Lee Mi-hyang wins Ladies Scottish Open
Korean golfer Lee Mi-hyang scored a one-stroke win over Hall of Famer Karrie Webb in Scotland, Sunday, for her second career LPGA Tour victory.
At the Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, the 24-year-old claimed the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open title after carding a six-under 66 on the final day for a four-round total of a six-under 282.
She was only one stroke ahead of fellow Korean Hur Mi-jung and Australian legend Webb who has won 41 LPGA Tour titles.
Lee got off to a bad start as she posted a 73 and a 75 in the first and second rounds to be tied for 39th. She was nine strokes back of the 36-hole leader Cristie Kerr, but after posting 68 on the third round, Lee headed into the final 18 holes only six strokes behind the leader.
In the final round, Lee trailed Webb by one stroke with two holes left but Webb slipped out of the lead with a double bogey on the 17th hole. Webb needed to eagle the last hole to force a playoff, but could only come up with a birdie as her approach found the greenside bunker at the par five.
“I think in the first and second rounds I hit it really good but I just missed a lot of putts. So I tried to practice my putting with the wind. I made a lot of putts yesterday, so I took a lot of confidence from yesterday,” Lee told LPGA.com.
The win was Lee’s first LPGA victory since the Mizuno Classic in November 2014. Lee pocketed $225,000 for the winning prize and now has $568,013 for the year and is listed in the top 20 of the tour’s money list.
Speaking of her victory, Lee said it was surprising.
“It was really a surprise for me, and my front nine was amazing, and then I think I got a good start from my first hole,” Lee said. “Then just my back nine was a little up-and-down, but I made a lot of putts. I made a lot of good putts and then a good chip shot, too. I just think hole-by-hole, simple.”
With the win, Korean female golfers are continuing their dominance on the tour in taking the third straight win of the past three events. Park Sung-hyun won the U.S. Women’s Open title two weeks ago and Kim In-kyung won the Marathon Classic last week. Korean women golfers have recorded 11 wins in 21 LPGA Tour tournaments this season.