Australia loses International Crown final to Thailand
Australia started the International Crown by smashing the defending champs, but things didn’t end the way they hoped.
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Major champion Minjee Lee is hopeful Australia’s bold performance at the $3m International Crown teams event can kickstart her season after conceding her confidence is not where she’d like it to be.
Thailand was the only team that could beat Lee and the Aussies, a feat they twice in two days to collect the $750,000 winners cheque with a romp to victory in the final.
A team boasting reigning US Open champ Lee and last-start LPGA Tour winner Hannah Green as well as rising star Steph Kyriacou and Sarah Kemp had blitzed their opposition to make the final.
The only loss was a Saturday defeat to the Thais, including world No.5 Atthaya Thitihul – that loss coming after Australia had already secured passage to the semi-finals.
Lee and the Aussies then whitewashed Sweden 3-0 to make the final before losing all three matches in the decider, with none going past the 16th hole.
“It’s a little disappointing, but at the same time, I think we made everyone in Australia proud by finishing second. I’m proud of these girls. We’ve done the best ever Australia has done in this tournament,” said Kemp, playing the event for the first time.
“It’s still a big win for us. I think in a couple years’ time, that team is going to do even better.”
Lee, a two-time major champ and world No.6, was consigned to playing in the pairs event for the semi-finals and the final having failed to find her mojo so far in 2023.
She hasn’t finished better than 41st in four events, her most recent best result being a fifth-placed finish at the Australian Open last December.
But the coming together as a team could be the catalyst for a turnaround, starting with this week’s Founders Cup, where Lee is the defending champion.
“This week has been really fun for me,” she said.
“I think I probably haven’t been as confident on the golf course, but I know my ball striking is there. I played really well today. I hit it really good, and I didn’t hit that many putts, so I’m not sure how my putting was.
“I had a lot of fun, and I think it will be good momentum going into next week, which I’m defending.”
Originally published as Australia loses International Crown final to Thailand
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