Cool customer - Minjee Lee not motivated by brother's Scottish Open win as she chases dream double

It’s just as well this correspondent is thick skinned. “Oh, there’s more,” said Minjee Lee in a less than enthusiastic tone at my request for a quick chat after she’d finished a TV interview following her second round in the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links.

I wondered if it had been down to the Australian feeling the cold in a chilly westerly wind at the Ayrshire venue, so asked if she’d prefer to see the temperature warm up a bit for the final 36 holes in a $2 million tournament co-sanctioned by the LET and LPGA.

“No, I love it,” she said of the cool conditions on day two. “We’ve had such hot weather the last few weeks and Dallas (where the two-time major winner is based) has been freakishly hot, so I am loving this - it’s so good.”

Australian Minjee Lee weighs up a shot with her caddie in the second round of the ISPA HANDA Women's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links. Picture: Tristan Jones/LET

Which left me coming to the conclusion, having actually thought it in the past, that Lee isn’t as comfortable as some of her peers when it comes to chatting to the media and, therefore, isn’t great at delivering what we call in the industry as a ‘line’.

Not even when there’s an obvious one as far as she is concerned when it comes to trying to win this particular title after her brother, Min Woo, won the men’s equivalent at The Renaissance Club in 2021.

“No, I don’t really think of it like that,” she said of having teed up a great opportunity to complete a dream family double after following an opening 67 with a 69 to share the halfway lead with American Megan Khang (68-68) on eight-under-par aggregate. “It’s great that Min has won in Scotland, but that’s not really my motivation.”

Neither is feeling this event might owe her something after being pipped by Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn at Gullane in 2019. “No, not really,” she replied to that one in her TV interview.

England's Charley Hull watches her shot during the second round at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire. Picture: Tristan Jones/LET

“I would obviously love to win and that’s what we strive for as players. But, you know, I am going to do what I can control. I’ll just try my best and, if it happens to be a win, then that’s great. But, if it doesn’t, it’s part of my process, too. I’ll just go out and try and have as much fun as I can.”

Negotiating two rounds in challenging conditions with only one bogey has certainly been in the fun bracket, with Lee, who opened with an 80 a year ago before adding scores of 66-68-66, now being a combined 22 under for her last five rounds on this course.

“I feel like I’ve played really solid,” said the 28-year-old, who signed for a bogey-free effort just before 9pm on Thursday following a weather disruption before making her second-round score with a burst of four birdies in five holes around the turn.

“It was really windy out there, even more so than yesterday afternoon. Yeah, I put myself in good positions when I made my birdies and tried to make the least number of bogeys possible, so, yeah, I think I am doing pretty good out there.”

Equally pleased with her work so far, Charley Hull sits just two shots behind Lee after carding a splendid four-under 68 in her second circuit. “I played pretty solid today,” said the likeable English player. “It was super windy out there this morning and I was also pretty cold. But I felt it was a pretty good score.. So I am pretty happy with my game.

“You’ve just got to accept all the shots that are hard to judge in the wind and certain shots you are going to make certain swings, so you’ve just got to grind it out and today was definitely a ball-striking day.”

On a day when she was left with just 47 yards for her approach at the ninth after a wind-assisted drive of close to 350 yards, Hull’s effort was illuminated by an eagle-3 at the 18th, where she hit a rescue club to 15 feet, contributing to her being a combined six-under for the par-5s over the first two rounds.

“I have played them well,” she acknowledged. “But I feel like I have been doing everything well. My irons have been pretty good and I’ve been putting well in this wind. It’s just about keeping patient out there.”

Twelve years after playing in a Curtis Cup at Nairn when she was just 16, Hull is heading to St Andrews next week bidding to get herself back in the mix in the AIG Women’s Open after losing out to American Lilia Vu in a thrilling last-day battle at Walton Heath 12 months ago.

“I’m a lot more tuned in about my game,” said Hull, who sits alongside Olympic champion Lydia Ko and American Lauren Coughlin on six under, in reply to being asked to describe herself now compared to a few years back.

“I love golf and I love playing golf, but, five years ago, I was more focused on enjoying myself by going on nights out. Now, I’d rather not go on nights out and just practice and playing. I’m more mature. As you grow up, I feel a lot more confident in my own head.”

She’s also learning how to embrace the unique challenge of links golf. “I think I am getting more used to it,” she said, smiling. “I played at Turnberry on Monday and that was a good challenge. I think I am embracing it more. I do like links golf. I love links golf. But I usually find it hard to play, especially in a tournament because I feel like my game is built for America.

“But the last few weeks me and my coach have been working on doing more three-quarter swings to help my ball flight be a bit lower for the British Open, so I think it is actually paying off.”

Gemma Dryburgh’s Solheim Cup hopes suffered a setback as the Scottish No 1 missed the cut on seven over while fellow home players Kylie Henry (11 over) and Laura Beveridge (13 over) also made early exits.