Top 10 finish for Leona Maguire as Minjee Lee wins US Open

A final round 74 saw Leona Maguire stumble a touch but still finish inside the top 10 at the US Women’s Open at Pine Needles. Heading into Sunday in a tie for eighth on five under, the Cavan golfer started off the boil with three front nine bogies at two, five and seven.

A further dropped shot came at 11 but a birdie at the par five 15th did at least ensure that a late stroke picked up guaranteed her a top 10 slot. She finished in a tie for eighth alongside Nelly Korda and Megan Khang.

11 strokes further up the leaderboard, Minjee Lee won her second major, collecting the largest pay-out in women’s golf.

The Australian took home $1.8 million (€1.68 million) after mixing four birdies with the same number of bogeys to card an even-par 71 and finish at 13 under and four strokes ahead of Mina Harigae of the US.

“I mean, I’m speechless. I can’t believe it right now,” the world number four said after collecting another major to go with last year’s Evian Championship.

“No, it’s just super, super special and just a great honour. It’s been my dream since I was a little girl. It’s the one that I always wanted to win on – now I’ve done it, and just feels amazing.”

The victory ensured Lee was the sixth straight non-US player to win the tournament and the first Australian since her mentor Karrie Webb in 2001.

Harigae, who shot a course-record 64 in the opening round before sharing the lead with Lee after the second day, finished with a 72 on Sunday in North Carolina.

“I’m not going to lie, my stomach hurt the last couple holes coming down the stretch,” the American said.

“I was really stressed out, but I was really just focusing on one shot at a time, making solid contact, and just hitting good putts.”

The day’s best round of 70 was recorded by South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi, who finished third on seven under while her compatriot world number one Jin Young Ko shot 71 to collect fourth at six under.

Scores from the LPGA Tour US Women’s Open

-13 Minjee Lee (Australia) 67 66 67 71

-9 Mina Harigae (USA) 64 69 70 72

-7 Hye Jin Choi (Korea Republic) 71 64 72 70

-6 Jin Young ko (Korea Republic) 69 67 71 71 -5 Lydia Ko (New Zealand) 72 69 66 72

-4 Bronte Law (England) 69 69 68 74 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 67 68 72 73

-2 Megan Khang (USA) 71 67 70 74 Nelly Korda (USA) 70 69 70 73 Leona Maguire (Republic of Ireland) 70 70 68 74

-1 Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand) 69 68 71 75 Xiyu Lin (China PR) 71 69 67 76 Ingrid Lindblad (Sweden) 65 71 71 76

0 Sei Young Kim (Korea Republic) 69 68 75 72 2 In Gee Chun (Korea Republic) 72 73 69 72 Brooke Henderson (Canada) 72 73 68 73 Eun-Hee Ji (Korea Republic) 70 69 69 78 Cheyenne Knight (USA) 74 71 69 72 Andrea Lee (USA) 70 68 72 76

3 Pajaree Anannarukarn (Thailand) 70 73 72 72 Charley Hull (Great Britain) 75 68 70 74 Sakura Koiwai (Japan) 70 71 73 73 Lexi Thompson (USA) 68 71 72 76

4 Allisen Corpuz (USA) 69 74 71 74 Ally Ewing (USA) 68 74 74 72 Frida Kinhult (Sweden) 73 70 73 72 Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand) 71 73 71 73

5 Carlota Ciganda (Spain) 74 69 72 74 Hannah Green (Australia) 70 71 72 76 Nasa Hataoka (Japan) 71 72 72 74 Jeong-Eun Lee

6 (Korea Republic) 73 70 77 69 Ryann O’Toole (USA) 67 71 79 72 Sung Hyun Park (Korea Republic) 69 69 77 74 Celine Boutier (France) 71 71 73 75 Georgia Hall (England) 72 71 71 76 A Lim Kim (Korea Republic) 74 70 71 75 Lizette Salas (USA) 71 70 74 75 Marissa Steen (USA) 72 71 71 76 Lilia vu (USA) 71 69 71 79

7 Amanda Doherty (USA) 70 72 71 78 Jennifer Kupcho (USA) 72 71 77 71 Alison Lee (USA) 72 72 73 74 Rose Zhang (New Zealand) 72 71 75 73

8 Brittany Altomare (USA) 73 69 77 73 Pia Babnik (Slovenia) 72 71 74 75 Somi Lee (Korea Republic) 73 68 69 82 Mao Saigo (Japan) 70 72 75 75

9 Saki Baba (Japan) 73 72 70 78 Bailey Shoemaker (USA) 72 70 72 79

10 Marina Alex (USA) 73 72 75 74 Matilda Castren (Finland) 69 74 76 75 Isabell Gabsa (Germany) 74 69 74 77 Lauren Hartlage (USA) 71 69 78 76 Kim In-Kyung (Korea Republic) 71 72 73 78 Linnea Johansson (Sweden) 71 73 76 74 Caroline Masson (Germany) 72 73 72 77 Angel Yin (USA) 71 74 71 78

11 Na Rin An (Korea Republic) 72 70 76 77 Yealimi Noh (USA) 72 72 76 75

12 Allison Emrey (USA) 71 73 78 74 Sofia Garcia (Paraguay) 72 73 77 74 Amy Olson (USA) 69 72 75 80

13 Tiffany Chan (Hong Kong) 72 72 77 76 Danielle Kang (USA) 71 74 73 79 Grace Kim (Australia) 73 72 75 77 Jessica Korda (USA) 72 70 74 81

14 Annie Park (USA) 69 74 78 77

15 Bianca Pagdanganan (Philippines) 75 70 72 82 19 Yuna Takagi (Japan) 74 68 77 84 21 Maude-Aimee Leblanc (Canada) 72 73 79 81