Olivia Mehaffey missed out on final round action by a single stroke at Mission Inn Resort and Club where Chinese Taipei’s Min Lee closed out her third Symetra Tour victory with an eight-under par one-shot winning tally.
Royal County Down and Tandragee amateur Mehaffey very nearly made it a first pay cheque in pro company but was left to rue an opening round 77 that left her with too much to do in the end; Mehaffey’s second round 74 good enough for a five-over tally which fell one shot shy of the 36-hole cut-mark.
.@SunDevilWGolf‘s @OliviaMehaffey to make her professional debut at the #MissionInnChamp! #Road2LPGA
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— Symetra Tour (@ROAD2LPGA) May 27, 2021
The former Arizona State star traded two birdies with three bogeys in her one-over par second round effort and although she missed out on Sunday’s final round action, after a busy spell with ASU in recent weeks, it’s still a respectable debut for one of Ireland’s most exciting pro prospects.
There was no taking away from Min Lee’s victory, helped in huge part by a second round eight-under 65 in Florida.
“Everything just came up so fast,” she said. “I didn’t even realise I was still leading until I finished my putt on No. 18,” said Lee. “I am very happy I won the tournament, but I might feel it all a little later. To me, I really try to have fun out there and enjoy my life because you might now play well today, but it’s not going to kill you.”
Lee came into this week off the Pure Silk Championship presented by Visit Williamsburg, where she made her first LPGA Tour cut of the season and finished T31. She has now made three cuts in four starts on the 2021 on the “Road to the LPGA” after returning to the United States this season. Lee focused on working on her game and played on the TLPGA last year due to COVID-19.
“(Playing well this week) really tells me I am doing the right thing and that I need to keep grinding to make it even better,” said Lee. “My parents and my manager (have helped me the most in my career) because they are always with me. Especially my mom, she has always been with me while I am in the states. Without here I couldn’t be in this position and I definitely appreciate that.”
After three consecutive weeks on the “Road to the LPGA,” there is a week off before competition resumes in Harris, Michigan.
- Full scoring HERE
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