Minjee Lee is again on the winner’s record for the primary time in 2023 after holding her nerve in a two-hole playoff with English star Charley Hull to safe victory on the $3m LPGA Tour’s Queen Metropolis Championship in Cincinnati.
A monster par putt on the 18th gap in regulation play despatched Lee, who took a two-shot lead into the ultimate day and led by as many as 5, and Hull into the showdown having spent your complete day taking part in with one another.
Lee seemed within the field seat to win on the opening playoff gap when Hull despatched her strategy via the inexperienced and into the grandstand as they performed the 18th once more.
However after taking aid, Hull’s putt did the whole lot however go in, sitting tantalisingly on the sting of the outlet, giving Lee a 5m putt for victory that she didn’t make.
Second time down the 18th, the third time for the day on the hardest maintain on the course, from the identical fairway tough, Lee performed a surprising strategy to only 1m, with Hull roughly in the identical spot her opponent was on the primary playoff gap.
Needing to make the monster putt to maintain the playoff going, Hull’s try missed, leaving Lee to faucet in for a birdie and her ninth LPGA Tour win.
For Lee it was a breakthrough after a lacklustre 2023 season. The 2-time main winner has fallen out of the highest 10 to 13 on the earth rankings.
Her victory, which got here with a $470,000) winner’s cheque, will push Lee again inside the highest 10.
“I had a number of moments the place I actually felt like I used to be shedding however I wasn’t,” she stated.
“I used to be like let’s play to the tip and see the place we find yourself. I by no means gave up.
“I actually wished to reset my objectives right here, end off on a excessive and I obtained the win, which is good.”
The Australian star had been an everyday winner earlier than the 15-month drought, throughout which Lee recorded 13 top-20s and eight top-five finishes since her US Open triumph.
Lee is the third Australian to win on Tour this season becoming a member of tour rookie Grace Kim and Hannah Inexperienced.