LPGA Kraft: Minjee Lee takes low am honors

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (April 6, 2014) -- Australia’s World Number 1 amateur Minjee Lee (WA) has been crowned the leading amateur at the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

In her first appearance at a major championship, the 17 year- old shot rounds of 75-68-73-72 to finish at even par in a tie for 24th place with American Jessica Korda.

"It was such a great week. I had a great time, like just the atmosphere and having the crowds, and it was just really good. I haven't experienced this before, so it was really good" Lee said.

"I started really like shaky. I hit it over here on the first hole, and I was like, oh, okay, it's going to be a good day. Well, doubled the first, and I birdied the second, but bogeyed the third. It just evened out. I birdied the ninth, so it was like, okay, I'm coming back. That was good, and then I made a couple birdies coming in, so just finished with even. Just pretty steady."

Lee finished 14 strokes behind eventual champion, American Lexi Thompson.

Fellow Australian amateur Su-Hyun Oh (VIC) also made the cut in her first major championship, finishing in a tie for 51st place at 7-over par after rounds of 74-74-73-74.

World Number 5 Karrie Webb finished as the leading Australian player at the championship in a tie for 11th at 2-under par.

For Lee, the invitation to play came on the back of her first victory at a professional tournament at the Oates Victorian Open and her superb performances at the major tournaments over the Australian summer where she made national and international headlines.

Oh also enjoyed a solid summer and made the cut at the Volvik RACV Ladies Masters and the ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open where she fired a third round 66.

Webb remains the only Australian to have won the title, having done so in 2000 and 2006.