The eyes of the golfing world will be on Charleston, South Carolina this week, as the world’s best women golfers tee it up at the Country Club of Charleston for the 74th playing of the US Women`s Open.
The tournament, which is the richest in womens golf will see 144  players from 29 different countries competing for a share of the US$5.5 million prizemoney on offer.

Australia’s Minjee Lee will once again head up the 7-strong Aussie charge, the 23-year-old heads into this week’s US Women`s Open in search of the one thing that remains missing from her impressive resume, that being a major championship title.

Lee, now the World No.2 ranked player in the world has been in fantastic form so far in 2019, winning her fifth LPGA title at the end of April at the LA Open to go along with her two second place finishes in Thailand and Singapore earlier in the year.
The West Australian has 5 top 10 finishes from her 11 LPGA starts in 2019, and a win this week would see Lee fulfil a lifelong dream as it would also take her to the coveted number 1 position on the Rolex Women`s World Rankings.

While on paper Lee looks to have every chance this week, she will need to beat a field full of superstars also coming into the event in fantastic form including world number 1 Jin Young Ko and Canadian superstar Brooke Henderson.
While the competition will be tough, there are 12 former US Womens Open champions in the field this week, it is Lee’s record in major championships, particularly in this event which is of concern to her followers.
Lee has competed in 25-major championships in her 5 year career on the LPGA Tour, and has only managed to finish in the top 10 on three occasions. Lee’s best result at the five major championship remains a third placing at the 2017 ANA Inspiration.
Lee has never finished in the top ten at this event, her best finish coming back in 2017 where she finished in a tie for 11th place.

Lee will play the first two rounds in stellar company alongside current World No.1 Jin Young Ko and former No.1 and 2016 Olympic Champion Inbee Park,  who boasts two US Open titles amongst her eight majors victories.
The impressive trio will be sure to attract huge galleries, and will be delighted to be teeing off at 7:44am local time, with record high temperatures forecast for the entire week.

Lee heads a field of seven Australians at the US Women`s Open, joining Karrie Webb, Katherine Kirk, Hannah Green, Sarah Kemp, Su Oh and amateur Gabriela Ruffels.

Ruffels, who impressively made it through 36 holes of qualifying to make it in to the field will play alongside Thai star Saranporn Lankulgasettrin and US amateur Brigitte Dunne at 8:50am.

West Australian Hannah Green comes into the tournament with some solid form behind her in 2019, and will tee off in her first US Womens Open at 1:07pm alongside US veteran Heather Young and Swiss amateur star Albane Valenzuela.

Sarah Kemp had a superb start to 2019 which saw her gain back her LPGA status for 2019 and 2020, and will be chomping at the bit to get started this week. Kemp will play alongside Dane Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Canadian Naomi Ko at 1:18pm

Webb will be competing in a record 24th straight US Womens Open, and remains as the last player to successfully defend the title back in 2001. The LPGA Hall of Famer will tee off alongside English legend Laura Davies and the highly touted Irish youngster Leone Maguire in the group following Kemp at 1:29pm.

Queenslander Katherine Kirk will tee off alongside Victorian Su Oh and Korean Mirim Lee at 2:02pm, and apart from Lee looks the most likely of the Aussies to contend this week.
Kirk has proven to be a force in major championships over the past few years; the 36-year-old finished 2nd at the Evian Championship in 2017 and tied for 10th there last year, and contended for much of the week at the ANA Inspiration before eventually finishing in a tie for 17th place.
Kirk’s best finish in a major championship came back in 2010 at the Ricoh Women`s British Open where she finished in second place just one shot behind winner Yani Tseng, and her patience, mental strength and sharp short came should stand her in good stead again this week.

All four rounds will be shown live on Fox Sports Australia from 4:30am AEST Friday morning on Channel 506.

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