LPGA TOUR
Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
Minjee Lee Runner Up on LPGA Tour
Australia’s top ranked female golfer Minjee Lee returned another strong finish this season with a joint runner-up effort at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. In July, the 25-year-old from Perth collected her maiden major title after winning the Evian Championship in a playoff.
Lee, world No. 9, fired a final round 3-under 68 to add to her earlier rounds of 67 and 63 to finish at 15-under and share second place with Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji. Nasa Hataoka claimed the title after reaching 16-under with a final round 4-under 67. The 22-year-old earned her second LPGA Tour title this season and fifth career LPGA Tour win. Hataoka owns the third-most victories on the LPGA Tour by a Japanese player. She trails Ayako Okamoto (17) and Ai Miyazato (9).
Hataoka and Lee held the 36-hole lead heading into Sunday’s final round. Ji sat one shot behind the leaders. Hataoka produced four birdies at the opening seven holes to hold a four shot lead over Lee and Ji at the turn. Both Lee and Ji made up three shots over the back nine with Hataoka holding on to her narrow lead with five consecutive pars to close out her round and claim victory.
Lee has enjoyed six top 5 results this season including her memorable major victory and sits at eighth on the LPGA Tour’s Race To CME Globe standings.
Final Scores
Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
1. Nasa Hataoka -16
T2. Minjee Lee -15
T2. Eun-Hee Ji -15
T4. Yuka Saso -14
T4. Danielle Kang -14
T6. Stacy Lewis -12
T6. Jin Young Ko -12
Other Australians
T25. Su Oh -8
T34. Sarah Jane Smith -7
T42. Katherine Kirk -6
MC. Sarah Kemp
Photo credit: Jamie Sabau / Stringer