Lee, 19, closes with 8-under 64 to win LPGA Lotte tourney
KAPOLEI, Hawaii — Minjee Lee won the Lotte Championship on Saturday for her second LPGA Tour title, closing with an 8-under 64 for a one-stroke victory.
The 19-year-old Australian played a seven-hole stretch in 6 under with a chip-in eagle on the par-5 13th and four birdies. She rebounded from a third-round 74 to finish at 16-under 272 at Ko Olina.
“Yesterday I spoke to my coach (Ritchie Smith) and he was like, `You’re only five back. Just shoot 8 under and you’ll be fine,”’ Lee said. “And I shot 8 under, so that was good. ...
“Just because I had a not-so-great round yesterday didn’t mean I couldn’t shoot a low score today. I just came out with, I don’t know, a fresh mindset.”
Third-round leader Katie Burnett and U.S. Women’s Open champion In Gee Chun tied for second.
Lee made an 11-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th and got up-and-down for par from short of the green on the par-4 18th, holing a 6-foot putt. She became the fifth LPGA Tour player to win twice before her 20th birthday, joining Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson, Marlene Hagge and Sandra Haynie.
“I think after I went eagle-birdie-birdie, I think the second birdie I was like, `Oh, I’m going to be really close,” said Lee, projected to jump from 17th to 12th in the world ranking. “I just did all I could do, and here I am.”
She won the Kingsmill Championship last year in Virginia.
“Definitely a big confidence boost,” said Lee, also the 2012 U.S. Girls Junior champion. “Last couple of weeks I was there, but not quite there. Now my game seems to be coming together really well.”
Burnett shot a 70. She lost the lead with a three-putt bogey on the par-3 16th, then missed a 6-foot birdie try on 17 and a long birdie putt on 18. The 26-year-old Georgia player, winless on the tour, led most of the day, going bogey-free for 40 holes before dropping a shot at No. 7.
Chun finished with a 67, missing a 16-foot birdie try on 18.
