It's rare that you see players withdraw from tournaments, especially when prize money and points are on the line. However, at the Mizuho Americas Open on the LPGA Tour, a number of names found themselves pulling out the morning of the first round with illness.
Amongst the names were defending champion and last week's Cognizant Founders Cup winner, Rose Zhang, as well as Maja Stark and Caroline Masson. Replaced in the field by the alternates on the list, it was So Mi Lee who took full advantage, as the 25-year-old, who was the second alternate in New York, fired a six-under-par round to take the outright lead after day one.
How rare is it that a second alternate gets into an event the day the tournament begins? Well, very! Not only had tournament organizers not produced a card with Lee's name on it for the scoreboard that follows the group around, but the South Korean's caddie didn't even have a bib with her surname on it!
Alternate lyfe:So Min Lee was 2nd alternate to start the day. Almost never does the 2nd alt get in on Thursday. But there was 4 WDs today (2 after round started) Min Lee has no name on the scoring, no name on her caddie bib. And she is also leading. pic.twitter.com/X0Uvgqv2sTMay 16, 2024
Despite all the early drama, Lee played superbly at Liberty National Golf Club, as she overcame a bogey at the second hole to find birdies at the fourth, fifth and eighth to get to two-under for the tournament.
Continuing her momentum, Lee then found further birdies at the 10th, before three straight gains at the 13th, 14th and 15th put her six-under for the day and two clear of her challengers. Despite bogeying the 16th, she did find an eighth birdie at the 17th to sign for a six-under 66.
Leading by two shots from multiple players, including the first alternate, Mao Saigo, Lee is searching for her first LPGA Tour title, with the 25-year-old making just two cuts so far this season. In the competitions where she has made the cut, she finished in a tie for 16th and 13th, respectively.
Speaking after her round, Lee stated: "At first I was kind of depressed and thought I can't play well today. I also get my caddie to go home and we had no caddie, so my father played with me and that made me comfortable playing. Yeah, he was very great. I didn't expect to play today, so I was going to go to the park and going to run, but my father said, hey, just go and get some practice and you have chance."
The Mizuho Americas Open is stacked full of the biggest names in the women's game, with the likes of Nelly Korda, Celine Boutier, Jin Young Ko and Charley Hull teeing it up in the field. However, despite not having a tee time at the start of the day, it will be Lee who leads the stars in the $3m event, with the winner taking home $450,000.
