Posted: May 21, 2015 11:49 pm
Alison Lee is a Californian. She’s from Valencia, and a student at UCLA. Pennsylvania’s starting to feel like a second home.
Lee made her first splash on the national golf stage by finishing 26th in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem … at age 14.
She won the AJGA Tournament of Champions, a major championship in the junior-golf world, in 2013, at Lancaster Country Club.
Lee was national freshman of the year at UCLA in 2014, her only year of college golf, before turning pro this year, at 20.
The rookie year’s been pretty good, especially lately. Lee went into the final round of last week’s Kingsmill Championship in Williamsburg, Va. just a shot off the lead with a lot on the line.
A win, in addition to everything else, would exempt Lee from qualifying for this year’s Women’s Open, at Lancaster C.C. A sole second-place finish would move Lee into the top 50 in the Rolex World Rankings just ahead of the deadline and, this, also exempt for the Open.
And Lee, who had failed the quality for the Open the last two years, really wanted to come to Lancaster in July.
“I had been there before and I know the golf course,” Lee told the USGA’s David Shefter. “I really like the area. I had a host family that I still keep in contact with.”
Lee was entered in a 36-hole sectional Open qualifier Monday about 90 minutes from Williamsburg. But a rain delay Sunday pushed the final round of the Kingsmill to Monday. Lee had to opt out of her tee time at the qualifier.
Lee bogeyed the 18th hole Monday morning to finish third. No top 50, no exemption and, at least at the time, no place to qualify for the Open.
Had a 3:05 time today then 7 am tmrw. I also have to forfeit playing in the Women’s Open qualifier tomorrow. I’ve definitely had better days
— Alison Lee (@Alisonn_Lee) May 18, 2015
MinJee Lee, who beat Alison Lee in the final of the 2012 USGA girls’ junior, had been in the same situation with regard to the Open. But MinJee won at Kingsmill. She’s in the Open. Alison Lee’s agent had contacted the USGA about the possibility of arranging another chance to qualify Sunday night. By midday Monday, Lee was given a berth in a Tuesday qualifier at Goose Creek Golf Club in Mira Loma, Calif.
Now just waiting to see if I can play in Cali qualifier tomorrow
— Alison Lee (@Alisonn_Lee) May 18, 2015
to $3k to change flight to today
— Alison Lee (@Alisonn_Lee) May 18, 2015
Well my flight to Atlanta is delayed. Might miss my flight to LA. I just want to go home pls
— Alison Lee (@Alisonn_Lee) May 18, 2015
Today did just get worse pic.twitter.com/ghMQzYHtyd
— Alison Lee (@Alisonn_Lee) May 18, 2015
A day of nerve-grinding travel ensued, from Virginia to Atlanta to Los Angeles with a missed connection and changed flight and final, arrival at LAX at 9:30 p.m. Yes, her golf bag tumbled on to the baggage carousel at LAX a few minutes later. The qualifer the next morning was a grind on a windy golf course. Lee double-bogeyed the 18th hole of the morning round, and didn’t make a birdie in the afternoon 18. Still, she finished with 71-73-144, tied for first place, securing one of two spots. Come July, she’ll be back in town.
U.S. Women's open here we come pic.twitter.com/Tecui9OOZA
— Alison Lee (@Alisonn_Lee) May 20, 2015
— Alison Lee (@Alisonn_Lee) May 18, 2015
Sectional qualifying results through Wednesday:
| Alison Lee – VALENCIA, CALIF. |
144
|
| Lilia Khatu Vu(a) – FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIF. |
144
|
| A – Sirene Blair(a) – SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH |
147
|
| A – Avery French(a) – LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIF. |
149
|
| Lindsey Weaver(a) – MINSTER, OHIO |
139
|
| Jimin Kang – SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. |
141
|
| A – Mallory Blackwelder – VERSAILLES, KY. |
141
|
| A – Brittany Fan(a) – PEARL CITY, HAWAII |
142
|
| Jane Park – WOODSTOCK, GA. |
136
|
| Brooke Pancake – CHATTANOOGA, TENN. |
138
|
| A – Ally McDonald(a) – FULTON, MISS. |
139
|
| A – Janie Jackson(a) – HUNTSVILLE, ALA. |
139
|
| Daniela Darquea(a) – ECUADOR |
139
|
| Regina Plasencia(a) – MEXICO |
139
|
| A – Nelly Korda(a) – BRADENTON, FLA. |
140
|
| A – Morgan Baxendale(a) – WINDERMERE, FLA. |
141
|
| Lori Adams(a) – BURLINGTON, N.C. |
148
|
| Nikolette Schroeder(a) – AVON LAKE, OHIO |
148
|
| A – Christine Meier – ROCHESTER HILLS, MICH. |
148
|
| A – Jessica Porvasnik(a) – HINCKLEY, OHIO |
149
|
| Jennifer Coleman – ROLLING HILLS ESTS, CALIF. |
139
|
| Beth Lillie(a) – FULLERTON, CALIF. |
141
|
| A – Ga Ryung Park(a) – SAN JOSE, CALIF. |
144
|
| A – Simar Singh(a) – LOS ALTOS, CALIF. |
145
|
| Sarah Burnham(a) – MAPLE GROVE, MINN. |
151
|
| A – Casey Danielson(a) – OSCEOLA, WIS. |
154
|
| A – Megan Mingo(a) – YANKTON, S.D. |
155
|
| So Young Lee(a) – REPUBLIC OF KOREA |
138
|
| Min Gyeong Youn(a) – REPUBLIC OF KOREA |
144
|
| A – Julie Kim(a) – REPUBLIC OF KOREA |
144
|
| A – Ye-Rim Choi(a) – REPUBLIC OF KOREA |
149
|
| Alejandra Llaneza – MEXICO |
138
|
| Mika Miyazato – JAPAN |
138
|
| Jennifer Song – ANN ARBOR, MICH. |
138
|
| A – Min Lee – CHINESE TAIPEI |
139
|
| A – Sarah Kemp – AUSTRALIA |
139
|
| Christina Foster(a) – CANADA |
145
|
| Elizabeth Nagel – DEWITT, MICH. |
146
|
| A – Lauren Mielbrecht – GULF STREAM, FLA. |
147
|
| A – Kaitlin Park(a) – TUSTIN, CALIF. |
148
|
| Yuting Shi – PPLS REPL. OF CHINA |
145
|
| A – Soyoung Jang – REPUBLIC OF KOREA |
146
|
| A – Ssu-Chia Cheng – CHINESE TAIPEI |
147
|
| Mariel Galdiano(a) – PEARL CITY, HAWAII |
149
|
| A – Aiko Leong(a) – HONOLULU, HAWAII |
155
|
| A – Shayna Miyajima – WAILUKU, HAWAII |
158
|