Stephanie Meadow bookended her week with rounds in sixties, but will look back on a costly second round as she ended the week tied for 48th at the LPGA’s BMW International in South Korea.
An opening 67 was followed by a 78 in tough and blustery conditions on day two, and with rounds of 71 and 69 to finish, it’s clear that the damage was well and truly done in the second round.
With a two tee start, she began her final round on the back nine and birdies at 14 and 16 – both par-3s – saw her make the turn at -2 for the day. She’d pick up one more on the first, and then par her way home for a bogey-free 69 that moved her up to 48th overall and earn a cheque for a little over $8,000.
Australian two-time major winner Minjee Lee outlasted American namesake Alison to take the title – her 10th LPGA Tour win – in a playoff.
The American began the day a shot behind Minjee and Ashleigh Buhai, and with two holes to go, the Australian birdied to open a two-stroke advantage and looked almost home and dry, but back-to-back birdies by Alison, including a clutch nine-footer at the last, forced a playoff, with the pair finishing two strokes clear of Lydia Ko and with Angel Yin one further adrift.
On the first playoff hole, Alison found the putting surface and had a 16-foot birdie putt, but watched on as Minjee stuffed a wedge to five feet, and when the American failed to hole her right-to-left swinging putt, she gave her opponent the perfect read and, having missed a putt for regulation victory, the Australian secured it at the first time of asking in the playoff.
The win sees Lee take the $330,000 first place prize and her second victory of the season. She also moves inside the top 10 in the Race to CME Globe Rankings.
“To put myself in this position is a great accomplishment,” said a sporting Alison Lee afterwards. “I lost in a playoff in Korea in 2017, and playing here, it’s a different golf course. It just brought memories back. Obviously really disappointed but really happy that I was able to put myself in that position and hopefully more to come.
“Yeah, really happy for Minjee. She obviously played really well. It’s disappointing that I couldn’t make my birdie putt and give it another shot playing 18 another time, but it is what it is.”
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