Latest news with #LPGAShopriteClassic
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Lee seizes solo lead at LPGA Shoprite Classic
NEW YORK: South Korea's Lee Il-hee bounced back from a late double bogey with her fifth birdie of the day at her final hole to seize a one-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA Shoprite Classic in New Jersey on Saturday. Lee, who shared the overnight lead with Elizabeth Szokol, teed off on 10 at the Seaview Hotel & Country Club and grabbed four birdies in her first nine holes. After her double bogey at the eighth she finished with a final birdie for an 11-under par total of 131 and a one-stroke edge over Japan's Mao Saigo and Ayaka Furue and Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Szokol. Lee, a 36-year-old whose career has been hampered by multiple injuries, had opened the 54-hole event with an impressive 63. "Today was totally different day, and I knew it's going to be complete different day so I didn't have any expectations," she said. "I was just playing golf, having fun out there. Made some birdies on the first nine – it was fun." Saigo, who won her first major title at the Chevron Championship in April, carded a 67 highlighted by an albatross at the par-five third hole, where she holed out from 214 yards out with a seven-wood. "First time," said Saigo, who couldn't see the ball go in but said she knew it had by the reaction of the crowd around the green. Furue claimed her share of second with a bogey-free 66 while Kupcho posted the low round of the day with seven birdies in her seven-under 64, capped by a birdie-birdie finish at eight and nine. Szokol also overcame a double bogey, carding four birdies in a 69 that she classed as "pretty good" in the wake of Friday's 63. "Definitely hard to beat yesterday's," Szokol said. "Still, really solid day, hit some great golf shots and made some really good putts early on to save par. Finished on a birdie so going off on a good note for tomorrow." — AFP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Szokol, Lee share lead at LPGA Shoprite Classic
Lee Il-hee grabbed a share of the first-round lead at the LPGA Shoprite Classic in New Jersey with an eight-under-par 63 (Emilee Chinn) South Korea's Lee Il-hee unfurled a trio of closing birdies to grab a share of the first-round lead at the LPGA Shoprite Classic in New Jersey on Friday. The 36-year-old journeywoman fired an eight-under-par 63 to join the United States' Elizabeth Szokol at the top of the leaderboard at the Seaview Hotel & Golf Club course in Galloway. Advertisement Lee is playing in only her second tournament of 2025 following a missed cut at last week's US Women's Open. The Korean veteran has barely played at all in recent years, making just 15 tournament starts since 2020 in a career that has been derailed by a debilitating shoulder injury. But Lee, whose lone LPGA win came in the Bahamas in 2013, showed no sign of rustiness as she rattled in six birdies over the opening 10 holes to move to six under. A bogey on the 13th checked her progress, before birdies on 16, 17 and 18 put her into the lead. Lee though is not getting carried away with her impressive start, saying her focus these days is simply enjoyment. Advertisement "I don't have expectation. I just play golf," she said. "I just come out, have fun. That's all I do. The results is something that I can't control." While Lee saved her best for last, Szokol moved into position after a blistering start that included five straight opening birdies on the way to her 68. "Just kept hitting the ball really good," Szokol said of her start. "Hit the ball great and gave myself a lot of looks, so it was a great day." Japan's Akie Iwai is two shots off the lead after carding a six-under-par 65, while seven players are lurking on five under, three shots off the lead. rcw/sev
