Mi Hyang Lee's patience finally paid off in dramatic fashion at the Blue Bay LPGA, where the South Korean golfer snapped a nearly nine-year victory drought with a thrilling finish at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club in Lingshui, China.
The 32-year-old faced adversity early in her final round, carding a disastrous 40 on the front nine that erased her three-stroke lead. However, Lee managed to regroup and secure her third career LPGA title with a near hole-out for eagle on the 72nd hole.
"I think the key point was to just get back to basics," said Lee. "I think was too much trying to do something on the front nine so I just switched off my mind, and then my caddie helped me. So, yeah, I think my mind was the difference."
Lee credited longtime LPGA caddie Chad Payne for keeping her positive during the challenging round. Her mental reset proved crucial as she closed with an 11-under total to claim the victory.
The triumph earned Lee $390,000 from the tournament's $2.6 million purse, boosting her career earnings to $6,135,936. China's Weiwei Zhang finished as runner-up at 10-under par, collecting $239,531 for her second career runner-up finish on the LPGA Tour.
Japan's Erika Hara, competing as a rookie, secured a share of 10th place and earned $51,145 for her efforts. Another rookie, Duke graduate Erica Shepherd, claimed a tie for 15th in her first start as an LPGA member, taking home $38,118.
The leaderboard featured a diverse international field, with Aditi Ashok and Auston Kim sharing third place at 8-under par, each earning $154,091. A four-way tie for fifth place included Hye-Jin Choi, A Lim Kim, Yu Liu, and Rio Takeda, with each player collecting $83,931.
Jenny Bae rounded out the top performers with a solo ninth-place finish at 5-under par, earning $58,359 for her efforts.
Lee's victory represents a significant breakthrough after years of near-misses and continued persistence on the LPGA Tour. Her ability to overcome the front-nine struggles demonstrates the mental fortitude that has kept her competitive at golf's highest level.
The Blue Bay LPGA continues to serve as an important stop on the tour's Asian swing, providing opportunities for both established players and emerging talent to compete on an international stage. The tournament's position early in the season offers players a chance to build momentum for the year ahead.
With her drought now behind her, Lee will look to build on this success as the LPGA Tour continues its 2026 schedule. The victory should provide confidence and validation for her continued efforts to compete at the tour's highest level.