Minjee Lee shares 4th as Ashleigh Buhai wins AIG Women’s Open
Ashleigh Buhai – her first LPGA Tour win is a major – photo R&A via Getty Images
Perth’s Minjee Lee has recorded her 6th top 5 finish of the 2022 LPGA season when sharing 4th place at the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield this week.
Lee put together a final round of 69 to share 4th place with Leona Maguire and Madelene Sagstrom and just three shots from the playoff for the event, won eventually by South African Ashleigh Buhai who won with a sand save par at the fourth extra hole.
“I’m not sure where I’m going to finish but I feel like I played pretty good considering how windy it was all week,” said Lee. “You know, missed some birdie opportunities here and there but I still played pretty solid today, so I’m happy with how I played.
“I mean, I’ve always really loved links golf and just playing in the wind in general, and how challenging it is. Yeah, I kind of embrace it when I get the chance to come over here and play, so no, I always have lot of fun.”
When asked as to how she felt about her season to date in 2022 Lee responded; “I’ve had some really great finishes at the majors. I won the U.S. Open and I did really well at the KPMG, and I think I’m going to finish pretty well here, too. I feel like I’m trending in the right direction, and pretty excited for the rest of the season.”
Lee adds another US$309,000 to her already massive earnings in 2022 and she continues to dominate the LPGA Tour money list, leading by some US$1.15 million over In Gee Chun.
Minjee Lee during this week’s AIG Open – photo R&A via Getty Images
Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko finished as the next best of the Australasians when they tied for 7th and for LPGA Tour rookie, Kyriacou, it was an impressive performance on a final day where she recorded three double-bogeys en-route to a round of 71 and her best LPGA Tour finish.
“I played pretty solid the whole week, said Kyriacou. “Today was a bit yucky. I hit maybe three bad shots that cost me more than three shots. But yeah, still lots of positives to take. Still a couple things to work on but yeah, everything for me is trending, which I can’t be too mad about that.
“I definitely have confidence in myself. It might sound a bit arrogant but I think I’m going to win majors. It’s just a matter of time I feel.”
Kyriacou’s cheque for US$160,000 is her biggest of her career to date.
Stephanie Kyriacou – recorded her best finish on the LPGA Tour when she tied for 7th – photo R&A via Getty Images
Of the other Australians in the weekend field, Hannah Green was 35th and Whitney Hillier 48th.
But the day belonged to Buhai who, after beginning the day five shots ahead of In Gee Chun, was still in control of the outcome before a triple bogey at the 15th had her tied for the lead. That she was able to dig deep and par her last three holes and then survive a playoff against three time major champion Chun.
“A little overwhelmed to be honest,” responded Buhai when asked how she felt. “You know, trying to take a breath, but obviously fantastic to win this championship, the AIG Women’s Open, it’s a dream come true.
“Obviously In Gee is a major champion, and I knew I had to go out and win it. I mean, 18 played so tough the whole week, so it was going to be a grind and then it started to get cold and windier.
“But I was just very proud of how I managed to stay focused on myself and try to do what I needed to do.
“I started working with a sports psychologist, mental coach, someone called Duncan McCarthy in February this year, and if you told me in February this year that I would be sitting here, I would never have believed you with the mental state I was in to be honest.
“I had been swinging good for a long time and could not keep myself in the moment. He’s given me the tools, we say, to stay in the moment, and all I can control, and stay away from outcome. We get so lost in what can happen, and sure, it’s easy to drift and you’re going to go there, but as long as you bring yourself back, it’s fine.”
