SOUTHERN PINES, North Carolina – Australian golf ace Minjee Lee made a flying start to the US Women’s Open in North Carolina to be right in the mix for the biggest pay day in her sport’s history.
Lee carded a four-under-par 67 at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club to be tied second after her opening round.
The in-form world No.4 rolled in seven birdies and briefly held the lead outright at five under before finishing the day two shots behind Swedish amateur Ingrid Lindblad.
Annika Sorenstam, meanwhile, stood on the third tee at the US Women’s Open, signaling to 12-year-old daughter Ava and 11-year-old son Will behind the ropes to drink some water and stay hydrated.
A few holes later she reminded them to reapply sunscreen.
Those aren’t responsibilities Sorenstam had to deal with while winning three US Women’s Open titles, including 1996 here at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club.
“There were a lot of thoughts going in my head,” Sorenstam said with a laugh according to AP. “… Yeah, sometimes I get a little distracted. There was a few holes I´m like, where did Will go? Is he OK? Is he climbing some tree somewhere?”
She added: “And then it´s like, OK, trigger, now you´ve got to play, you´ve got to hit a hybrid. That´s just kind of the way it is now.”
For a brief moment, it looked like Sorenstam might pull off a Phil Mickelson and turn back the clock at a major. The 51-year-old Sorenstam was even par through 13 holes before bogeys on three of her final five holes and finishing with a 3-over 74, leaving her in danger of missing the cut. The top 60 players, plus ties, make the cut.
There was time when that score might have upset her. Those days have long since passed.
This was more of a celebratory walk down memory lane for Sorenstam, who hasn´t played in the US Open since 2008 when she walked away from the game.
“One of the reasons I´m here, they (my kids) want me to play and we´re doing this together,” said Sorenstam, who earned her way into the tournament by winning last year’s US Women’s Senior Open.
The eight-time LPGA Player of the Year seemed to cherish every moment.
After starting on the ninth hole, she made the turn at 1 over and walked to the No. 1 tee. She had a chance to cuddle up with Will, smothering him with hugs and kisses on the head before blasting a driver down the middle.
She hit an approach shot to 5 feet and made the birdie putt, drawing a rousing ovation from the crowd.
A spectator said to her husband and caddie, Mike McGee, “That was a heck of a birdie.”
“Yeah, pretty wasn’t it?” he replied with a smile.
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