(Southern Pines) Australia’s Minjee Lee won the highest purse in women’s golf history by winning the US Women’s Open on Sunday.
Posted at 8:32 p.m.
Lee posted a 71, tied with par, to show a minus-13 cumulative score on the Pine Needles course. At the same time, she received a check for 1.8 million US.
Lee, who started the final round atop the standings, edged Mina Harigae by four strokes. Harigae shot 72 and posted her best career result at a major tournament.
South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi was one of only two golfers to play under par on Sunday. His round of 70 allowed him to finish the event in third place, at 7 under.
Her compatriot Jin Young Ko, the best player in the world, brought back a card of 71 and she climbed alone in fourth position. Lydia Ko (72) completed the top-5.
Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad, who had set a record for the best round for an amateur player in the tournament’s 77-year history, shot 76 to tie at 11e rung.
Lee had a rocky round, starting the day with two birdies, but bogeyed on the fifth and seventh holes. The Aussie added two birdies on the back nine, but lost both of her shots by committing two bogeys.
Lee became the sixth international player to win the U.S. Women’s Open and the first Australian since Karrie Webb in 2001. This is her second career major title, following her triumph at the Evian Championship last July. .
Brooke M. Henderson shot 73 and became the tournament’s highest-ranked Canadian with a 15e square. Quebecer Maude-Aimée Leblanc (81) had a very difficult last round and she took the 70e position.