Fink family for several years now. Since she arrived in Grand Rapids, they’ve celebrated the June birthdays in the Fink home along with Min, who recently turned 26.

Castren isn’t in the Meijer field but recently secured tickets from the USGA to watch the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. She’ll be back in action next week at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

Lee spent all of 2020 back home in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic, competing on the Taiwan LPGA, and credits time spent practicing alongside male professionals for the improvement in her short game.

“That was a lot of fun practicing with the guys,”  she said, “because their point of view, it’s so much different than the women’s.”

Lee came to the U.S. in 2013 to train at Annika Sorenstam’s Academy near Orlando and work with the Swede’s longtime instructor Henri Reis.

She’s been bouncing back and forth between the Symetra Tour and LPGA, though that will end after a T-31 at the Pure Silk Championship and a runner-up finish at Mediheal.

“My only goal is just to settle down on the LPGA,” she said, “and then try to stay on here as long as I can.”

Lee grew up playing the piano but really focused on the guitar during the pandemic. She keeps herself calm during rounds by playing classical music in her head.

“I want to have a band,” she said, “but a one-person band maybe. My goal is to create my songs.”

Lee had the week off before the Mediheal – she wasn’t in the U.S. Women’s Open – and she spent the time learning to cook with a friend who lives in the Bay Area.

“We were making Taiwanese dessert,” she said, “and I made some duck, and it turned out really good. I loved it.”

The fun-loving Lee is expressive on the golf course and converses easily with media. She seems quite comfortable in whatever situation she finds herself in these days.

There was added inspiration, of course, in compatriot Wei-Ling Hsu’s break-through victory at Kingsmill.

“That really makes me want to fight harder,” she said. “I mean, because it’s been how many years, like 10 years since last time Yani won the tournament?

“We grew up together, we’re about the same age, and we train together when we grow up. We have been classmates all the time, and I’m really thinking about, if she can make it, I can do it, too.”

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Brooke Henderson will compete this week on the LPGA without sister Brittany on the bag for first time in five years

Brooke Henderson will have to adapt to a new face on the bag and changes to the course as she tries to win another Meijer LPGA Classic.

Brittany Henderson hasn’t missed a week on younger sister Brooke’s bag since February 2016. That will change this week at the Meijer LPGA Classic after Brittany’s visa expired on June 15.

Brooke, a two-time winner of the Meijer (2017 and 2019), must meet the challenge of a new face on the bag as well as changes to the course as she looks to defend her title. (The Meijer was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

“You know, I’m definitely sad that Brit is not with me on the bag this week,” said Brooke. “Definitely be a big change. I think the main thing this week is to try to keep things simple and have fun on a golf course that I’ve played really well on before.”

Brittany married Zach Sepanik, who hails from Grand Rapids, in September of last year and applied for new immigration status. Sepanik works for the LPGA’s communications team and is back home this week at the Meijer. The couple bought a house in Naples, Florida, after they wed and have been working with Senator Marco Rubio’s office to expedite the paperwork.

“Brooke knows how to play really well at this course,” said Brittany. “It’s tough for me to sit back and not do much, but I think they’ve got it handled.”

Brooke will have veteran looper Everette Nini on the bag this week.

“Everette is a good friend,” said Brooke, “and he’s lots of fun to be around, so I think he will definitely make the change a little bit easier.”

Brooke Henderson wins Meijer LPGA Classic
Brooke Henderson of Canada poses with the championship trophy during the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club on June 18, 2017 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Meijer has been a special tournament for the Hendersons – there’s even a Brooke Henderson Lane – with Brooke having won twice on Father’s Day. Dave Henderson is Brooke’s instructor, but their work together at tournaments has been done remotely since the pandemic. Brittany, a former Symetra Tour player, has stepped in to help, particularly on the greens.

In April, Brooke ended a victory drought that dated back to June 2019 in show-stopping fashion at the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open, toppling No. 1-ranked Jin Young Ko, Jessica Korda and Hannah Green at historic Wilshire Country Club with a closing 67 to collect her 10th LPGA title.

Henderson said the feel at Blythefield Country Club reminds her of home in Smiths Falls, Ontario, the trees and weather in particular. This marks the first week on the LPGA that there are no limits when it comes to the number of fans allowed on property and plenty will be out following the winningest Canadian player.

No player on the LPGA has won more than once in 2021. For Henderson to three-peat at the Meijer, she’ll need to adjust her strategy.

“A few tee shots are definitely more challenging with where they placed the bunkers,” she said of the course changes. “(Nos.) 18, 9, and 2 sort of come to mind with the way the bunkers kind of jut in so it bottlenecks the fairway. I used to cut some corners and take sort of aggressive lines on those holes where I can’t really do that anymore. … They’re definitely making it harder on me, but I’m excited for the challenge. I love this place.”

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