Webb won her second consecutive U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles in 2001.
SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. — The first time Minjee Lee came to the U.S. Women’s Open, she was a guest of LPGA and World Golf Hall of Famer Karrie Webb. But the young Aussie wasn’t just a fan outside the ropes. Lee actually stayed the week at Webb’s rental house, as a perk for winning the Karrie Webb Scholarship. That was nine years ago at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, New York.
The next year, Lee qualified for her first U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2, just down the road from this week’s venue in Southern Pines, where Lee happens to pace the field at 9-under 133 along with American Mina Harigae.
Webb happened to win her second consecutive U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles in 2001. Lee didn’t get a chance to pick her brain about the place but has enjoyed seeing Webb’s picture around.
Karrie Webb (L) and Minjee Lee of Australia walk to the 4th green during round one of the International Crown on July 24, 2014, in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Lee, 26, won her first major title last summer at the Amundi Evian Championship and has seven career LPGA victories overall. She liked getting an up-close look at Webb’s strict routine that summer. A young Lee was already quite disciplined and felt like Webb’s example let her know she was on the track.
“We ate with her every day,” said Lee. “It was just very chill. She’s super cool, you know, when she’s not on the golf course. And she knows that.”
It was after a young Webb watched her hero, Greg Norman, compete in the 1986 Queensland Open that she came home and told her parents that she wanted to play professionally. She even stayed at Norman’s Florida estate as a bonus for being the overall girls champion in his junior golf foundation.
Webb never forgot the experience, and in 2008 brought the first winner of the Karrie Webb Scholarship to the U.S. Women’s Open at Interlachen. In 2019, Webb was on hand at Hazeltine National when another one of her scholarship winners, Hannah Green, won the KPMG Women’s PGA championship.
Green was a two-time scholarship recipient, attending her first professional golf tournament at the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She enjoyed it so much that in 2017, she went on her own to stay with Webb at the Women’s Open at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, while competing on the Epson Tour.
Lee won the Cognizant Founders Cup three weeks ago. She’s especially pleased with her putting at Pine Needles, having worked in recent weeks on her speed. Through two rounds, she ranks fifth in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Minjee Lee got her breakthrough. Lexi Thompson will have to continue searching for hers.
CLIFTON, N.J. — Upper Montclair Country Club boasts a list of champions that includes some of the best women and men to ever play the game.
So it should not have been a surprise Sunday afternoon when the final group arrived at the 10th hole with two of the best players on the LPGA locked in a battle for the Cognizant Founders Cup.
Minjee Lee got her breakthrough. Lexi Thompson will have to continue searching for hers.
Lee won for the first time in nearly 10 months, shooting a gutsy 2-under-par 70 to finish at 19-under par, edging Thompson by two shots after her 3-under 69. It wasn’t an easy day for Lee. But it was enough.
“I wasn’t really that nervous, but obviously I wasn’t really striking it as well as I wanted to. I still drove it and putted it really well, so I’m going to take the positives. … Even though I didn’t hit it that well today, i’m still really, really happy.”
It was Lee’s first win since July, when she broke through for her first career major at the Evian Championship in France. But she has been on the verge seemingly ever since. She missed the cut in the Scottish Open last August — her first event after the big win — but in the next 11 events before arriving in Jersey she didn’t finish worse than a tie for 25th and gave herself plenty of chances to win with five top-five finishes.
Sunday, it finally happened. But it took a lot more effort than it looked like it might earlier in the week.
Lee, who surged to a three-shot 36-hole lead after a 9-under 63 on Friday. But the lead was down to one shot to start Sunday’s final round, which was delayed an hour by fog. And Lee did not get off to a good start. She missed a two-foot birdie putt at the fourth hole and was 1-over after a bad lie above a green-side bunker at No. 8 led to her first bogey of the day.
Thompson was looking for her first win in nearly three years, and looking to continue her success in the Garden State: that last win came down the Parkway at the 2019 ShopRite LPGA Classic. And it looked like it might be her day after she hit a brilliant approach at No. 10, and made the tricky downhill birdie putt, to pull even with Lee at 16-under. They both took advantage of the reachable par-5 12th hole, hitting the green in two and making easy birdies to tie for the lead at 17-under.
But Thompson struggled with her driver the entire back nine, missing the fairway left on the 11th and 13th holes and pushing her drive into a bunker right on the par-5 14th. Thompson had to settle for making a tricky five-footer for par, while Lee, who split the fairway with her drive and nearly reached the green in two, made an easy birdie to pull ahead for good.
Thompson had a chance to put pressure on Lee with mid-range putts on the par-3 17th and short par-4 18th, but couldn’t get them to drop. And Lee, who lipped out a birdie putt that would have sealed the win on the 17th, drained her short birdie putt on 18 to secure the two-shot win.
The 27-year-old Thompson has won 11 LPGA titles, including a major. But the drought continues.
Lee, 25, won for the seventh time on the LPGA Tour and takes home $450,000 for the victory — the largest prize in women’s golf outside of the majors and season-ending events.
It all comes down to a three-horse race on Sunday in New Jersey.
After a blazing 63 on Friday, the leader in Clifton, New Jersey, slowed down a bit Saturday. Minjee Lee, who entered the week with three straight top 20s, was able to stay atop the Cognizant Founders Cup leaderboard despite losing some ground to her chasers.
Lee started her day with a par before trading a birdie for a bogey on Nos. 2 and 3 at Upper Montclair Country Club. She bounced back with a circle on 5 and made the turn with a 1-under 35.
After making a bogey on 11, Lee canned an eagle on the par-5 12th to regain the lead. Another birdie on 13 and five closing pars totaled a third-round 3-under 69.
Lee’s last win on tour came at The Amundi Evian Championship, her first major win and sixth LPGA victory overall.
The 18-hole leader, Madelene Sagstrom, followed her up and down 2-under 70 on Friday with a bogey-free 5-under 67 to inch toward the lead. She’s just one back.
The Swede played her first four holes Saturday at 3 under then parred her way out to turn with a 3-under 33. Birdies on Nos. 12 and 14 would be the only color on her back-nine card, as she completed her day mistake free.
Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden lines up their shot on the 1st green during the third round of the Cognizant Founders Cup at Upper Montclair Country Club on May 14, 2022 in Clifton, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Sagstrom entered the week in great form, as she grabbed a T-9 in her last start and a T-3 a week before that.
The Solheim Cupper’s last win came at the 2020 Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.
Two shots behind Sagstrom is Lexi Thompson, who so far this week has fired rounds of 67, 66, and 69. On Saturday, she signed for four birdies and a bogey, which came at the par-5 9th. She’s three back of Lee entering the final round.
Angel Yin (11 under) is fourth while Paula Reto, Megan Khang, and Ally Ewing (9 under) are tied for fifth.
Minjee Lee matched her season low score Friday at Upper Montclair Country Club in New Jersey.
CLIFTON, N.J. — On Thursday afternoon, Minjee Lee started the Cognizant Founders Cup in a way that most lost golfers would try to forget: with a double bogey on her first hole, the par-4 10th.
Less than 24 hours later, midway through her second round, Lee returned to the 10th tee at Upper Montclair Country Club. After making 12 birdies in the 26 holes since, it would have been easy for her to pretend the gaffe never happened.
But the 25-year-old Australian took a different approach.
“I was like, ‘I’m not making the same mistake twice,’” Lee said. “So I made a better decision from off the tee. … And [then] I hit it close. So it was nice to make a birdie.”
Lee made birdies at 10 and 11 and an eagle at 12, propelling the fifth-ranked player in the world to the top of the leaderboard with a 9-under 63. Lee, the fifth-ranked player in the world, is 14 under through 36 holes, three clear of the field but with some big names lurking near the top.
World No. 9 Lexi Thompson fired a 6-under 66 and is tied for second with Ally Ewing, who also shot a 66, and Madelene Sagstrom, who went 2 under on Friday after shooting a 63 on Thursday. All three are at 11 under.
Megan Khang is tied for sixth, six shots back at 8 under after shooting even par to follow up her Thursday 64. And Anna Davis, the 16-year-old who won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last month, shot a 2-under 70 to get to 4 under to make the cut in a second straight LPGA event, the first two of her career. She’s tied for 32nd, one shot behind World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, who shot a 2-under 70 and is 5 under for the tournament.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s Leona Maguire shot a 4-over 76 to finish 1 over and miss the cut by two. Marina Alex, who grew up in nearby Wayne and picked up her second LPGA victory earlier this month, shot an even-par 72 to finish at two over par and also miss the cut.
As for Lee, she started her second round Friday morning at 5 under and quickly jumped to the top of the field with four birdies in her first six holes. And after playing the first three holes of the back nine in 4 under, she also birdied 14 and 15 to reach 10 under with three holes to play.
She had a real chance to shoot 59. But Lee said that wasn’t on her mind before she made bogey on 16.
“I didn’t know,” Lee said. “Now that you say it, maybe I could have, but not today.”
Thompson, who played alongside Lee in the same group, didn’t think she’d be seeing anyone challenging to break 60 earlier this week. And she certainly didn’t see double digits under par leading the tournament after two rounds.
“No, not when it was blowing 25 miles per hour and they were playing it super long,” Thompson said. “I definitely didn’t see it. They moved quite a few tees up, and, I mean, we’ve had perfect conditions, very little wind, and the course is in amazing shape, so you know if you’re just rolling your putts you know it’s not going to bounce. They’re rolling so pure.”
Lee agreed with Thompson. After the practice rounds she believed the winning score would be around 10 under for the week so she was pretty surprised to be four shots better than that after 36 holes.
The 63 marked Lee’s best score of the season — and marked the second time she’s done it in as many events — but she knows that conditions can change quickly over the weekend, and if that happens, a birdie-fest could turn into a much tougher challenge very quickly as Lee looks for her first win of the year and 10th on the LPGA.
“I’m just going to go in with the same mindset, just go shot by shot,” Lee said. ”The course hasn’t been playing too firm yet so I’m not sure how the conditions will change. Just depending. I’ll just be pretty aggressive. … and just do my best.”
Her plan to get ready for playing in the final group Sunday?
“I think I’m going to go get a bubble tea,” Lee said. “Yeah.”
This will be Minjee’s first trip to Augusta National.
RANCHO MIRAGE, Cali. – It’s a special fortnight for Australian siblings Minjee Lee and Min Woo Lee. Minjee Lee, last year’s Amundi Evian champion, holds a share of the early lead with Jennifer Kupcho at the Chevron Championship, where the women are taking their final major championship laps around the Dinah Shore Tournament Course. Minjee, 25, opened with a 6-under 66 on a picture-perfect day in the desert.
Next week, Min Woo, 23, will make his debut in the Masters. On Wednesday, Minjee plans to caddie for her younger brother in the Par 3 Contest.
Min Woo Lee of Australia celebrates with the trophy after winning the abrdn Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 11, 2021 in North Berwick, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
Minjee won’t be the first major champion to caddie in the Masters Par 3. In 2018, former No. 1 Ariya Jutanguarn looped for good friend Kiradech Aphibarnrat. In 2016, Lydia Ko caddied for Kevin Na and even hit a tee shot.
“He kind of asked me very casually,” said Minjee, who will also make her first trip to Augusta.
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 06: Lydia Ko, signs an autograph as Kevin Na of the United States looks on during the Par 3 Contest prior to the start of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6, 2016 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Min Woo qualified for the Masters by finishing in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking at year’s end (49th). He has twice won on the DP World Tour, most recently last summer at the Scottish Open.
The Lees became the first siblings to win USGA titles. Minjee won the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior while Min Woo won the 2016 U.S. Junior.
Minjee, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, has won six times on the LPGA, including last year’s Evian in a playoff. Her previous best finish at the ANA is a share of third in 2017.
“I know I have one under my belt,” said Minjee of winning majors, “but I do want a little bit more.”
“I think something about tough courses makes me focus even more.”
NAPLES, Fla. – Celine Boutier felt like she was in the zone Friday. Despite all of the craziness blowing around her.
With winds gusting 15 mph or more, the Frenchwoman put together her second straight 7-under-par 65 to build a four-stroke lead in the $5 million CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.
Thursday, the elite, 60-player field dealt with rain and wet conditions. The second round, swirling winds, especially for the leaders in the afternoon, were the next element thrown at them.
It didn’t matter for Boutier, who fired a 6-under 30 on the back nine.
“I think something about tough courses makes me focus even more, and then I was just really confident with my iron game,” said the 28-year-old, who won the ShopRite LPGA Classic last month for her second LPGA Tour victory. “I think I was kind of in the zone, to be honest. I just didn’t overthink it. Just picked a number and then just was able to do it.
“It was playing very different than (Thursday)for sure. Definitely, the wind was a huge factor in that. I actually enjoy the wind. Obviously depends on the intensity, but I feel like today was very manageable. I feel like I was striking it well too, so definitely makes a difference when it’s windy. I was able to take advantage of that.”
Celine Boutier of France reacts on the 18th green during the second round of the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club on November 19, 2021 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, Australia’s Minjee Lee, and American Mina Harigae, who played with Boutier, are all tied for second at 10-under 134 with two rounds to play to determine the winner of $1.5 million in the LPGA Tour’s season-ending event.
Golfers from six different countries are in the top eight on the leaderboard.
“Celine, she’s a great player,” said Harigae, who lost to Boutier in the Solheim Cup. “Honestly she’s kind of like an all-around, complete player. Great ball striker, great short game, and really, really good putter.
“You know, that equals 14-under for two days.”
England’s Georgia Hall, South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji, world No. 1 Nelly Korda, and first-round leader Jeongeun Lee6 of South Korea are tied for fifth, with Jin Young Ko, Ally Ewing, Megan Khang, and Lexi Thompson another stroke back at 8-under.
Harigae crept back up the leaderboard by draining a long birdie putt on No. 16, and following up with another birdie on No. 17. She was able to time the wind well all day, although she said she just couldn’t get anything going for most of it.
“I was fortunate enough where it didn’t really gust right when I was about to hit,” she said. “I could kind of just I guess tell that it was like ending a gust or it never really — I was fortunate enough to never get affected by those gusts.”
Celine Boutier of France plays her shot from the 18th tee during the second round of the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club on November 19, 2021 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Boutier birdied seven of her last 10 holes, starting with back-to-back ones on Nos. 9 and 10, then picked more on Nos. 12-13, 15, and 17 and 18.
“Hopefully I get a little bit of confidence from today so I’m able to — I think one thing that’s been a little bit of a struggle for me is sometimes when I get nervous I get tense and I start to overthink and controlling my shots,” she said. “So I feel like hopefully I get a bit more confidence from today and I’m able to play a little bit more relaxed tomorrow and over the weekend.”
While Harigae got going late in her round, both Lopez and Lee pointed to par putts early on that helped out.
Lopez hit a shot in the water on No. 4, but was able to make par. She followed that up with birdies on Nos. 5 and 6, and went on to shoot a 4-under 68.
Lee had an uphill par putt on No. 3, made it, and then responded with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6. She bogeyed No. 18 for a 68.
Lopez has two victories in her career and this year has five top-10s, including one on Sunday at the Pelican Women’s Championship near Tampa, to give her some confidence, Lee has this year’s Evian Championship victory to draw from.
“Just being more mentally competitive and not letting that get myself down instead of focusing on what I need to do to get the ball in the hole,” Lopez said of Boutier’s four-stroke lead.
Lee said: “It’s just like a little silent confidence for me just so I can go out there and play confidently and know that I can play under pressure and play well under pressure.”
Celine Boutier of France lines up a putt on the 17th green during the second round of the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club on November 19, 2021 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Boutier said dealing with pressure is something she’s learning, especially when she’s paired with top players. Lopez does have two victories, but isn’t at the level of a Nelly Korda or Jin Young Ko, for example, who are battling for Player of the Year.
But the ShopRite win and one in September at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France have her feeling more comfortable.
“Honestly, probably getting that win at home and at the ShopRite has been major,” she said. “Obviously winning and playing at home is never easy, and then being able to get that second win for me at ShopRite that was two and a half years after my first win was definitely helpful for my confidence.
“You never know. Maybe the first time was luck. You kind of want to confirm. So it’s been very huge for my confidence, and I just feel like a little bit more comfortable in this situation now.”
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
With $1.5 million on the line, here are 18 players to watch this week in Naples.
It’s all come down to this. The last tournament of the LPGA tour season is this week at Tiburon Golf Course. The CME Group Tour Championship is loaded with star power, including last week’s winner of the Pelican Women’s Championship and World No. 1, Nelly Korda.
Lexi Thompson, who fell short down the stretch at the Pelican and is surely looking to bounce back, is also in the field.
The winner of the CME Group Tour Championship will be walking away with $1.5 million, the largest prize in the history of women’s golf.
Tiburon will play as a par 72 throughout the week, measuring in at 6,556 yards.
Here are 18 players in the field to keep your eye on.
Jin Young Ko
Jin Young Ko of South Korea tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of the BMW Ladies Championship at LPGA International Busan on October 21, 2021 in Busan, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Age: 26 Home country: South Korea Resides: Seoul, South Korea LPGA Career Victories: 11 Race to CME Globe: 1
Nelly Korda
Nelly Korda poses with the trophy after winning the Pelican Women’s Championship in a playoff at Pelican Golf Club on November 14, 2021 in Belleair, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Age: 23 Home country: U.S. Resides: Bradenton LPGA Career Victories: 7 Race to CME Globe: 2
Lydia Ko
Age: 24 Home country: New Zealand Resides: Orlando LPGA Career Victories: 16 Race to CME Globe: 3
Patty Tavatanakit
Patty Tavatanakit waves after putting out on the 10th green during the second round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at The Olympic Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 22 Home country: Thailand Resides: U.S. LPGA Career Victories: 1 Race to CME Globe: 4
Inbee Park
Inbee Park plays her shot from the second tee during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament at the Atlanta Athletic Club. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 33 Home country: South Korea Resides: Las Vegas LPGA Career Victories: 21 Race to CME Globe: 5
Ariya Jutanugarn
Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand plays her shot from the first tee during day four of the The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 25, 2021 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Age: 25 Home country: Thailand Resides: Bangkok, Thailand LPGA Career Victories: 12 Race to CME Globe: 6
Lexi Thompson
Lexi Thompson and her caddie on the first tee during the first round of the AIG Women’s British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 19, 2021 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Age: 26 Home country: U.S. Resides: Coral Springs LPGA Career Victories: 11 Race to CME Globe: 7
Brooke Henderson
Brooke Henderson of Canada tees off on the 9th hole during the pro-am prior to the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 18, 2021 in Carnoustie, Scotland. Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Age: 24 Home country: Canada Resides: Smiths Falls, Ontario/Miromar Lakes LPGA Career Victories: 10 Race to CME Globe: 8
Minjee Lee
Minjee Lee of Australia waves at the 18th hole during Day Three of the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 21, 2021 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Age: 25 Home country: Australia Resides: Perth, Australia LPGA Career Victories: 6 Race to CME Globe: 9
Nasa Hataoka
Nasa Hataoka hits her tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio on July 09, 2021 in Sylvania, Ohio. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Age: 22 Home country: Japan Resides: Japan LPGA Career Victories: 5 Race to CME Globe: 10
Sei Young Kim
Sei Young Kim tees off at one during the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at the Tiburon Golf Club in North Naples, Florida.
Age: 28 Home country: South Korea Resides: South Korea LPGA Career Victories: 12 Race to CME Globe: 11
Danielle Kang
Danielle Kang of Team USA reacts during competition rounds of the Solheim Cup golf tournament at Inverness Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
Age: 29 Home country: U.S. Resides: Las Vegas LPGA Career Victories: 5 Race to CME Globe: 12
Jessica Korda
Jessica Korda (USA) tees of on the ninth hole during the first round of the women’s individual stroke play of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 28 Home country: U.S. Resides: Bradenton LPGA Career Victories: 6 Race to CME Globe: 13
Moriya Jutanugarn
Moriya Jutanugarn tees off at the tenth hole during the first round of the LPGA’s 2021 Hugel-Air Premia LA Open tournament at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles. (Photo: Ashley Landis/Associated Press)
Age: 27 Home country: Thailand Resides: Thailand LPGA Career Victories: 2 Race to CME Globe: 14
Jeongeun Lee6
Jeongeun Lee6 of Korea lines up a shot during day three of the The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 24, 2021 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Age: 25 Home country: South Korea Resides: South Korea LPGA Career Victories: 1 Race to CME Globe: 15
Yuka Saso
Yuka Saso hoists the US Open trophy after winning in a sudden death playoff following the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Photo by Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 20 Home country: Philippines Resides: Philippines LPGA Career Victories: 1 Race to CME Globe: 16
Leona Maguire
Leona Maguire reads a putt on the third green during round two of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club on June 17, 2021 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Age: 26 Home country: Ireland Resides: Ireland LPGA Career Victories: 0 Race to CME Globe: 17
Celine Boutier
Celine Boutier (FRA) tees off on the ninth hole during the first round of the women’s individual stroke play of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 28 Home country: France Resides: France/Dallas LPGA Career Victories: 2 Race to CME Globe: 18
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
Nasa Hataoka made history today at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship when she became the fifth player to make two aces in an LPGA event, and first since 2016.
Her hole-in-one today came at the par-3 sixth at Pinnacle Country Club in Rodgers, Arkansas, measuring 180 yards. Aside from her ace, she made 5 birdies with one bogey for a 6-under 64. She enters the third round at 12-under, and in a share of the lead.
Joining her at 12-under is Minjee Lee who fired a bogey-free 63, making six birdies on the front-side of Pinnacle CC. Through two rounds, Lee has yet to make a bogey.
Jeongeun Lee6 tied Hataoka for the lowest round of the day, 63. The 2019 U.S. Women’s Open champion, through 36 holes, has made just one bogey. She enters the final round just two back of the two leaders.
Notable names in the mix include U.S. Solheim Cup star Jennifer Kupcho (T-6), Yuka Saso (T-9), Danielle Kang (T-9), Jin Young Ko (T-9), and Maria Fassi (T-18).
Lee is the ninth consecutive first-time LPGA major winner and the 14th in the last 15 majors.
Minjee Lee started the day seven shots back at the Amundi Evian Championship and ended it with a record-tying victory, joining idol Karrie Webb and Patty Sheehan with the largest come-from-behind triumphs in LPGA major championship history.
Lee, 25, becomes the ninth consecutive first-time major winner on the LPGA and the 14th in the last 15 majors. Long considered one of the best LPGA players without a major, Lee finally shed that distinction with her sixth LPGA title. She joins Hannah Green, Jan Stephenson and Webb as Australian major champs.
“I never really like thought about it when I was playing,” said Lee of the starting deficit. “I just tried to make as many birdies as I could.
“I think I saw the leaderboard maybe once or twice … it’s just really amazing.”
— The Amundi Evian Championship (@EvianChamp) July 25, 2021
Jeongeun Lee6 entered the final round with a five-stroke lead, thanks in part to a major championship record-tying 61 on Friday. That lead was erased entirely before Lee6 made the turn, however, and Lee made her way up the board with birdies on four of her last five holes.
While American rookie Yealimi Noh was at or near the top of the board throughout the final round, Lee6 showed plenty of moxie by battling back from an opening 39 with a string of closing birdies. With Lee in the clubhouse at 18 under after a closing 64, Lee6 and Noh came to the reachable par-5 18th needing birdie to force a playoff or eagle to win outright.
After Noh’s drive settled down into the right rough she laid up, hoping to make birdie the old-fashioned way. While Noh’s birdie bid painfully slid by right, Lee two-putted for birdie from 15 feet to match Lee, who was chilling with friends while eating a nectarine by the practice putting green.
“Even if it was in the rough, just playing like a normal lie, I 100 percent would’ve gone for it,” said Noh, “but it was sitting down, and even after I hit my like punch-out it was like in a little divot sitting down.
“So could make birdie either way, but didn’t happen.”
Lee and Lee6, the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open winner who looked to join Se Ri Pak and In Gee Chun as the only players to make their first two LPGA titles majors, went back to the 18th to extend the drama in overtime. After both players found the fairway. Lee struck first with a 6-iron she won’t soon forget from 190 yards that settled 8 feet from the hole.
The Perth native gave a nod to her longtime caddie, Jason Gilroyed, for talking her into the right club for that final swing.
“Actually, I said 5-iron,” said Lee, “but Gilly said 6, so thank you to Gilly. I hit 6-iron and it was really close.”
With the pressure on, Lee6 suffered a severe misfire, finding the pond that guards the 18thgreen with 5-iron. Lee wouldn’t go on to make her eagle putt, but it didn’t matter. She was, at last, a major champion.
It marked the second this this year that a player held a five-shot lead on Sunday at a major and lost the tournament. Lexi Thompson did the same earlier this year at the U.S. Women’s Open.
“I thought I could win,” said Lee6, “last hole is par 5, so definitely we have to make birdie. Second shot was terrible.”
Ireland’s Leona Maguire recorded 10 birdies on Sunday to shoot 61 and become the third player in history to hit that mark in a major. She tied for sixth. Thai teenager Atthaya Thitikul closed with a 65 to finish solo fifth.
It was Lee’s mother, a golf instructor, who introduced she and younger brother Min Woo to the game back home in Australia. Two weeks ago, Min Woo won the Scottish Open to qualify for his first major championship, the British Open at Royal St. George’s.
Lee, who collected a $675,000 paycheck, heads home to Dallas to celebrate Min Woo’s 23rd birthday on Tuesday, and both their victories, before heading to Japan for the Summer Games.
“You know, it’s so cool,” said Lee, staring at the trophy beside her. “I still can’t believe it. Yeah, the Olympics have been on the back of my mind since Rio, so I’m really excited to play and go out there and rep my country.”
Now that Nelly Korda is forever off the best-without-a-major list, who’s next to break through? Well, in the eyes of many, it stays in the family. Jessica Korda, a six-time winner on the LPGA, heads to this week’s Amundi Evian Championship still in …
Now that Nelly Korda is forever off the best-without-a-major list, who’s next to break through? Well, in the eyes of many, it stays in the family. Jessica Korda, a six-time winner on the LPGA, heads to this week’s Amundi Evian Championship still in search of her first major title.
The last eight majors were won by players winning their first major title: Nelly Korda, Yuka Saso, Patty Tavatanakit, A Lim Kim, Sei Young Kim, Mirim Lee, Sophia Popov and Hinako Shibuno.
Here’s a list of 10 players who might continue that trend based on recent form and close calls at big events.
