Somi Lee is one of the rising stars of the women’s game, having amassed a series of wins on the LPGA of Korea Tour before earning her LPGA Tour card in 2024.
Here are 15 facts about the South Korean professional.
Somi Lee Facts
1. Somi Lee was born on January 6th, 1999 in Wando, South Korea.
2. She had a successful amateur career, including victory in the 2017 New South Wales Women’s Amateur Championship.
3. Lee also represented her country in the Queen Sirikit Cup in 2017, helping South Korea to victory over China in the contest.
4. Unlike many players, she opted against a collegiate career, instead turning professional in 2017 and initially joining the LPGA of Korea Tour.
5. Lee’s first professional win came at the 2020 Huencare Ladies Open.
6. That was the first of five titles on the circuit in the next two years.
7. At the 2022 Celltrion Queens Masters, she caddied for her friend Ayean Cho.
8. Lee’s maiden Major appearance came at the 2022 US Women’s Open, where she finished tied for 44th at the Pine Needles tournament.
9. Three years later, she recorded her best Major finish to date, placing T8 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East.
10. She earned her LPGA Tour card for the 2024 season after making it through LPGA Q-Series in second.
11. Lee largely struggled in 2024, placing 75th on the LPGA Tour money list, with one top-10 finish, T5 at the Portland Classic.
12. After losing a sponsorship deal, she spent much of 2025 playing without a sponsor on her hat.
13. That was still the case when her fortunes took a significant upturn with victory alongside Jin Hee Im at the Dow Championship – her maiden LPGA Tour title.
14. By the time the 2025 AIG Women’s Open began at Royal Porthcawl the following month, she had a new sponsor on her hat, Shinhan.
15. She was the 36-hole leader at the 2025 Amundi Evian Championship, but benefited from a slice of luck in the third round thanks to a rules incident.
Her ball came to rest against a metal fence next to a cart path. It looked like she'd make a bogey at best, until she was granted free relief because the grass between the cart path and the boundary fence was an extension of the cart path. She made par before going on to finish T14.
Born |
January 6th, 1999, Wando, South Korea |
Height |
5 ft 4 in (163 cm) |
Turned professional |
2017 |
Professional wins |
6 |
Major debut |
2022 US Women's Open (T44) |
Tour |
Event |
LPGA of Korea Tour |
2020 Huencare Ladies Open |
LPGA of Korea Tour |
2021 Lotte Rent a Car Ladies Open |
LPGA of Korea Tour |
2021 DayouWinia MBN Ladies Open |
LPGA of Korea Tour |
2022 SK Networks Seoul Economics Ladies Classic |
LPGA of Korea Tour |
2022 S-Oil Championship |
LPGA Tour |
2025 Dow Championship |
Year |
Earnings |
2024 |
$503,013 |
2025 |
$1,758,527 |
