Australia’s never-say-die golf aces have completed an epic week of improbable comeback wins with a stylish victory over the top-ranked USA in the final of the LPGA Tour’s biennial International Crown teams event in South Korea.
Led by Minjee Lee and Steph Kyriacou, who both finished unbeaten in five thrilling match-play encounters, Australia captured the unofficial “World Cup” of women’s golf after a day of high drama in Seoul.
Fittingly, world No.3 Lee put Australia 1-0 in front with a 2 and 1 triumph over Angel Yin in the opening singles match of the final before fellow heavyweight Hannah Green clinched the tie with a 2 and 1 victory over Yealimi Noh.
With 11 birdies in 16 holes in a phenomenal semi-final display earlier on Sunday, Noh and Yin had been colossal for Team USA all week.
But the pair could not match Lee and Green, who stood up when it mattered most.
While all four Australians contributed, Lee was a class above.
The triple major champion accrued 4.5 out of a possible five points for the week, going unbeaten in three four-ball matches with Kyriacou, then winning both her singles encounters in Sunday’s semis and final.
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Lee’s stunning 1-up victory over Canadian Brook Henderson, from three down with six holes to play, was a win for the ages — and the 29-year-old’s fourth comeback win of the week.
Kyriacou was immense too, draining a tension-filled nine-foot downhill slider for birdie on the 18th hole on Saturday to thrust Australia into the semi-finals during her own unbeaten campaign in four-balls and foursomes.
Green had not won a point in five days before burying the winning birdie putt in the final, while it was Kim’s similarly pressure-cooker birdie putt on Saturday that vaulted her and Kyriacou’s foursomes into the sudden-death semi-final play-off that Australia ultimately won on the 20th hole.
AAP
