Teenager Minjee Lee of Australia was closing in on her first LPGA Tour win on Sunday when darkness halted play in the weather-hit Kingsmill Championship.
The 18-year-old used a weather delay to good advantage, regrouping after dropping a shot at the fourth hole to notch five birdies and an eagle that gave her a four-shot lead at 16-under par through 15 holes.
“I knew I was right there,” Lee said. “I still have some work to do tomorrow, but just kind of gave myself opportunities, played smart golf. I didn’t do anything crazy. Just my putts seemed to drop.”
Photo: AP
She had just teed off at 16 when the horn sounded to halt the round because of darkness. With the option to complete the hole she chose to mark her ball on the fringe at the 16th green, hoping for a clearer picture of the line yesterday morning.
She was set to miss the US Women’s Open qualifying round to go for the win when her round resumed.
“Hopefully, if I can get the win tomorrow, I won’t have to go to the US Open qualifying,” she said.
American Alison Lee, who had held the halfway lead, was four strokes off the pace at 12-under through 14 holes.
She shook off not only the weather delay, but also a nosebleed at the ninth hole.
After treatment from medical personnel on the course she birdied the 10th hole.
“I know I’m going to have to play aggressively being four strokes behind Minjee,” Alison Lee said. “I know exactly what I have to do if I want to take this. It’s all up to me. It’s me against the golf course. No matter what Minjee does, I just have to play my best.”
Norwegian veteran Suzann Pettersen had the clubhouse lead after a 68 for a 10-under 274.
Overnight leader Perrine Delacour was 10-under through 14 holes — one-over for the round. Taiwan’s Candy Kung was on five-under when played was stopped.
Additional Reporting by Staff Writer
Badminton world No. 3 Anders Antonsen clinched his first Indonesia Open title yesterday after beating Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen, while South Korea’s An Se-young won her second championship in Jakarta. The 28-year-old Dane sank world No. 7 Chou at the Indonesian capital’s Istora Senayan arena, winning 22-20, 21-14 in a 60-minute match to secure the prestigious Super 1000 event. Antonsen came out on top in a tightly contested first game before cruising to victory in the second. In a more closely fought women’s singles final, South Korean ace and world No. 1 An fought back from one game down to beat China’s
Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled on Thursday as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart, Germany, to set up a UEFA Nations League final with Portugal. Yamal bagged a brace, while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defense to ribbons. Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the score sheet for the UEFA Euro 2024 champions. Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal. France’s three late goals — a
Italy crashed to a 3-0 loss away to Norway, as the four-time FIFA World Cup champions made a disastrous start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, while Belgium had to settle for a draw in North Macedonia. Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland all scored in the first half in pouring rain in Oslo as Norway made it a night to forget for Italy, who missed out on the past two World Cups. “I have no explanation. Our supporters don’t deserve this kind of match. We need to do some soul-searching. It’s unacceptable,” Italy captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi
The Crusaders yesterday produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 and claim home advantage in next week’s Super Rugby semi-finals. Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders’ forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures. Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds. “Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet
RSS