＜Photo：Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images＞
Ji-Hee Lee won the 50th Japan LPGA Championship Konica Minolta Cup on 10th September. It was held at Appi Kougen Golf Club (6,640 yard/par71), Hachimantai-City, Iwate. Total purse was ￥200million,and Ji-Hee Lee won a winner’s award￥36million.Ji-Hee Lee closed at total 5 under par to win for the first time this year. Min-Young Lee was 2nd at total 3 under par and by 1 shot was Hiroko Azuma.
She didn’t set a limit and believed in herself. Ji-Hee Lee’s struggle for victory was exciting to see. Due to a bogey on No 16, Ji-Hee Lee dropped down and match Min-Young Lee, who had chased up Ji-Hee Lee on the final round. “I must birdie either on 17 or on 18, otherwise, I couldn’t go into a playoff, I felt,” she said. On No 17 she rolled a 2.5 meters in for birdie to take the the leaders position back again, and the final No 18 she holed a 6 meters for birdie. LPGA Championship wasn’t “meant to be” for her, but she finally has turned her impossible dream to real.
On Sunday She should have started last as the tournament leader, but She couldn’t start, due to a thick fog and 2 times thundercloud getting close. They delayed the opining for 3 hours and 50 minutes. “The reason I won is my hotel was near to the course.” She was waiting not in the Club House, but in her hotel room, “I was listening to the music and recitations of old Korean story to wait. I don’t often read books. Once I tried app for recitations, I came to like it soon. I imagined we only had to finish until No 16, the final round would be suspended and a playoff will be tomorrow. I felt so relaxed today that I wondered why,” she said.
Besides, Ji-Hee Lee never thought of going back home.She had already booked hotel for one more night. That would show her strong desire to win. In the current season she didn’t play well in particular with the irons. “Is there any hope of winning? “she often asked to herself. From draw to fade-hitter, she transformed herself, which also means her strong will for winning. Even though 38-year-old, Ji-Hee Lee tries to challenge. “I’m never afraid of making mistakes .If I fail. I will try again,” she showed her fighting spirit.
This is the first to win the major tournament since she won Japan Women’s Open in 2008. Her 22th victory is the game deciding Number-one in Asia. “Yesterday my purpose was winning at least once, but now I want to achieve lifetime exemption(30 wins).” She has prominent technique. Furthermore, she has various routine works suitable for different games. She won’t never set a limit to her way of thinking.
