Minjee Lee sinks a putt to win the U.S. Women's Open and is immediately mobbed by her peers who poured champagne and water in celebration. There is a time and a place.
Minjee Lee won the U.S. Women's Open by five strokes after shooting an even-par 71 in the final round at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club.
Twenty-one years after Karrie Webb won the U.S. Open at the same venue, Lee held on to a four-shot lead after three rounds and held off Mina Harigae, who had never finished inside the top 10.
Lee raised the trophy on the 18th green. I've always wanted to win that one.
The U.S. Open's $10 million purse is the largest in women's golf history.
The purse is moving in the right direction. I believe it will get better from here.
Lee dreamed of hitting a putt to win the U.S. Open when she was a child. She didn't have to think about her putts on Sunday. Someone accidentally popped a champagne bottle while Lee was on the 18th fairway. Lee's victory never felt in doubt throughout the day on Sunday. She made a mistake on the last hole, but it didn't matter.
Lee said that the putt after the round was the most nervous of her life. I didn't feel comfortable even with a three-shot lead.
Lee didn't show it if it was true. She was an emotional metronome. Fans near the green that was obscured by a mound couldn't tell she made the putt until she pulled it from the pin.
"To start aggressively, I think it was the right move, and then after that I had quite a big shot lead, so I was able to just finish," Lee said.
Lee excelled at Pine Needles due to his distance and ball-striking. Lee was ahead of Harigae by as much as 50 yards or more throughout the weekend. Lee said the extra time she's been working out has helped her slowly increase her swing speed.
Lee said Saturday that she could be a bit more aggressive if she had a shorter club. The second shot is more important than the distance I can hit it.
Lee gained strokes with her approach shots while she wasn't the most accurate off the tee. She ranked in the top 5 in greens in regulation and was in the top 10 in strokes gained on approach and putts.
Lee said that he did not hit it well. I had great saves from a lot of places.
Lee's caddie had a connection to another winner as well as a past winner. The course at Pine Needles has changed so much over the years that there wasn't a natural advantage to having him by her side.
In July of last year, Lee won her first major at the Evian Championship in France when she overcame a seven-stroke deficit and beat South Korean Jeongeun Lee in a sudden-death playoff. Lee has two third-place finishes at majors in her career, including at the British Open in 2020. She tied for 11th in the U.S. Open before this tournament.
Lee will try to become the first player to win back-to-back majors since Inbee Park won the first three majors of 2013).
Korda had surgery for a blood clot in her left arm and missed the rest of the season. The top player in the world, Jin Young Ko, finished in a four-way tie for fourth.
Ko was one of the players who stayed after her round to celebrate with Lee, who had champagne and a phone that was "blowing up" waiting for her while she took many pictures with the trophy and talked to the media.
Lee received a call from her brother during the trophy ceremony. Lee was asked what his message was. Tomorrow, see you.
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