Minjee Lee’s LPGA season from hell has just got a lot worse with the three-time major champion finishing last at the Japan Classic.
Far from the lofty heights of the Australian’s biggest career victories at the Evian Championship (2021), US Women’s Open (2022) and Women’s PGA Championship in 2025, Lee finished 77th in the field with a 17-over score of 305.
Her closest rival, American Alexa Papano, finished at six-over 294 – 11 shots better than Lee, who endured rounds of 77, 75, 79 and 74.
The result all but ends Lee’s hopes of making the $US11 million season-ending Tour Championship.
West Australian Lee dropped to 79th in the season-long standings, with only the top 60 to qualify for the Tour Championship.
The out-of-sorts star will now have to win next week’s penultimate event of the year, the ANNIKA in Florida, to scrape in.
Australia should still be well represented in the lucrative year-ending showpiece in Florida from November 19-22.
Hannah Green shot a final-round two-under 70 to finish tied for 12th at 11 under.
The 2019 Women’s PGA Champion is 12th in the standings, while fellow Australians Cassie Porter (46th), Grace Kim (49th) and Karis Davidson (52nd) also appear safe.
Robyn Choi fired a final-round four-under 68 at the Taiheiyo Club north of Tokyo to finish tied 46th and, after a strong Asian swing, has risen to 60th. The world No.129 sits in the last qualifying spot as she chases a maiden appearance at the Tour Championship.
The honours on Sunday went to Japan’s Shuri Sakuma, who took out her first LPGA Tour title after closing with an eight-under 64 for a four-stoke victory over compatriot Aki Iwai.
Sakuma has won eight times previously on the LPGA of Japan Tour. She finished with a 72-hole total of 20-under 268. The victory makes her eligible to join the LPGA Tour, and she picked up $315,000 with the win.
Iwai, who had a one-stroke lead after the third round, slipped to a 71 for a four-day total of 272.
Local Erika Hara was third, five shots off the lead, and finished with a 70.
Defending champion Nasa Hataoka finished with a 71 and tied for sixth.
with AP
