LOS ANGELES —Australian teenager Min-Jee Lee saved her best for last Saturday by fashioning a 10-shot improvement in the fourth round to claim her second career LPGA Tour victory.
The 19-year-old from Perth closed with a bogey free eight-under par 64, just 24 hours after shooting a two-over 74 at the Lotte Championship.
“I had a not-so-great round yesterday,” Lee said. “I just came out with a fresh mindset.”
She finished at 16-under 272 to beat South Korea’s Chun In-gee and American Katie Burnett by one stroke at the Kapolei, Hawaii golf course. Burnett was the lone American golfer in the top six.
Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn, 21, finished in sole possession of fourth at 14-under after firing a 68 Saturday.
Jan Su-yeon of South Korea rounded out the top five at 13 under after posting a final-round 71.
Lee chipped in for eagle on the par-five 13th hole and had six birdies during a seven-hole run that launched her up the leaderboard.
She rolled in a birdie putt on the par-four 17th hole and saved par with an up and down from off the green at No. 18 to claim her second North American win to go with a victory at the 2015 Kingsmill Championship.
Lee became the fifth player to win twice before her 20th birthday, joining Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson, Marlene Hagge and Sandra Haynie.
Donald regains Heritage lead
Former world No. 1 Luke Donald will try to end his run of near-misses at the RBC Heritage when he takes a one-shot lead into Sunday’s final round.
Donald carded a two-under par 69 over Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Saturday to lead Americans Jason Kokrak and Charley Hoffman by one stroke.
Seven players are within three shots of the lead, but that doesn’t include current world No. 1 Jason Day.
The overnight co-leader opened with a bogey and things went downhill from there. In a round that included a double-bogey at the third, he made six of his eight bogeys on the back nine en route to a 79 that left him tied for 40th.
Day said that when he knew he had shot himself out of contention, he concentrated on not distracting playing partner Kevin Chappell, who is seeking a first PGA Tour title.
Indeed Chappell carded a four-over 75 that included two double-bogeys on the back nine to fall five shots off the pace.
He’ll have work to do with Donald and his closest pursuers setting their sights on what has proved an elusive title.
