Two rookies sit atop the LPGA’s Kingsmill Championship leaderboard,
but there wasn’t enough daylight Sunday to decide a winner.
The tournament was delayed by inclement weather for much of the afternoon, leaving some players with as many as four holes to finish Monday morning (Virginia local time).
Australian Minjee Lee played Nos. 11-15 in 5 under before play was called Sunday because of darkness. Lee made birdies at Nos. 11, 12 and 14 before an eagle at the 15th. That pushed her to 16 under for the tournament, four ahead of Alison Lee (no relation).
Minjee Lee was on the par-4 16th when the horn sounded. She hit her approach to the green, but opted to mark the ball and finish the hole when play resumes at 7 a.m. Monday on Kingsmill Resort’s River Course.
“Actually, I just was kind of like, ‘I’m pretty close,’ but I wasn’t really sure where all the other scores were,” Minjee Lee said of her mindset during the delay. “I just kind of played my own game. My putter was really hot for those couple of holes. Hopefully, they’ll roll in tomorrow, too.”
Alison Lee was 2 under through 14 holes of the final round, and 12 under for the tournament. She held a two-shot lead before the delay, battled a nosebleed that required attention after play resumed and was alone in second with four holes to play.
The Lees were co-medalists at LPGA Q-School in December, and they also squared off three years ago in the final of the U.S. Girls’ Junior. Minjee Lee won. This time, there’s similar U.S. Golf Association pressure.
Both players were scheduled to play a U.S. Women’s Open sectional qualifier on Monday but will miss it because of the Monday LPGA finish. If either player should win at Kingsmill, she automatically would qualify for the Women’s Open.
Asked whether she would seek some recourse from the USGA to try to qualify at another site, Minjee Lee said no.
“Hopefully if I can get the win tomorrow, then I won’t have to go to the U.S. Open qualifying,” she said.
Post-round, Alison Lee acknowledged that she would have to play aggressively on Monday to overtake Minjee Lee. As for the USGA qualifier, Alison Lee expressed frustration at the overlap.
“I guess I can try and speak to (the USGA) and ask maybe if I can try qualifying at a different site. I know they have one in California on Tuesday, and I should be back home by then,” she said.
Former champion Suzann Pettersen was the only one in a five-way tie for third at 10 under to finish play. The Norwegian shot 68.
Third-round leader Perrine Delacour, the 2009 British girls open champion from Paris, Paula Creamer and So Yeon Ryu also were 10 under and have four holes left, and Hyo Joo Kim has two remaining. The only other players still on the course, Angela Stanford and Lexi Thompson, were in a four-way tie for eighth at 8 under with two holes to play.
Catriona Matthew saved her best for last and a five-under-par 66 for 276 will earn her a top-10 finish, probably T8. Her earlier rounds were a bit up and down: 70, 67 and 73.
Charley Hull finished T66 on 287 with scores of 71, 71, 71 and 74 over the par-71 course.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
The tournament was delayed by inclement weather for much of the afternoon, leaving some players with as many as four holes to finish Monday morning (Virginia local time).
Australian Minjee Lee played Nos. 11-15 in 5 under before play was called Sunday because of darkness. Lee made birdies at Nos. 11, 12 and 14 before an eagle at the 15th. That pushed her to 16 under for the tournament, four ahead of Alison Lee (no relation).
Minjee Lee was on the par-4 16th when the horn sounded. She hit her approach to the green, but opted to mark the ball and finish the hole when play resumes at 7 a.m. Monday on Kingsmill Resort’s River Course.
“Actually, I just was kind of like, ‘I’m pretty close,’ but I wasn’t really sure where all the other scores were,” Minjee Lee said of her mindset during the delay. “I just kind of played my own game. My putter was really hot for those couple of holes. Hopefully, they’ll roll in tomorrow, too.”
Alison Lee was 2 under through 14 holes of the final round, and 12 under for the tournament. She held a two-shot lead before the delay, battled a nosebleed that required attention after play resumed and was alone in second with four holes to play.
The Lees were co-medalists at LPGA Q-School in December, and they also squared off three years ago in the final of the U.S. Girls’ Junior. Minjee Lee won. This time, there’s similar U.S. Golf Association pressure.
Both players were scheduled to play a U.S. Women’s Open sectional qualifier on Monday but will miss it because of the Monday LPGA finish. If either player should win at Kingsmill, she automatically would qualify for the Women’s Open.
Asked whether she would seek some recourse from the USGA to try to qualify at another site, Minjee Lee said no.
“Hopefully if I can get the win tomorrow, then I won’t have to go to the U.S. Open qualifying,” she said.
Post-round, Alison Lee acknowledged that she would have to play aggressively on Monday to overtake Minjee Lee. As for the USGA qualifier, Alison Lee expressed frustration at the overlap.
“I guess I can try and speak to (the USGA) and ask maybe if I can try qualifying at a different site. I know they have one in California on Tuesday, and I should be back home by then,” she said.
Former champion Suzann Pettersen was the only one in a five-way tie for third at 10 under to finish play. The Norwegian shot 68.
Third-round leader Perrine Delacour, the 2009 British girls open champion from Paris, Paula Creamer and So Yeon Ryu also were 10 under and have four holes left, and Hyo Joo Kim has two remaining. The only other players still on the course, Angela Stanford and Lexi Thompson, were in a four-way tie for eighth at 8 under with two holes to play.
Catriona Matthew saved her best for last and a five-under-par 66 for 276 will earn her a top-10 finish, probably T8. Her earlier rounds were a bit up and down: 70, 67 and 73.
Charley Hull finished T66 on 287 with scores of 71, 71, 71 and 74 over the par-71 course.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: LPGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 3:59:00 am
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