Mirim Lee fired a 64 to take a three shot lead over Cristie Kerr, Minjee Lee and Amy Yang after the opening round of the 71st U.S. Women’s Open Championship at CordeValle.
“I think everything was good, like driver is good and then iron is good,” Lee said with a smile after her round. “Putting, a couple of missed putt, but not bad. It’s good.”
The 8-under round ties the lowest round in relation to par in Championship history and is Lee’s lowest round in a major by five shots. Additionally, Lee carded 10 birdies on her card which is the most birdies in one round in U.S. Women’s Open history.
Below are some notes on Lee and her round:
- Best finish in a major is T4 at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
- 64 ties the second lowest round of her career, Lee shot a career low 62 during the second round of the 2014 Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship
- 64 is Lee’s lowest round in a major by five strokes. Lee has shot 69 in majors three previous time with the most recent coming at 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA
- Lee leads after the opening round for the third time in her career. On the previous two occurrences, Lee finished second at the 2015 Kia Classic and tied for second at the 2014 JTBC Founders Cup
KERR GOES LOW
Cristie Kerr’s round of 67 is the lowest round she’s shot in a U.S. Women’s Open since shooting 66 in the third round of the 2007 edition that she won at Pine Needles.
“I mean I liked it today,” Kerr said. “I mean, we played in the morning and took advantage of it, obviously. Mirim had almost a career round today. I definitely expect it to change. I don’t think the USGA likes when we shoot 8-under on their golf course. You have to expect it to change, and if it doesn’t, then you’ll have opportunities to score.”
Kerr is an 18-time LPGA Tour winner who is competing in her 21st U.S. Women’s Open.
AMY YANG IN THE MIX AGAIN AT U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN
Amy Yang finds herself in contention at the U.S. Women’s Open yet again after an opening round 67.
“I mean, rough is so thick out there, so you don’t want to hit in there,” Yang explained. “So my fairway accuracy was much -- it was really good. I hit it so solid from tee box every time. So I think that gave me big advantage shooting lower score today.”
Yang, who has two runner-up finishes in U.S. Women’s Opens, is looking for her first major championship win. Below are Yang’s results in the championship since 2010:
2015: 2
2014: 4
2013: T50
2012: 2
2011: T10
2010: T5
MINJEE LEE PART OF LPGA YOUTH MOVEMENT
Minjee Lee shot an opening round 67 to sit three shots back of Mirim Lee at the 71st U.S. Women’s Open Championship.
“I felt like I was really solid, like my iron play was really solid,” Lee said. “And if I missed my drives, it was sort of just on the first cut or maybe just in the rough. So I thought I striked the ball really well today. I gave myself a lot of opportunities for birdie.”
The 20-year-old Australian, whose best finish in a major is a tie for ninth at the 2015 RICOH Women’s British Open, is part of the LPGA’s youth movement that has been taking over the tour.
Through the first 19 events of the LPGA season, the average age of winners is 21.05 with the oldest being 28. Additionally, the two players who won majors Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson, were 19 and 18 respectively at the times of their wins.
OF NOTE
- Anna Nordqvist hit all 18 greens in regulation today, the first time that’s been known to happen in a U.S. Women’s Open
- 37 players shot under par during the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open
- The scoring average for Round 1 at CordeValle was 74.34
- The last nine U.S. Women’s Open have either been won by a South Korean or an American
- Eight of the last nine winners of the U.S. Women’s Open have been first-time major winners - Inbee Park is the only exception in 2013
- Since 2011, South Koreans have won four of the five U.S. Women’s Open.
)
){kind=spacer}
)
)
