Andrea Lee’s first experience playing in South Korea’s golf course couldn’t have been better. After 36 holes, Lee is still bogey-free at the BMW Ladies Championship. She leads at 12 under Lilia Vu, Atthaya Thitikul, and Minsol Kim (16 years old), by two shots.
Lee birdied three of her four last holes and missed just two fairways and one green in her match rounds of 66. Former Stanford star Lee said that she is used to Oak Valley Country Club’s hilly terrain, having grown up at Palos Verdes Golf Club in California.
She said that she felt so confident after the win in Portland. “And I’m just playing really carefree, and it’s really relaxing out there. It’s all about having fun. I no longer feel pressure to win my first win. I’m comfortable at the top of the leaderboards, and I know that I can keep it rolling.
Lee, 24, saw her grandfather, a 91-year old grandmother, for the first time in three decades this week. She is looking forward to seeing him this weekend.
She said, “The Koreans love golf.” They are passionate and emotional about golf. It’s wonderful to be able to tap into their energy. They root for all the Korean players here. “I’m Korean-American and feel like they’re rooting for me too. It’s great to have that.”
Vu rebounded from her first bogey on the 14th by shooting an eagle on 15th par-5. Vu, a prolific UCLA winner, finished third in Portland the week Lee won. She has six top-10 finishes this year. She competed in South Korea for the first time Friday, alongside 2020 U.S Women’s Open champion A Lim Kim.
Vu was referring to the crowd’s reactions to Kim. “I hit a few shots to three feet today. Perhaps a half-clap from the parents. It’s fun, it’s different. They’re very energetic here.”
Thitikul can rise to No. 1 in a variety of situations. Thitikul is currently No. 1 in the world. She would be victorious. She could also finish fourth and still be No. If Jin Young Ko finishes 29th solo or worse, and Minjee Lee doesn’t win, then 1.
World No. 1 Ko opened with an 80, which included a 10. Friday was not much better. Ko shot 79 with a double-bogey, eight bogeys and a single-bogey. This was one day after she had recorded the worst round of her LPGA golf career. On the 15th, she did manage to score an eagle.
Ko was able to hit seven fairways and ten greens in round two and is currently at the bottom of a field that includes 78 players. Ko is playing in his first event since returning to the course after taking two months off for treatment of a left wrist injury.
By: Beth Ann Nichols
Title: LPGA: Andrea Lee leads BMW by two in South Korea; World No. 1's shocking struggles continue
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/10/21/lpga-bmw-ladies-championship-andrea-lee-jin-young-ko/
Published Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2022 13:20:43 +0000
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