Lee overcomes major issues to earn early British Open lead
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND — The big thing missing for Minjee Lee in her impressive golf season is a strong performance at a major championship.
She might get it at the Women’s British Open.
The No. 8-ranked Australian shot a 7-under 65, including a right-to-left putt for eagle from 25 feet on the par-5 15th hole, to lead by one stroke after the first round at Royal Lytham on Thursday.
Mamiko Higa was a shot behind after a 66, while five players — Georgia Hall, Teresa Lu, Park Sung-hyun, Lee Mi-hyang and Pornanong Phatlum — were a further stroke back on a day that started with showers and a breeze before brightening up.
Top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn bounced back from a doublebogey 6 at the second hole to shoot 71. Second-ranked Inbee Park dropped four shots in her first five holes in a 76.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was in a group at 3 under. The British Open is the only major where the 20-year-old Canadian has yet to achieve a top-10 finish. Henderson was tied for 49th last year.
Only a series of missed putts stopped Lee from winning the tune-up for the fourth major of the year, last weekend’s Ladies Scottish Open on the links at Gullane where Jutanugarn eventually prevailed by one shot.
Still, a closing 66 was another encouraging sign for Lee. She has had one win — at the Volvik Championship — two runner-ups and five top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour this season, is second on the tour’s points standings, and arrived at Lytham in a career-high No. 8 in the rankings.
After finishing 25th, 34th and 25th in the first three majors of 2018, Lee is finally in a good position to seriously challenge for a first major title, especially if she keeps up her impressive performance on the greens after needing only 26 putts in the first round.
She was 3 under at the turn after birdies at Nos. 4, 6 and 8, and reached 7-under with that curling eagle putt at No. 15. Another birdie at the next took her further clear, only for a bogey at the par-4 17th to spoil her card.
“I knew I was hitting it really well coming into this week so I went out there and played my game, which is all I can control. Just having fun out there was my main goal,” she said
Lee’s best result at a major is a tie for third at the ANA Inspiration last year.
Henderson bogeyed two of the first three holes and was 1 over at the turn, but responded with a back nine that included five birdies and a bogey.
Michelle Wie, who is ranked No. 18, withdrew midway through her first round because of a right hand injury. Wie was 7 over after 12 holes.