Tristan Jones/LET
By Kent Gray
It’s peak 2020, all a bit topsy-turvy.
About the time Minjee Lee tees it up in pursuit of her second LET title on Friday, she’d normally be thinking about what Netflix show to pop on after dinner. But with the 14th OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic to be decided under The Faldo’s bright LED floodlights, she’s planning to do the exact opposite.
The 24-year-old Australian roared into contention with a seven-under second round 65 on Wednesday morning to get it to -7 for the $285,000 championship. The five-time LPGA Tour winner will start the final round’s 5pm shotgun in the final group off the 1st tee, just two shots adrift of 36-hole leader Caroline Hedwall.
It will be a unusually long wait to get going but Lee has a cunning plan.
“I don’t mind being inside until tomorrow’s afternoon round because it is so hot out here and I’m just going to trust I’ve done enough practice last week before I came out here,” said Lee. “There are a few shows on my Netflix that aren’t available in America such as a few Korean dramas. I felt like I watched all of the American shows while we were in lockdown the first time.”
The world No.9 is the highest ranked player this week and as such will enter Friday as a clear and present danger. Capitalising on three birdies in her opening four holes after teeing off from the 10th on Wednesday, Lee went out in 30 strokes, six-under. She then traded two birdies with a late bogey on the par-3 8th to eventually sign for an equal best of Wednesday 65.
“I got off to a pretty hot start. I wasn’t able to get many more [birdies] on the back nine, but I am pleased with my day. I feel like I had a look for birdie on every hole.”
The Perth pro’s last win came at the LPGA’s LA Open in April last year. The former world amateur No.1 will be looking to emulate her brother Min Woo Lee as a 2020 winner after he secured his breakthrough on the European Tour at the Vic Open in February.
“I have played night golf once in Korea but that was just for fun. This is my first time competitively and to play at night is something so different to the professional game, I think it will attract a lot of the younger generation,” said Lee who was third at the recent Women’s British Open before a T-7 finish at the ANA Inspiration.
“I think during the day, it goes a bit further and rolls out and the greens are easier to read but at night time I think it is hard to see the ball land and judge the roll out. There’s a bit of adjustment to make.”
But not before logging into Netflix for the biggest adjustment to her usual final round preparation. TV behind closed doors, almost like in lockdown. Peak 2020 indeed.
