SOUTHERN PINES, NC – The awesome Aussie would not be denied.<\/p>\n
Minjee Lee won the US Women’s Open by four strokes over Mina Harigae at Pine Needles on Sunday to earn $ 1.8 million, the largest payout in the history of women’s golf.<\/p>\n
Lee closed with an even-par 71 to finish at 13-under 271 after the Australian flirted with the tournament record of 16 under set by Juli Inkster in 1999 at Old Waverly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, I’m speechless,\u201d Lee said. “I can’t believe it right now. No, it’s just super, super special and just a great honor. It’s been my dream since I was a little girl. It’s the one that I always wanted to win on; now I’ve done it, and just feels amazing. “<\/p>\n
Lee’s winnings came from a record $ 10 million purse.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re only moving in the right direction,\u201d Lee said. \u201cI think it’s only going to get better and better from here. It’s such a large sum, and I’m really honored to be the first winner I guess of this sum. We’re only going to get better and better. “<\/p>\n
Harigae shot a 72 for her best finish in a major and a check of slightly more than $ 1 million.<\/p>\n
Although she knew she had no chance to win down the stretch, Harigae said it was still stressful knowing that $ 1 million – a check that is larger than the winner makes at most LPGA Tour events – was at stake.<\/p>\n
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Full-field scores from the US Women’s Open<\/p>\n
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\u201cI’m not going to lie, my stomach hurt the last couple holes coming down the stretch,\u201d Harigae said. “I was really stressed out, but I was really just focusing on one shot at a time, making solid contact, and just hitting good putts.”<\/p>\n
South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi was one of only two players to break par Sunday, carding a 70 to finish third at 7 under.<\/p>\n
South Korea’s Jin Young Ko, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, finished fourth at 6 under, seven shots back of the lead after a 71. Lydia Ko was at 5 under after a 72.<\/p>\n
Ingrid Lindblad, the LSU player from Sweden, was the low amateur at 1 under, tying for 11th after a 76.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old Lee was never challenged on a course that played significantly tougher than the previous three days. She opened with rounds of 67, 66 and 67.<\/p>\n
Lee became the sixth straight international player to win the US Women’s Open and the first from Australia since mentor Karrie Webb in 2001. It was her second win at a major championship overall after winning the Evian Championship last July. Her previous best finish di lei at the US Open was a tie for 11th in 2017.<\/p>\n
Lee, who entered the week ranked No. 4 in the world, has won eight LPGA Tour events and became the first repeat winner this year following her victory at the Founders Cup three weeks ago in New Jersey.<\/p>\n
Lee entered the final round with a three-stroke lead over Harigae and said after the third round her goal was to continue to stay aggressive and make birdies.<\/p>\n
She lived up to that early on, birdieing the first two holes to move to 15 under and take a five-stroke lead over Harigae.<\/p>\n
She stumbled a bit with bogeys on Nos. 5 and 7, but she was still able to make the turn at even-par 35 and with a four-stroke cushion when Harigae also bogeyed the seventh. The lead increased to five after Harigae bogeyed the par-4 11th hole, all but sealing the win.<\/p>\n
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