Minjee Lee, an 18-year-old Korean Australian rookie, won her first LPGA title on Monday at the Kingsmill Championship in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Lee, who turned pro last September, stumbled to a three-putt bogey at the 16th hole on Sunday before the play was halted due to darkness. The next morning, the teen 2-putted for par on the final two holes, and then waited to see if anyone would catch her.
Alison Lee, 20, had a chance to match Lee, but after she had birdied the par-5 15th, she bogeyed on the final hole and dropped to third. Meanwhile, Ryu So-yeon, 24, shot three straight birdies to jump minus-13 and parred the last to finish in second place.
Lee’s pair of clinching pars cemented her victory, earning her a $195,000 winner’s check.
“I didn’t think this moment would come this year, so I’m stoked to have won,” Lee told the Associated Press. “Just because I won in my rookie season, I feel like I could probably do it again.”
With her new title, Lee became the seventh player to win on tour before her 19th birthday. Alongside Korean golfers Kim Sei-young and Kim Hyo-joo, Lee is also the third rookie to win a tournament this year.
___
Featured image courtesy of Gabrielroux.com.mx/LPGA.com
