HAPPY WITH TITLE, $1.8M
The awesome Aussie would not be denied.
Minjee Lee won the U.S. Women’s Open by four strokes over Mina Harigae at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, N.C., on Sunday to earn $1.8 million, the largest payout in the history of women’s golf.
Lee closed with an even-par 71 to finish at 13-under 271 after the Australian flirted with the tournament record of 16 under set by Juli Inkster in 1999 at Old Waverly.
“I mean, I’m speechless,” Lee said. “I can’t believe it right now. No, it’s just super, super special and just a great honor. It’s been my dream since I was a little girl. It’s the one that I always wanted to win on; now I’ve done it, and just feels amazing.”
Lee’s winnings came from a record $10 million purse.
“We’re only moving in the right direction,” Lee said. “I think it’s only going to get better and better from here. It’s such a large sum, and I’m really honored to be the first winner I guess of this sum. We’re only going to get better and better.”
Harigae shot a 72 for her best finish in a major and a check of slightly more than $1 million.
Although she knew she had no chance to win down the stretch, Harigae said it was still stressful knowing that $1 million — a check that is larger than the winner makes at most LPGA Tour events — was at stake.
“I’m not going to lie, my stomach hurt the last couple holes coming down the stretch,” Harigae said. “I was really stressed out, but I was really just focusing on one shot at a time, making solid contact, and just hitting good putts.”
South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi was one of only two players to break par Sunday, carding a 70 to finish third at 7 under.
South Korea’s Jin Young Ko, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, finished fourth at 6 under, seven shots back of the lead after a 71. Lydia Ko was at 5 under after a 72.
Ingrid Lindblad, the LSU player from Sweden, was the low amateur at 1 under, tying for 11th after a 76.
The 26-year-old Lee was never challenged on a course that played significantly tougher than the previous three days. She opened with rounds of 67, 66 and 67.
Lee became the sixth straight international player to win the U.S. Women’s Open and the first from Australia since mentor Karrie Webb in 2001. It was her second win at a major championship overall after winning the Evian Championship last July. Her previous best finish at the U.S. Open was a tie for 11th in 2017.
Lee, who entered the week ranked No. 4 in the world, has won eight LPGA Tour events and became the first repeat winner this year.
Nelly Korda closed with a 73 on Sunday to tie for eighth at 2 under in her first tournament since undergoing surgery to repair a blood clot in her left arm.
“The first week back you have rust, right, so you don’t really expect much from your game,” said Korda, the world’s No. 2 player. “You don’t know where your game is at. Knowing that I can play on a really tough golf course at a major and even kind of be in contention is definitely a positive.”
Horschel takes Memorial
Billy Horschel ended any doubt about his victory at Muirfield Village with an eagle putt from one end of the green to the other on the 15th hole, sending him to a four-shot victory at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio.
Horschel was staked to a five-shot lead at the start of a sun-soaked final round and no one ever got closer than two shots. He closed with an even-par 72.
Horschel finished at 13-under 275 and won $2.16 million, the largest paycheck of his career. As an elevated event, the win comes with a three-year exemption.
Aaron Wise shot a 71 to finish second. The consolation prize was a day off today. Wise moved from No. 88 to No. 44 in the world ranking and is now exempt from 36-hole U.S. Open qualifying.
Elsewhere
Jerry Kelly birdied the first hole of a playoff with Kirk Triplett to win the PGA Tour Champions’ Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, Iowa.
Kelly hit his approach to 4 feet on the par-4 18th to set up the winning putt. The 55-year-old from Wisconsin has nine victories on the 50-and-over tour after winning three times on the PGA Tour.
Kalle Samooja of Finland finished with back-to-back birdies and set the course record with an 8-under 64 to win the Porsche European Open in Winsen, Germany, for his first European tour title and a spot in the U.S. Open.