Somi Lee Leads CME Group Tour Championship with a Stunning Start
South Korean golfer Somi Lee has started the CME Group Tour Championship spectacularly, leading the competition with an initial round of 8 under par and a score of 64. Lee, who decided to modify his grip in putting, demonstrated his effectiveness by securing a two-stroke lead in the pursuit of the $4 million prize. The South Korean golfer achieved an eagle on the 17th hole, a par 5, thanks to her strategy of using a 5-iron due to the warm conditions of the course. Despite a single stumble with a bogey on the final hole of the Tiburon Golf Club, her performance firmly positioned her at the top. Allisen Corpuz, former U.S. Women’s Open champion, is two strokes behind Lee. Jeeno Thitikul, number one in the ranking and candidate for LPGA Player of the Year, shot a round of 67 strokes, with six birdies, tying with three other players. Thitikul, winner of last year’s Tour Championship, will secure the Player of the Year award based on points, unless Miyu Yamashita of Japan wins the current tournament. Yamashita, with two victories this year, including the Women’s Open, had a slower start with two bogeys and a round of 70. Nelly Korda, seeking a victory after having won seven titles the previous year, missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, closing with a round of 71. Somi Lee, with her victory at the Dow Championship alongside Jin Hee Im, ranked 14th in the Race to CME Globe. She felt that her game was affected by her *putting*, which led her to be inspired by the grip of Lydia Ko, a member of the LPGA Hall of Fame.After testing it last week and making some adjustments, Lee demonstrated its effectiveness at the Tour Championship, using only 27 putts in his round. In this season-ending event, the Race to CME Globe rankings are no longer decisive. The prize for the tournament winner is $4 million, the highest in women’s golf, from a total purse of $11 million.I just followed Lydia Ko’s putter grip because she’s a good player and I thought, ‘Why not follow a good player’s grip?’. It worked really well.
Somi Lee
Thitikul is tied for third place with Im, Nasa Hataoka and Sei-young Kim. Grace Kim (Evian Championship) and Minjee Lee (Women’s PGA), both major champions, are in the group with 68 strokes.I know we’re playing for a $4 million check, but for me, I think it’s almost a bonus this year to be able to play here. I’ve performed very well during the year, there’s not much to think about.
Jeeno Thitikul
