The 2023 BMW Ladies Championship witnessed an intense playoff between Minjee Lee and Alison Lee, with Minjee emerging as the champion. The tournament took place at the Seowon Valley Country Club and attracted a crowd of 60,000 spectators. Notably, this event is the only LPGA tournament held in Korea and featured a world-class field of players. Additionally, the tournament boasted a fleet of fully electric BMW Courtesy Cars for the players.
Australian golfer Minjee Lee secured her victory with impressive rounds of 64, 69, 71, and 68, finishing with a total score of 272 strokes, 16 under par. The 27-year-old clinched her second LPGA title of the season by sinking a birdie on the first extra hole, defeating American golfer Alison Lee. Lydia Ko, the defending champion, finished third, only two strokes behind.
Sangyun Han, Director and President of BMW Group Korea, congratulated Minjee Lee on her victory and commended her outstanding performance in a field of strong competitors. Han expressed appreciation for the successful event and thanked all the tournament partners, supporters, volunteers, and fans for their contributions.
Minjee Lee laid the groundwork for her tenth LPGA Tour victory with an exceptional opening round of 64 (-8). Throughout the tournament, her only formidable competitor was Alison Lee, who started slightly better with a 63 on Thursday. However, Minjee Lee’s composure and skill prevailed during the playoff, showcasing her two-time major winner status. Notably, Minjee Lee also triumphed in the Kroger Queen City Championship last month against Charley Hull from England.
Reflecting on her win, Minjee Lee shared her excitement about being in contention and expressed her enjoyment of playing under challenging conditions. She highlighted the fun she had during the tournament and her desire to consistently perform at a high level.
A remarkable highlight of the tournament occurred during the final round when Linn Grant made an exceptional shot on the 17th hole. After initially hitting her first shot into the water on the short Par 4, Grant impressively holed out her third shot from the tee using a 3-wood. Grant expressed her delight at playing in the BMW Ladies Championship and finishing the tournament with a strong round.
The tournament did not witness any official hole-in-ones, including on the two designated holes, the 14th and 16th, which offered full-electric Hole-in-One Awards in the form of a BMW i5 and a BMW i7, respectively. However, participants still enjoyed the premium mobility provided by the fully electric BMW i7 shuttle service, with over 100 BMW vehicles used to transport players, officials, and fans to and from the golf course.