Mi Hyang Lee had a beautiful, methodical rise up the pecking order on Thursday. She’s followed that up with a stellar round at the Meijer LPGA Classic. Lee followed with a scorching 8-under 64, including an incredible six-hole span where she was 6 under par. Her commanding performance puts her in the driver’s seat as the tournament progresses.
Each birdie and eagle scored by Lee on her round added to a dazzling performance that showcased her ability to run away with a championship. Rolling birdies on four in a row, charging from No. 5 through No. 8. Having parred the ninth, she flew with an eagle on the 10th hole. Reflecting on her eagle, Lee expressed surprise at her achievement, stating, “I didn’t expect I can hit the green there for my second shot.” She mentioned her eagle putt was “almost 24 feet, straight right-to-left.” She stressed the level of skill required to successfully attempt a shot of that distance.
Aside from Lee’s outstanding performance, Chisato Iwai grabbed the spotlight. Iwai started her final round with a 73. The former Central Florida standout bounced back in fine style, reeling off five birdies in seven holes from the eighth to the 14th. She hiccupped with a bogey on her 17th hole of the day. She came right back with a birdie on 18 to end her round on an upswing.
Akie Iwai, a Chicago native, capped off the first day with a scorching round of 69. Meantime, Grace Kim kept very close, shooting a final-round 68. Kim finished her bogey-less round with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17. She added, “That was a nice way to start the back nine,” showcasing her strong plate of play during all 18 holes.
A group of four players were near them in pursuit, led by Minjee Lee and Andrea Lee, each at 67. They were accompanied by Caley McGinty, Ruixin Liu, Gabriela Ruffels, and Jiwon Jeon. Each of them the rounds with blistering 67s.
With each passing round of the tournament, Mi Hyang Lee’s outstanding performance only raises the stakes for her fellow contenders. Given her comfortable margin atop the leaderboard, the stage is set for her to build upon her powerful performance in the early rounds of the Meijer LPGA Classic.
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