Latest news with #MinjeeLee
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Minjee Lee head-hunted for Australian Open appearance
Golf powerbrokers are hopeful humble superstar Minjee Lee will headline the field when the Australian Open returns to South Australian fairways in 2026. After ditching the contentious dual-gender format for next year's national championships, Golf Australia on Friday announced that Kooyonga Golf Club would host the Australian Open women's event in Adelaide from March 12-15. Co-sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and Ladies European Tour, the Open is returning to the Festival State for the first time since 2020. No Australian has won the title since the great Karrie Webb claimed the trophy for a fifth time in 2014. WPGA Tour boss Karen Lunn says Lee, the newly crowned Women's PGA Championship winner, and Australia's other LPGA Tour stars such as Hannah Green, Grace Kim and Steph Kyriacou are on the organisers' hit list to lure to Adelaide. "We hope that we'll have all of our Australian stars at this event," Lunn said. "They're dying to get their hands on the Patricia Bridges Bowl, which our great Karrie Webb has won five times." Despite boasting four top-five finishes from 11 starts, the closest Lee has come to claiming her national championship was in 2023, when the now-triple major winner finished runner-up at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney. In tipping his hat to the 29-year-old for her latest triumph on Sunday in Texas, Golf Australia chief James Sutherland said Lee was obviously on the Adelaide tournament organisers' radar. "It's not every week that an Australian golfer wins a major championship," Sutherland said. "She may be the most under-rated champion athlete that we have in Australia. "She's certainly understated in her own way - a proud Australian, but someone that is a champion on the biggest stage. "She's one of only four Australians now - male or female - that have won more than two major events, and she's on the verge of her own career grand slam. "So congratulations Minjee, and we're certainly very hopeful, like the (SA) premier, that Minjee will be here in March next year." Lee's PGA Championship victory propelled her above Perth stablemate Green back to Australian No.1 and sixth in the world rankings. The 11th-ranked Green and Kim were the top finishers at last year's Australian Open at the co-hosting Kingston Heath and Victoria clubs in Melbourne, sharing fourth spot behind South Korean winner Jiyai Shin. The shift from early December back to its traditional March time-slot means there will be no women's Australian Open contested in 2025. But it is hoped the move away from a clash with Thanksgiving Day in the US will help lure the world's best players back to Australia and restore the Open's status as one of international golf's biggest tournaments. Golf powerbrokers are hopeful humble superstar Minjee Lee will headline the field when the Australian Open returns to South Australian fairways in 2026. After ditching the contentious dual-gender format for next year's national championships, Golf Australia on Friday announced that Kooyonga Golf Club would host the Australian Open women's event in Adelaide from March 12-15. Co-sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and Ladies European Tour, the Open is returning to the Festival State for the first time since 2020. No Australian has won the title since the great Karrie Webb claimed the trophy for a fifth time in 2014. WPGA Tour boss Karen Lunn says Lee, the newly crowned Women's PGA Championship winner, and Australia's other LPGA Tour stars such as Hannah Green, Grace Kim and Steph Kyriacou are on the organisers' hit list to lure to Adelaide. "We hope that we'll have all of our Australian stars at this event," Lunn said. "They're dying to get their hands on the Patricia Bridges Bowl, which our great Karrie Webb has won five times." Despite boasting four top-five finishes from 11 starts, the closest Lee has come to claiming her national championship was in 2023, when the now-triple major winner finished runner-up at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney. In tipping his hat to the 29-year-old for her latest triumph on Sunday in Texas, Golf Australia chief James Sutherland said Lee was obviously on the Adelaide tournament organisers' radar. "It's not every week that an Australian golfer wins a major championship," Sutherland said. "She may be the most under-rated champion athlete that we have in Australia. "She's certainly understated in her own way - a proud Australian, but someone that is a champion on the biggest stage. "She's one of only four Australians now - male or female - that have won more than two major events, and she's on the verge of her own career grand slam. "So congratulations Minjee, and we're certainly very hopeful, like the (SA) premier, that Minjee will be here in March next year." Lee's PGA Championship victory propelled her above Perth stablemate Green back to Australian No.1 and sixth in the world rankings. The 11th-ranked Green and Kim were the top finishers at last year's Australian Open at the co-hosting Kingston Heath and Victoria clubs in Melbourne, sharing fourth spot behind South Korean winner Jiyai Shin. The shift from early December back to its traditional March time-slot means there will be no women's Australian Open contested in 2025. But it is hoped the move away from a clash with Thanksgiving Day in the US will help lure the world's best players back to Australia and restore the Open's status as one of international golf's biggest tournaments. Golf powerbrokers are hopeful humble superstar Minjee Lee will headline the field when the Australian Open returns to South Australian fairways in 2026. After ditching the contentious dual-gender format for next year's national championships, Golf Australia on Friday announced that Kooyonga Golf Club would host the Australian Open women's event in Adelaide from March 12-15. Co-sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and Ladies European Tour, the Open is returning to the Festival State for the first time since 2020. No Australian has won the title since the great Karrie Webb claimed the trophy for a fifth time in 2014. WPGA Tour boss Karen Lunn says Lee, the newly crowned Women's PGA Championship winner, and Australia's other LPGA Tour stars such as Hannah Green, Grace Kim and Steph Kyriacou are on the organisers' hit list to lure to Adelaide. "We hope that we'll have all of our Australian stars at this event," Lunn said. "They're dying to get their hands on the Patricia Bridges Bowl, which our great Karrie Webb has won five times." Despite boasting four top-five finishes from 11 starts, the closest Lee has come to claiming her national championship was in 2023, when the now-triple major winner finished runner-up at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney. In tipping his hat to the 29-year-old for her latest triumph on Sunday in Texas, Golf Australia chief James Sutherland said Lee was obviously on the Adelaide tournament organisers' radar. "It's not every week that an Australian golfer wins a major championship," Sutherland said. "She may be the most under-rated champion athlete that we have in Australia. "She's certainly understated in her own way - a proud Australian, but someone that is a champion on the biggest stage. "She's one of only four Australians now - male or female - that have won more than two major events, and she's on the verge of her own career grand slam. "So congratulations Minjee, and we're certainly very hopeful, like the (SA) premier, that Minjee will be here in March next year." Lee's PGA Championship victory propelled her above Perth stablemate Green back to Australian No.1 and sixth in the world rankings. The 11th-ranked Green and Kim were the top finishers at last year's Australian Open at the co-hosting Kingston Heath and Victoria clubs in Melbourne, sharing fourth spot behind South Korean winner Jiyai Shin. The shift from early December back to its traditional March time-slot means there will be no women's Australian Open contested in 2025. But it is hoped the move away from a clash with Thanksgiving Day in the US will help lure the world's best players back to Australia and restore the Open's status as one of international golf's biggest tournaments.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Stand-alone Women's Australian Open golf tournament set for March 2026 in Adelaide
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — The Women's Australian Open will make its return as a stand-alone tournament in 2026, officially ending Golf Australia's attempts at playing both men's and women's events at the same time. After sharing the tournament with the men in a mixed and alternate-tees format from 2022 to 2024, the women's event to be co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour will move from December to March 12-15 at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide. Golf Australia said Friday that Adelaide, the South Australian state capital, will host the tournament for the next three years. While the 2026 LPGA Tour schedule has not been announced, the U.S.-based circuit typically plays co-sanctioned events in Asia in February and March. That could result in greater opportunities for international players to travel to Australia from the Asia region, including recently-crowned Women's PGA champion Minjee Lee, Australia's top women's player. Last month, Golf Australia announced that Rory McIlroy will headline the men's Australian Open this year at Royal Melbourne from Dec. 4-7. This year's Masters champion is also contracted to play at nearby Kingston Heath, another Melbourne sandbelt course, in 2026.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Women's Australian Open returns to South Australia in February 2026
A move back to February and returning to the Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide could be the catalyst for a bumper Women's Australian Open field in 2026, including three-time major champion Minjee Lee. The date and location for the Open, returning to a stand-alone format after three years sharing courses with the men as part of a dual-gender experiment, were confirmed on Friday as Australian LPGA tour rookie Cassie Porter surged to the lead in the teams event in Michigan. Kooyonga Golf Club will host the Open in the first of at least three years when the Open will be played in South Australia. While the Open won't be co-sanctioned with the LPGA, as it was before a Covid break was followed by the move to play the men's and women's events together, it will be part of the Ladies European Tour schedule, ensuring a quality turnout. The Australian women's Open had attracted the world's best players, including No.1 Nelly Korda, before the Covid break and the likes of Lee and fellow major champion Hannah Green had spoken about moving it back to February to get the world's best players here. Golf Australia boss James Sutherland revealed late last year the women's Open had been running at a seven-figure loss as a stand-alone event, but the agreement with the South Australian government, which also did a long-term deal with LIV Golf, was the best way forward. 'Securing the state of South Australia as the host of this historic and highly regarded event for the next three years is a significant win for players and fans who will no doubt be treated to a terrific event,' Sutherland said. 'Kooyonga will provide the perfect stage to showcase the incredible talent set to feature in the field, including our top players who compete overseas on the game's biggest stage, the rising local talent from the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the international contingent from the Ladies European Tour.' Lee and Green are Australia's highest-ranked golfers, male or female, and first-year player Porter is rapidly rising up the ranks, teaming up with Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh in foursomes to lead the LPGA's Dow Championship. The pair dropped only one shot and finished with six straight pars for a four-under 66 to lead by a shot over six teams. 'We have a lot of team events as juniors in Australia, but I haven't played one in ages,' Porter said. 'It's nice to come out and have a great time out there. We were pretty relaxed on the first tee today. 'We had a great day, and I'm excited for more.'
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Stand-alone Women's Australian Open golf tournament set for March 2026 in Adelaide
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — The Women's Australian Open will make its return as a stand-alone tournament in 2026, officially ending Golf Australia's attempts at playing both men's and women's events at the same time. After sharing the tournament with the men in a mixed and alternate-tees format from 2022 to 2024, the women's event to be co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour will move from December to March 12-15 at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide. Golf Australia said Friday that Adelaide, the South Australian state capital, will host the tournament for the next three years. While the 2026 LPGA Tour schedule has not been announced, the U.S.-based circuit typically plays co-sanctioned events in Asia in February and March. That could result in greater opportunities for international players to travel to Australia from the Asia region, including recently-crowned Women's PGA champion Minjee Lee, Australia's top women's player. Last month, Golf Australia announced that Rory McIlroy will headline the men's Australian Open this year at Royal Melbourne from Dec. 4-7. This year's Masters champion is also contracted to play at nearby Kingston Heath, another Melbourne sandbelt course, in 2026. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP golf:
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Stand-alone Women's Australian Open golf tournament set for March 2026 in Adelaide
The Women's Australian Open will return as a stand-alone tournament in 2026, officially ending Golf Australia's attempts at playing both men's and women's events concurrently. After sharing the tournament with the men in a mixed and alternate-tees format from 2022 to 2024, the women's event – to be co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour – will move from December to March 12–15 at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide. Golf Australia said Friday that Adelaide, the South Australian state capital, will host the tournament for the next three years. While the 2026 LPGA Tour schedule has not been announced, the US-based circuit typically plays co-sanctioned events in Asia in February and March. That could result in greater opportunities for international players to travel to Australia from the Asia region, including recently-crowned Women's PGA champion Minjee Lee, Australia's top women's player. Last month, Golf Australia announced that Rory McIlroy will headline the men's Australian Open this year at Royal Melbourne from December 4–7. This year's Masters champion is also contracted to play at nearby Kingston Heath, another Melbourne sandbelt course, in 2026.
