Reigning U.S. Girls’ Junior champion Minjee Lee, of Perth, Australia, cruised to a 6-and-5 victory over South Australian-based Korean Jenny Lee in the 36-hole championship final of the Australian Women's Amateur Championship at Commonwealth Golf Club on Sunday.
Lee, 16, was in control for much of the match and it was a chance for the Royal Fremantle member to go one better than her narrow loss in the 2011 final.
“It feels amazing. It’s such an honor to win this tournament. It’s been a long week so it’s a great reward,” said Lee.
Lee, who defeated Alison Lee last July to win the Girls’ Junior at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, Calif., said she felt she could respond when she was challenged.
“I felt I could always get back up if I was down,” she said.
Lee’s grandmother and mother were in attendance for the final.
“Mum said afterwards she was going to have a heart attack a couple of times, but she’s proud of me,” Lee said.
Lee earns an exemption into next month’s ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open at Royal Canberra Golf Club from 14-17 February.
"It's an LPGA event so it will have a great field and I'm really looking forward to it," Lee added.
Reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion and defending Australian Amateur champion Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, was eliminated in the second round, as was current U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Meghan Stasi, of Oakland Park, Fla. Ko the top-ranked female amateur in the world, shared medalist honors with Australian Grace Lennon. Lennon was upset in the first round.