Minjee Lee within striking distance at Women’s US open
Minjee Lee at the 15th hole during today’s third round – image Kathryn Riley USGA
Minjee Lee’s hopes of a second Women’s US Open remain alive after her third round of 71 left her in a share of 7th place and just four shots off the lead held by Sweden’s Maja Stark at the Erin Hills Golf Course outside of Milwaukee.
Beginning the day six off the lead, then held by Japan’s Mao Saigo, Lee opened with a birdie but the demanding course set up and breezy conditions would mean only a dozen or so golfers would better 70 and left the event still wide open for decision in tomorrow’s final round.
“I feel like I missed a few opportunities that I did have, but I think overall the pin placements were a little bit trickier today,” said Lee when asked to describe her round
“It didn’t feel like it was all that windy, but it was windy for the pin placements that we had, if that makes sense. It was like we couldn’t quite get to some of the pins we had to play.
“The pins were trickier today. Almost felt like Sunday pins; maybe tomorrow, even harder.”
“I mean, returning to any U.S. Open being like a previous winner is always cool,” added Lee when asked how it was playing an event she has won previously. “Also I’m a little biased because I love the U.S. Open and I love the challenge. I just love how the USGA sets up the golf course. It’s probably my favourite place to come back to every year.
Hannah Green added a round of 73 today to be in a share of 13th place and six from the lead while New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was the only other Australasian to make the weekend and at 1 over is in a share of 27th place and eight shots from the lead.
The leader, Stark, is one ahead of Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez.
Stark is playing her 16th major championship and has a runner-up finish at last year’s Chevron Championship as her best result to date, so tomorrow she is chasing her first major title while Ramirez is in her first season on the LPGA Tour with a best finish of 29th in seven starts to date.
Lee, therefore, has a great chance if she is able to put together an under-70 round over the increasingly demanding layout.
