Minjee Lee’s struggles as Yuka Saso wins her second US Women’s Open
Minjee Lee plays from the rough at the 14th after taking an unplayable – image USGA
Minjee Lee has finished in a share of 9th place at the US Women’s Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a final round of 78 dropping her from a share of the 54-hole lead to finish seven shots from the winner, Yuka Saso of Japan.
On a day which began so promisingly with a birdie at the first, Lee dropped nine shots over the final 17 holes including double bogeys at the 12th and 14th holes to finish the event at 3 over par.
It was a round so uncharacteristic for Lee, missing 12 of 14 fairways, eight of 18 greens and recording 33 putts.
“I think I did a lot of good things,” said Lee when asked what she would take away from the week.
“But obviously, didn’t play very well today and I’m disappointed that I didn’t do better.
“I’m going to acknowledge my disappointment and then come back stronger, take the positives out of the week, you know. It’s a lot of pressure on the last day, so wasn’t my best performance but I’m sure there will be many better performances ahead.
“I mean, I started good. Felt like I hit it pretty good; just missed a couple putts for birdie early and then I kind of blew up from there.”
While Lee was going backwards in a hurry, her fellow West Australian Hannah Green would shoot a six-birdie final round of 66 to improve to a share of 16th.
“I felt like because I had an earlier tee time today, the greens were a little bit more receptive so I could actually be a little bit more aggressive with some shots in,” said Green.
“I played well on the front nine, and I holed a nice putt on the 9th hole, so that was probably my longest putt of the week. I knew the back nine was always going to be tough, so it was just grinding it out there and trying to make pars.”
New South Wales’ Sarah Kemp did well with a final round of 70 to finish 29th, her best finish in now seven US Women’s Open and in fact only the second occasion she has made the weekend.
Gabi Ruffels finished 51st and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey 58th.
The Champion – Yuka Saso – image USGA
The winner Yuka Saso won her second US Women’s Open three years after her first, putting together a powerful final nine of 32 to win by three over her fellow countrywoman Hinako Shibuno, five Japanese players finishing inside the top ten.
“Since 2021 I haven’t won after that,” said Saso. “I think it just makes it special because after a long wait, and I wasn’t expecting to win the U.S. Women’s Open, every time I — last time, too, I wasn’t expecting it, and this time, too, I wasn’t expecting it. I think that’s why it made me a bit emotional.
“Winning just makes you look back in all the things that your family and your team and my sponsors, they supported me throughout good or bad, especially ICTSI or KPMG or especially Callaway.
“I talk to them so much. I’ve been requesting a lot of golf clubs. They’ve been — all the support that they did, very grateful. Every time I made a request, they would answer right away.
“I think those stuff helps, too. Like I said, all the people here at the USGA is — it feels very comfortable.”
“I think I really wanted it, as well. Not just to get a second win but also to prove something to myself. I haven’t won in two and a half or three years. I definitely had a little doubt if I can win again or if I won’t win again.
“But yeah, I think those experiences helped a lot, and I think I was able to prove a little bit something to myself.”
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