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Mi Hyang Lee started playing golf when she
was just 3 years old (!). By the time she reached her late
teens, she was one of the better amateurs in the country.
She played in KLPGA events, including the 2010 Daewoo Securities
Classic, where she contended for two rounds before finishing
tied for 19th.
Still in her teens, Lee turned pro late in
2011 and attended LPGA Q-School. She finished tied for 29th
to earn limited membership on tour for 2012.
Lee played few LPGA events in 2012, owing
to her poor status on tour. Instead, she focused on the Symetra
Tour, where she played well enough to earn full membership
on the LPGA for 2013. She had one win at the Symetra Classic,
three other top tens, and finished 6th on tour. She also earned
the Symetra Tour's Rookie of the Year award.
Mi Hyang had a better 2013, finishing 92nd
on the tour money list while making 8 cuts. Her best week
by far came at the year's final Major, the Evian Championship,
where she notched her career best finish, a tie for 19th,
and made more money in one week than she had made in her LPGA
career to that point. She also had her career best round,
a 64, at the Manulife Classic, and gave herself a good card
for the 2014 season.
Lee had a great start to 2014. She played
the LET's New Zealand Women's Open. Well back entering the
final round, she shocked defending champion and home country
star Lydia Ko by shooting a course record 63 to beat the teen
and capture her first career pro win! Ko finished second.
Mi Hyang went on to have a breakthrough season
on the LPGA. She had never even had a top ten in her career
on the LPGA, but in 2014 she had four. She had her best Major
at the Nabisco, a T-16th, and also played well at the Reignwood
Classic in China and the Sime Darby in Malaysia. But it was
in Japan at the Mizuno Classic that she really sizzled, winning
her first career LPGA event there.
Lee wound up 31st on the money list (her previous
best? 92nd) with more than $546,000 earned (she had never
earned six figures on tour in a season before).
Mi Hyang improved yet again in 2015, having
her best season in money earned, scoring average, and overall
results. Her Major record was especially impressive: she had
a t-4th at the Evian, a t-8th at the ANA Inspiration, and
top 20s at the British and US Women's Opens. Her Evian result
was her best ever Major finish. In all, she notched 4 top
tens during the year, and made $647,865. She did not manage
a win, but her finish of 22nd on the money list qualified
her for the ING Champions, a KLPGA-LPGA team tournament at
the end of the year.
Mi Hyang also played at the KLPGA's Volvik
Women's Open, but missed the cut.
Mi Hyang's 2016 season was a little worse
than her 2015, but comparable. She finished 42nd on the money
list with $442,952 earned. She had two top tens. Her best
result came at the Manulife LPGA Classic, where she finished
tied for second.
Lee also played at the ING Champions team
competition in November. Representing the Koreans on the LPGA
tour, she lost one team match, and won another when teamed
with Volvik co-sponsoree Chella Choi. She also won her singles
match against Cecilia Cho, and helped the LPGA to a 13-11
win over the KLPGA.
Mi Hyang had a great season in 2017. She set
a new personal record for top tens (6), scoring average (70.78)
and money (over $800,000). She also notched her second career
victory at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.
She tied her best finish at a Major when she tied for 4th
at the KPMG. She once again got to play on the ING Champions
team for the LPGA, but alas they lost.
Lee had a weaker season in 2018. She only
finished 60th on the money list with about $358,000 earned.
She had just three top tens and missed a whole bunch of cuts.
One of her top tens came at the Evian.
Lee also represented the LPGA at the OrangeLife
Champions Trophy. She teamed with Jenny Shin to square a match
against Jeong Eun Lee 6 and Cecilia Cho, but lost against
Lee 6 and A Lim Kim when teamed with Chella Choi. She beat
Da Yeon Lee in singles. The LPGA won the match 13-11.
Mi Hyang had a slower but still decent 2019
season, earning around $637,000 and finishing 35th on the
money list. She had a 4th place at the Scottish Open, but
easily her best result of the year came early, at the ANA
Inspiration. She made her move on Saturday, carding a hole-in-one
on her way to a 4-under par 68. This got her into the final
group on Sunday with Jin Young Ko, and though Ko rather easily
won, Lee shot a 70 to finish 2nd, her first runner-up finish
in a Major.
Mi Hyang also played for the LPGA at the year-ending
OrangeLife Champions Trophy team event. She paired with Amy
Yang to square her match against Jung Min Lee and Da Yeon
Lee, sat out the other team match, and lost 3 & 2 to Da
Yeon Lee in singles.
In 2020, the whole world was rocked by the
Covid-19 pandemic. The LPGA and KLPGA tours canceled and postponed
many tournaments. Mi Hyang played 12 LPGA events in 2020,
missing three cuts. Her best finish was a tie for 6th at the
Women's Australian Open, her only top ten of the year. She
made $163,000 for the year, 63rd on the money list.
Mi Hyang also played for the LPGA at the annual
LPGA-KLPGA team event, the OrangeLife Champions. She teamed
with Na Yeon Choi to lose to Hyun Kyung Park and Hye Jin Choi,
3 & 2. The second round was canceled due to rain. In singles,
Mi Hyang tied Ji Young Kim. The KLPGA won the event, 10.5
to 7.5.
Mi Hyang's slump continued in 2021. She only
earned ~$109,000 for the year, 108th on the money list. Her
best finish was a tie for 14th at the ANA Inspiration. She
did shoot a career best tying 62 in the second round of her
final event of the year, the Pelican, but struggled after
that and only finished 52nd. She was only able to achieve
category 15 status for 2022, which will limit her ability
to get into fields.
Mi Hyang struggled in 2022. She only got into
the field in one Major, the Chevron, and finished 74th there.
She didn't have a top 25 finish until August, when she finished
tied for 22nd at the Handa Invitational (her best result of
the year). She wound up outside the top 100 on the money list,
and her status fell to category 16 for 2023.
Despite poor status in 2023 that made it hard
for her to get into fields, Mi Hyang Lee had a bounce back
year. She earned $320,000 and finished 78th on the money list,
just enough to regain her category 1 status again. She had
just one top ten, a tie for 5th at the Kroger Queen City Championship.
She also contended for a while in Portland but finished tied
for 18th there. Still, her 2024 season should be a lot easier
thanks to her improvements in 2023.
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