Stephanie Kyriacou produced a second miracle shot and Minjee Lee received a major honour as an historic season of majors reached its conclusion at the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl.

Arriving at Wales on the back of consecutive wins by Australians in LPGA major championships, Kyriacou and Lee ensured the Australian flag remained prominent on the final day.

After making an ace at the par-3 eighth in Round 2, Kyriacou came within inches of a second inside three days at the par-3 fifth on Sunday.

What happened next almost defied belief.

As Kyriacou’s ball sat just to the left of the hole, playing partner Mim Rhodes also took dead aim, bouncing off the Australian’s ball and into the hole for a major championship ace of her own.

“We actually just watched the video, and it hit my ball, and it went in. So I’m kind of claiming it, even though Mimi is probably not going to say that,” said the 24-year-old.

 The good karma obviously rubbed off, Kyriacou tapping in for the first of five birdies on her run home to a tie for eighth, the fourth major championship top 10 of her career.

“The first hole was quite rough. It’s not ideal when you hit your second ball OB, onto the beach,” Kyriacou added with a laugh.

“I stuck in there, showed some grit, and finished 1-under today. I’m very happy.”

Winner of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June, Lee completed an outstanding major season with a tie for 13th, becoming the first two-time winner of the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award.

Although finishing outside the top 10 meant that Lee didn’t add to her points tally, the KPMG win and tie for third at the Amundi Evian Championship gave her 78 points to add to her win in 2022.

“From where I was at the beginning of the year and obviously winning KPMG and played Chevron

and had a good finish at Evian and all right at US Open and all right here… I’m going to say I’ve done pretty well,” was Lee’s summary of her season in the showpiece events after an even-par 72 on Sunday.

“Maybe like an 8.5 (out of 10).”

Photo: Monica Marchesani/Golf Australia

Results

AIG Women’s Open
Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Porthcawl, Wales
1          Miyu Yamashita            68-65-74-70—277       $US1.4625m
T8        Stephanie Kyriacou      74-70-69-71—284       $228,359
T13      Minjee Lee                   70-76-68-72—286       $145,533
T36      Lydia Ko (NZ)                73-73-70-75—291       $57,632
T67      Grace Kim                    71-75-74-80—300       $19,006
MC       Amelia Garvey (NZ)      74-73—147
MC       Gabriela Ruffels           71-76—147
MC       Hira Naveed                 78-71—149
MC       Momoka Kobori (NZ)   74-77—151
MC       Cassie Porter                79-73—152
MC       Karis Davidson             76-77—153
MC       Hannah Green              79-77—156
MC       Kirsten Rudgeley          78-79—157

LET Access Series
Q-Tour Himmerland Championship
Himmerland Resort, Denmark
1          Fernanda Lira               74-64-69—207 €8,000
Won in sudden-death playoff
T26      Justice Bosio                74-71-73—218 €665.83                      
T26      Abbie Teasdale             68-78-72—218 €665.83
T36      Stephanie Bunque        73-74-74—221 €501.25
MC       Belinda Ji                      77-79—156

Epson Tour
Four Winds Invitational
South Bend Country Club, South Bend, Indiana
1          Leah John                    63-70-74—207 $33,750
MC       Jess Whitting               74-73—147
MC       Su Oh                          73-77—150
MC       Jennifer Elliott              76-77—153