Can Minjee Lee’s impressive season get even better at US Women’s Open
Can Minjee Lee add a second major title to that she won at last year’s Evian Championship? – photo LET
Australian Minjee Lee already has a major title to her name having won in France last year, but this week’s US Women’s Open might just provide the chance for her to add the most significant title in women’s golf to her already impressive CV and further enhance an already superb 2022 season.
Lee is one of five Australians in the field, joining Hannah Green, Sarah Kemp, Gabi Ruffels and Grace Kim in the female game’s most significant event.
Lee is currently the third highest ranked women in the game and, sitting on top of the LPGA Tour standings in 2022, she arrives at Pines Needles Lodge and Golf Club with perhaps greater expectations than ever before.
Lee was one of the players invited to speak to the media today and she enthused about what she has seen thus far of Pine Needles.
“I played ten yesterday and I played eight holes just then. Got to see all the golf course now. I’ve just been doing the same prep as I would any other tournament but so far I’ve seen a lot of great things.
“A lot of short and long holes, so a mixture of everything. I think it’s going to be really exciting. Come the weekend, I think it’s going to be really tough, depending on how hard they make the firmness of the greens. I’m really excited for the week.
“I think just seeing the whole course now, there’s a lot — there’s really big greens, so a lot of the lag putting will be important for me, and just chipping around the greens.
“There’s a little bit of grain, so just got to be careful of that, and obviously ball-striking is going to be huge around here. Try and get everything dialed in.”
Lee is having her best year in the game with a win, one runner-up and one 3rd place finish in eight starts to head the money list over Nanna Koerstz Masden and world number one, Jin Young Ko, so on paper at least there is a real expectation that she can have a very good week.
With a total purse of US10 million on the line this week Lee was aware but trying to keep that aspect in perspective.
“I mean, I think we’re always talking about prize increases and anything to elevate the women’s game even higher. I think that is what we try to keep doing. Just for the prize money to go up each year, I think it’s just a huge step in the right direction, and I think it’s only going to get better and better.”
Lee will play at 8.28 on Thursday with Nasa Hataoka and Brooke Henderson.
