The cool thing about the final day of the U.S. Women’s Open is that it is the final day of the U.S. Women’s Open. There is nothing that can match that pressure and produce as much drama. For Minjee Lee, Andrea Lee and Wichanee Meechai and a couple of lurkers, what unfolds in the final round can be life-changing and almost certainly will produce a lifelong memory.
Of all the demands the players face from the other competitors and from a very demanding Lancaster Country Club, the greatest obstacle to overcome might be the aura of the event: It’s Sunday at the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally, the event every female golfer dreams of winning. That’s a significant added burden to lug around the golf course.
Here are 3 things to look for in Sunday’s final round.
Contenders
The tussle at the top of the leaderboard should be highly entertaining on Sunday. Of the trio that is tied for the lead at 5-under-par 205, Minjee Lee has the strongest professional resumé. The 28-year-old Australian has 10 victories on the LPGA Tour, including a pair of major titles: the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open and 2021 Amundi Evian Championship.
Andrea Lee, 25, has one victory on the LPGA Tour but a very strong amateur career, spending 17 weeks at No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® and representing the USA on the Curtis Cup Team twice while at Stanford University. The least experienced being in this position is Wichanee Meechai. The 31-year-old from Thailand has been a pro for 14 years and has won a total of five times on LPGA tours in Thailand, China and Taiwan – but never outside Asia.
This should be a fascinating battle well worth watching.
Pretenders
There are two very formidable players lurking within reach of the leaders. Two strokes back at 207 is Hinako Shibuno, who won the 2019 AIG Women’s Open and was fourth at the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open. Yuka Saso, who is at 2-under 208, won the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open in a playoff at The Olympic Club. The 22-year-old also showed major championship mettle last year with a second-place finish in the KPMG Women’s PGA at Baltusrol Golf Club and a third-place finish in the Evian Championship.
No one else is closer than six shots of the leaders and that seems like a lot of ground to make up on a very demanding golf course. Chasing one player from six strokes behind is one thing but chasing three is entirely different. The chances all three will come back to the pack is not likely. But Shibuno and Saso are well within reach.
Defenders
Keep an eye on the four amateurs who made the cut. That quartet from the 21 amateurs who teed it up in Thursday's first round is having a spirited tussle to be low amateur with Catherine Park, a University of Southern California rising junior, leading the way at 4-over-par 214 going into the final round.
Three strokes back is Adela Cernousek, of France at 217, along with Megan Schofill, the reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, at 218 and 15-year-old Asterisk Talley at 219. Cernousek, who won this year’s NCAA Division I individual championship for Texas A&M, has the momentum. She shot 1-under-par 69 on Saturday while Park carded a 72, Schofill 77 and Talley 78. Four amateurs made the cut and all four have a chance to be low amateur. Good stuff, indeed.
Ron Sirak is a Massachusetts-based freelance writer.
