Minjee Leading Aussie in California
Minjee Lee is continuing on her great form as she is once again the leading Aussie in an LPGA event.
This week the LPGA is in San Francisco for the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic presented by CTBC. The West Australian teenager has posted round of 71 and 72 to be one-under-par for the tournament and in a share of 23rd position.
Leading the tournament is another teenager, Canadian Brooke Henderson leads the way, with a blistering 7-under-par 65 at Lake Merced Golf Club to climb into a two-shot lead heading into the weekend at nine-under-par.
The former top-ranked amateur turned professional in December and is playing only the second LPGA Tour event of her professional career, but she looked like a seasoned vet on a day that saw her fire a bogey-free back-nine 31. Henderson’s 65 is the lowest score in the two-year history of this event, and she’s not afraid of the bullseye that comes with sleeping on a lead heading into the weekend.
“I think I’m ready,” Henderson said. “Yeah, 17 is young. As you’ve seen with Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson and even Jessica Korda, there are a lot of great names that have been able to do it. I’m hoping that I’m one of them.”
Henderson is tw two shots clear of South Korean Na Yeon Choi while China’s Yueer Cindy Feng (-6) and Japan’s Sakura Yokomine (-6) are three shots back of Henderson.
Ko, the defending champion here, opened the day with the overnight lead after a 5-under 67 Thursday but couldn’t step on the throttle on her birthday, posting a one birdie, one bogey even par round Friday.
Karrie Webb is the next best placed Australian, Webb has posted consecutive rounds of 74 to be at four-over-par and tied for 58th. Katherine Kirk and Sarah Jane Smith scrapped into the week-end, they share 69th place at five-over-par, which was the cut number, with the top 70 and ties getting in.
Unfortunately Sarah Kemp (+7) and Su Oh (+7) missed the cut.