Australia’s Minjee Lee has continued her recent surge on the eve of the Women’s United States Open, finishing tied for sixth in another LPGA Tour tournament.
Lee, 19 and in her first season as a professional on the biggest women’s tour, is expected to push close to the top 10 in the world rankings after she finished tied-fifth in the LPGA’s Arkansas Championship today.
When the rankings are released later today it is highly likely that she will be the No. 1 ranked Australian, having started the week at No. 17 as against veteran Karrie Webb’s No. 16 rank. Webb finished 52nd in Arkansas.
The Royal Fremantle member and Golf Australia rookie squad star was tied for the lead at one point of the back nine after starting the final round five shots off the lead.
But she faded slightly with two bogeys, eventually carding a four-under 68 with a birdie at the last.
Lee won the Kingsmill Championship in May and backed up with a top-15 in the season’s second major, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
But her season is only beginning, with the Women’s US Open is at Lancaster Country Club is Pennsylvania next week.
Meanwhile Steven Bowditch closed strongly with a 66 to finish tied-15th in the Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour, but none of the Australians trying to grab the spots available in the Open Championship field finished high enough. Bubba Watson won the tournament in a playoff.
The Open Championship at St Andrews offered up four spots from the event.