Eun-Hee Ji won the U.S. Women’s Open on Sunday, continuing a trend of South Korean players coming out on top in the most prestigious tournament in women’s golf.
Ji became the third South Korean in the last five years — and the fourth in the last dozen years — to capture the Women’s Open title. One of those champions, Birdie Kim, was crowned in Colorado, at Cherry Hills Country Club in 2005.
In some respects, Colorado girls golf these days mirrors what’s going on with the U.S. Women’s Open. The winners of the last three CWGA Junior Championships were born in South Korea. The only difference is, the champion of all three of those tournaments is the same person: Somin Lee of Denver (pictured).
Lee no doubt would love to someday follow in the footsteps of Ji, Kim, Inbee Park and Se Ri Pak in winning on the highest level of women’s golf, but for now she can take pride in a run that seldom has been seen in the history of girls golf in Colorado.
In the last year, Lee has won the CWGA Junior Match Play title twice (including last week), the CWGA Junior Stroke Play, and the girls division of the CJGA Tournament of Champions. Plus, she’s qualified for this month’s U.S. Girls’ Junior.
To put Lee’s success in perspective, since the CWGA Junior Stroke Play was started in 1979, only three other players have won some combination of three Junior Stroke and Junior Match Championships in the course of two consecutive calendar years. Not even Jill McGill, the only player with strong Colorado ties currently competing on the LPGA Tour, managed that feat. The only ones who have — besides Lee — are Gailynn Addis (1981-82), Wendy Werley (1984-85) and Nancy Abiecunas (1996-97).
That’s not bad company for someone who has been playing golf for just four years.
But despite all that success, the 17-year-old Lee is motivated more by failure than success. For instance, two months ago as an Overland sophomore, Lee held the first-round lead in the 5A girls state tournament, but a closing 79 left her tied for third place.
“I expect to do a little better,” Lee said. “I have had some failures. After that happens, I get really disappointed. Sometimes I just don’t think I’m good at the game, and I just practice more than I used to.”
And that’s saying something. Asked how much she practices, Lee said, “Eight hours a day, every day.” Does she take any days off? “Not really,” she said.
“I like golf; that’s why I do it,” Lee said. “No one is forcing me to practice.”
As an opposing coach, Cherry Creek High School’s Bob Kubiak, told the Denver Post before the state high school tournament, “I’m surprised that girl’s hands don’t bleed, she practices so much.”
Lee said her father is the one and only person who gives her lessons.
“I’ve been very impressed with (Lee),” said Kim Nissen, director of rules and competitions for the CWGA. Nissen later this month will captain a Colorado Junior America’s Cup girls team that includes Lee. “She’s kind of turned a corner. I think winning the CWGA Junior Match Play last year gave her the confidence to do well in other tournaments.”
That includes tournaments outside the junior ranks. Lee competed in the CWGA Match Play last month, and though she qualified for the championship flight, she lost in the first round. This week, at Valley Country Club, Lee will give it another go by competing in the CWGA Stroke Play.
“I just want to play golf with other players — college players and others,” she said. “I want to experience new and better things.”
The Lee family moved from Seoul, South Korea to Colorado about five years ago. Somin’s grandparents already lived in the U.S. and her parents wanted her to get a better education and learn English by coming to America.
Lee has accomplished that in her years in Colorado. Now she’s set her sights on something that will both further her education and her golf game.
“I want to get a full scholarship to (college),” she said. “If I get better I (eventually) want to go pro if I can.”
And, who knows? Maybe she’ll even play in the U.S. Women’s Open someday.
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