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The Star
30-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cool as ice - South Korean super duo Lee and Im win first LPGA titles after bagging the team-format Dow Championships in a playoff
MIDLAND, MICHIGAN - JUNE 29: Jin Hee Im and Somi Lee of South Korea pose with their trophies after the final round of the Dow Championship 2025 at Midland Country Club on June 29, 2025 in Midland, Michigan. -- The LPGA - Photo byMIDLAND, Michigan, USA: The Korean duo of Somi Lee and Jin Hee-Im won the team format Dow Championship on Sunday, edging the American pair of Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang in a playoff at Midland Country Club. With the win, Lee and Im both became Rolex First-Time Winners in their second year on the LPGA Tour. The Dow Championship is the LPGA Tour's only official team event, where Rounds 1 and 3 are played using the foursomes (alternate shot) format, while Rounds 2 and 4 are contested in four-ball (best ball). Lee and Im had finished regulation play with a combined score of 20-under-par 260, following an eight-under-par 62 in the final day four-ball. Playing three groups ahead, Thompson and Khang had earlier signed in a superb 10-under-par 60 to set the clubhouse target. Both Lee and Im missed birdie putts on the final green for the outright win, forcing the playoff which reverted to alternate shot and was contested at the par-three closing hole. The Korean pair prevailed when Im hit her tee shot to eight feet of the pin and Lee made the putt, before Khang missed her five-foot birdie attempt on the low side. This was the first playoff at the Dow Championship since the tournament's inception in 2019. 'I can't believe it. Last year we were in our rookie season, and the LPGA is very tough and different than KLPGA. Now we are winners, so I'm so happy,' said Lee, who was making her second start in the Dow Championship following a T23 finish partnering compatriot Haeran Ryu last year. This was Im's maiden appearance in the Dow Championship. Both players were prolific winners on the Korea LPGA Tour, with Im winning six times and Lee being a five-time champion on the domestic circuit. Playing a limited schedule since the start of this year, Thompson has not won on the LPGA Tour since picking up her 11th tour title at the 2019 ShopRite LPGA Classic. The Dow Championship was her eighth tournament this year. American Lindy Duncan and China's Miranda Wang carded the day's low score of 59, moving up into tied third place on 18-under-par 262 with the Belgian-French pair of Manon De Roey and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard who closed with a 64. 54-hole leaders Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland and Sarah Schmelzel of the USA closed with a 66 and settled for outright fifth place on 17-under-par 263. 2024 champions Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand and Ruoning Yin of China finished tied 27th on 12-under-par 268. Following a one-week break, the LPGA Tour heads to Europe for a three-event swing which includes the final two Majors of the 2025 season – The Amundi Evian Championship (July 10-13) at Evian Resort in France and the AIG Women's Open (July 31-August 3) at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. - The LPGA
The Star
23-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Aussie Minjee Lee keeps her cool to bag third Major title at KPMG Women's PGA Championship
FRISCO, TEXAS - JUNE 22: Minjee Lee of Australia poses with the trophy after winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship 2025 at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on June 22, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. - Photo by/The LPGA FRISCO, Texas, USA: Australian Minjee Lee captured her third Major title with a composed victory at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Sunday. Lee carded a closing two-over-par 74 at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco for a tournament total of four-under-par 284, three shots ahead of American Auston Kim and Thailand's Chanettee Wannasaen. This was Lee's first victory on the LPGA Tour since the 2023 BMW Ladies Championship. Earlier rounds of 69, 72 and 69 had given Lee a four-shot lead over Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul heading into the final day. Although the chasing pack managed to narrow the deficit to two shots at various stages, the Australian handled the pressure and windy conditions with poise to seal the win with five bogeys and three birdies. 'It feels pretty amazing. I feel like I really deserve this one. I put a lot of hard work into it. "I had to really dig deep for today's score, but I feel like I was pretty solid over the four days to have this trophy in my hand now,' said Lee, whose previous Major wins came at the 2022 US Women's Open presented by Ally and The Amundi Evian Championship in 2021. Kim and Wannasaen both shot solid 68s to move up the leaderboard into a share of second place on one-under-par 287, two shots clear of Thitikul and Japan's Chisato Iwai. World number two Thitikul, who had led the first and second rounds, had disappointing weekend scores of 76 and 75 to settle for joint fourth place with Iwai on one-over-par 289. The popular Thai star has won five times on the LPGA Tour but is still hunting for a maiden Major title. Lee's first LPGA Tour win since the 2023 BMW Ladies Championship took her title tally to 11. The 29-year-old now needs to win the AIG Women's Open or The Chevron Championship to complete the career Grand Slam. Lee is the third Australian to win three or more Major championships, joining Karrie Webb (7) and Jan Stephenson (3). The KPMG Women's PGA Championship has now been won by four Australians – Lee (2025), Hannah Green (2019), Webb (2001) and Stephenson (1982). 'It's just really special. Only three other names on this trophy are Australian, so I think it's such a great privilege to be able to have my name with them as well. I guess it shows the grit of the Aussies,' noted Lee. The next stop for the LPGA Tour is Midland Country Club in Michigan for this week's two-player team format Dow Championship. This will be followed by a one-week break before the players head across the Atlantic for the tour's much-awaited European swing, which includes the final two Majors of the 2025 season – The Amundi Evian Championship (July 10-13) at Evian Resort in France and the AIG Women's Open (July 31-August 3) at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. - The LPGA
