World No.2 Lee among US Women’s Open favourites

The $5 million US Women’s Open kicks off this Thursday at the Country Club of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina.

In the years since the championship started back in 1946, the field of international players has vastly increased.

Minjee Lee won her 5th LPGA title at last month’s LA Open (Credit: LPGA)

This year is no exception with players teeing it up from 27 nations including 54 from the United States and 23 from South Korea and 7 from Australia.

In the 17 championships since 2001, when Karrie Webb became the 7th player to win back-to-back US Women’s Open titles, 16 players have taken home the title.

Across the last decade 10 different players have won the title, with Inbee Park in 2008 and 2013 the only player since Webb with multiple titles.

Western Australia’s Minjee Lee sits at world number two and will line up as one of the favourites alongside current world number one, Jin-Young Ko, Sung Hyun Park and Ariya Jutanugarn.

Canadian superstar Brooke Henderson, a previous major winner at the 2016 PGA Championship, and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka are both coming off the back of second place finishes at last week’s Pure Silk Championship and look to be well in contention to take home a title on Sunday.

The Australian line-up will include LPGA Tour rookie Hannah Green, Sarah Kemp, Katherine Kirk, Minjee Lee, Su Oh, Karrie Webb and Gaby Ruffels, who made the field via sectional qualifying.