Teenage amateur Minjee Lee broke through on Sunday for her first victory in a professional golf tournament with a stunning six-shot triumph in the Women's Victorian Open.
The 17-year-old Australian amateur champion shot a closing six-under-par 68 with eight birdies to finish at 16-under 279, blitzing the field at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links.
Lee didn't have it all her own way, starting nervously with bogey, birdie, bogey. The large gallery following the last group unsettled her for the first few holes. However, after the 4th, she settled into her round.
She birdied the 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th holes to take a commanding five-shot lead into the back nine. Another two birdies on 11 and 12 made the final six holes relatively stress-free.
"It feels unbelievable. It hasn't really sunk in yet (her first professional win). I'm pretty happy and just stoked that I have won."
Asked when she thought she had it in the bag, Lee said: "I saw the leaderboard after 15, and I was like, I just have to finish nicely and I'll be OK."
Scotland's Vicky Laing stormed home to be second. She came from nowhere at the halfway point to fire rounds of 67 and 66 to finish at 10-under-par.
Lee went into the final day with a three-shot edge over Sarah-Jane Smith who faded badly with a 73 to be outright third on eight-under.
Sarah Kemp (68) and Victorian amateur Su Oh (72) shared fourth at seven-under. A further shot back was American Hannah Jun (69) and the ACT's Nikki Campbell (71).
Victorian Lindsey Wright (70) moved up into the top 10 with a final-round 70 to finish at three-under.
Emma De Groot also shot 70 to finish a further shot back and ninth. Rounding out the top 10 was WA's Jessica Speechley (70).
