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Minjee Lee is the defending champion at the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea this weekend. Lee, Amy Yang, Yuka Saso, Haeran Ryu, and others in the field were asked which golfer among the nearly 80-person field was the "golfer to beat" in the pre-tournament press conference. The prevailing answer among them was Lee.
Lee for her part called it a "difficult question" to answer before saying that "long hitters" will do well this week, as well as those who can pair that with strong putting.
Amy Yang meanwhile said (via ASAP Sports),
"We have an excellent field and anyone can win this week. But if I really have to pick one player, I would say it's Minjee just because she won at this course last year, and obviously this course fits her game, and I think she would do well. No pressure."
Saso confidently said it was herself. The two-time Major champion added she just needed to play her game and if she does, she can come out on top. Ryu echoed that it was a difficult question but said the player in question was likely Minjee Lee.
She added,
"This is a course that she [Lee] won at and she has a lot of great memories and on the back of that, perhaps she has a higher chance of winning, and I will also do my best as well."
Lauren Coughlin said the field at this tournament is one of the best they've had in any event all season. She said everyone has to do a lot of things well to win before shouting out Lydia Ko as a player to watch.
Soomin Oh, an amateur in the field, declined to answer and said she's just in awe of all the professionals in the field. Lee may not have named herself as the player to beat, but it's her name on the trophy and some of the other golfers view her as the one to take down.
Minjee Lee downplays favorite status at BMW Ladies Championship
Minjee Lee refused to call herself the golfer to beat at the BMW Ladies Championship despite her being one of the favorites and the defending champion. She defeated Alison Lee in a playoff in 2023.
Lee did praise the field extensively, saying,
"You can't really pick one person because the depth of the field is so deep, and then all of the players who come to Korea to play, it's one of the best fields that we have in Asian events, and so pretty sure all the best come to play. But I do think, you know, Lydia has had such a great back half of the year so far. She's got really great form. And obviously Ruoning, the win last week, and Haeran, she's in great form as well."
Lee singled out Lydia Ko and Ruoning Yin as players to watch before expressing her hope that she has a good week.
