Scotland praised for part in keeping top women golfers in work this year

World No 9 Minjee Lee has heaped praise on Scotland for being among the countries to spare golf's top women professionals from a year-long Covid-19 lockdown.

Minjee Lee played in both the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club and the AIG Women's Open at Royal Troon in August. Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

The vast majority of events in the women's game have been played on US soil under the LPGA banner since the sport restarted in the summer.

But that run was broken up by a double-header here - the ASI Ladies Scottish Open and AIG Women's Open - in August and now the focus has switched to the Middle East.

This week sees the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic, which starts today at Emirates Golf Club, before Royal Greens Golf & Country Club hosts the inaugural Saudi Ladies International and Saudi Ladies Team International back-to-back.

"We have been so grateful to not only out tours but also the governments that have helped us to play all of these events," said Australian Lee, speaking ahead of the €260,000 tournament under floodlights in Dubai.

"I think we are incredibly fortunate to be able to play at this time. We would have been out of work for a year, if not longer, due to Covid, so we are grateful just to be playing."

Lee, 24, burst out of lockdown with back-to-back top-five finishes and has been one of the most consistent performers on the LPGA Tour over the past few months.

One of her strongest efforts came in the AIG Women's Open on its first visit to Royal Troon, where she finished third behind German Sophia Popov.

"To be honest, Sophia played so well on that last day, I don't think anybody else could have won that event," replied Lee to being asked if she'd felt a sense of disappointment at coming up just short in Ayrshire.

"She really earned that win. I don't look back at that and feel I didn't play well enough. She just probably outplayed us."

Lee's rivals this week had been set to include Catriona Matthew until Europe's Solheim Cup captain was among three players withdrawn from the event after testing positive for Covid on arrival in Dubai.

"With the LET rules, I feel very safe here," said Lee. "It was a big priority for the tour to be able hold an event in the UAE and I am really looking forward to this week."

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