Olympic Games 2024: West Australian Minjee Lee’s medal bid stutters at Le Golf National
Minjee Lee knows there’s a low round out there waiting for her at Le Golf National – but Australia’s major-winning hope couldn’t find it on a frustrating second day at the Olympic women’s tournament.
While defending champ Nelly Korda made an ominous move up the leaderboard only to endure a quadruple-bogey calamity on Thursday, Lee suffered a dismal start of her own, dropping three shots over the first two holes and never really rebounding as she ended with a two-over 74.
The 28-year-old from Perth was one over for the tournament at halfway, tied for 22nd nine behind surprise leader, Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux, whose 66 thrust her to eight under for the tournament.
Lee may not yet be out of the hunt to become Australia’s first golf medallist, lying six off a podium position, but she needs to make a striking mark like Metraux’s on Friday’s moving day at the Ryder Cup venue 30km east of Paris.
“There’s definitely a low round out there. When you have the short clubs in, you’ve just got to take advantage and today, obviously I didn’t but I definitely think there’s a score to be made out there,” said Lee.
Camera IconMinjee Lee. Credit: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
“I felt pretty good starting out, but obviously you never know with golf. Sometimes it doesn’t quite suit your eye, and I started bogey and then double which doesn’t help with trying to claw back.
“I tried to keep it together, it was nice to finish with the birdie on 18. I’ve got a few things to work on and hopefully can turn it up for the weekend.”
Her fellow Aussie, world No.6 Hannah Green, starting at five over, clawed a couple back with her two-under 70, including a birdie at the last, but has her work cut out from three over.
Yet with so many water hazards on the course, things can change swiftly at Le Golf National with just one misplaced shot, as world No.1 Korda found to her cost.
She’d been making serene progress with six birdies to get to within two of Metraux, when her tee shot at the short 16th found the lake.
Camera IconMinjee Lee. Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
From the drop zone, Korda found a bunker, blasted the ball long out of a plugged lie, and three-putted from distance for a seven.
Somewhat shell-shocked, she then bogeyed the 17th too before a birdie at the last for her one-under 70 ensured she’s still a live threat at two under to emulate fellow American world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, winner of the men’s event.
First-round leader and home favourite Celine Boutier followed up her opening 65, which had caused much excitement among the home galleries, with a 76, but didn’t seem too perturbed amid the general disappointment.
“I’ve done this too many times to know that a solid good round on the first day doesn’t really mean much,” she said with a Gallic shrug. “It’s not difficult to ignore (the hype) – just don’t look at your phone.”
New Zealand’s double major winner Lydia Ko (67) is in bronze medal spot at five under, two adrift of China’s Yin Ruoning (the day’s best, 65) and three off Metraux.
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