Welcome back to this week’s Golf Insider, everyone, and happy Thursday!
In the northeast U.S., we’ve entered the spring of deception. It’s been in the high 60s in the afternoons for the last week or so, which I’ve been thoroughly enjoying. But, I haven’t yet put out the patio furniture or worked up the courage to go to the driving range because I know the next snowfall is coming soon.
So as “third winter” quickly approaches my northeast friends and me, let’s warm up with the LPGA, Ladies European Tour and Epson Tour. Tournaments in the People’s Republic of China, Australia and Florida loaded last week’s slate. Let’s take a look at the winners.
On the LPGA Tour, Mi Hyang Lee took home her first win in almost nine years at the 2026 Blue Bay LPGA. (Her last was at the 2017 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open.) The 32-year-old from Seoul, Republic of Korea captured her third LPGA Tour victory by carding two solid rounds early and hanging on just enough on the weekend to stay in the lead.
Lee began the week with a 5-under-par 67, which put her in a tie for fourth after the first day, one shot back of the leaders. Her 67 was the second best round on the day. Then, Lee’s second-round 66 (-6) boosted her to the top of the leaderboard heading into the weekend. This bogey-free round included six birdies. One shot behind her in second place was Yu Liu, and two shots behind her in third place was Auston Kim. The top three were tight ahead of moving day.
The weekend came—and with it, some gusty weather. Temperatures were beautiful, in the high 60s to low 80s, but wind gusts reached over 20 miles per hour on both Saturday and Sunday. Any golfer knows that sometimes wind gusts are not exactly gusts; they’re more constant, or at least they feel that way when you’re on the course. Conditions were tougher on the weekend for sure.
In the third round, Lee shot a 1-under-par 71 to move to 12-under-par at the top of the leaderboard. In a surprising twist, Hye-Jin Choi fired a 4-under 68 to move into a tie for second with Liu, who shot a 1-over-par 73. They sat at 9-under-par, three strokes back of Lee.
Considering the weather, everyone had work to do on Sunday. All Lee had to do was stay calm and consistent. It’s much easier to be chased when the wind is fighting against the field when they’re trying to vie for the title. Lee shot a final-round 73 (+1), which was definitely nerve-wracking.
Weiwei Zhang, who started the final round five back of the lead, posted a 3-under-par 69 in her final round. It just wasn’t enough to catch Lee, and Zhang finished as the tournament runner-up. It was her best finish on the LPGA Tour, and it came in her home nation, so lots for Zhang to be proud of this week. Choi and Liu both shot 2-over 74s in their final rounds, dropping several spots on the leaderboard, unable to finish out their chases.
Starting the final round three shots ahead of the second place golfers proved to be enough of a cushion for Lee to survive, and she emerged victorious.
Now over to—or should I say “down under” to—the LET for the Australian Women’s Classic at Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club. Kelsey Bennett, competing on home soil, took home the title after posting four rounds under par. Quite the time to pick up your first LET win.
Bennett’s stellar first round 66 (-6) consisted of four birdies and an eagle, and she posted no bogeys. It was, however, a bit overshadowed by Sara Kouskova’s first round. The Czech Republic native carded an 8-under 64 to break the course record at Magenta Shores and take the first round lead. But Kouskova’s hot start was stifled, as she failed to post another round under par the rest of the tournament.
Bennett stayed solid during the rest of the week. Her second round scorecard was riddled with colors, as she posted seven birdies, three bogeys and eight pars in route to a 4-under 68. This saw her atop the leaderboard after 36 holes, one shot ahead of Trichat Cheenglab and Meghan MacLaren.
The 26-year-old from New South Wales shot a 70 (-2) in the third round to take the tournament lead by a slim margin of one stroke. Then, in the final round, she hung on with a 1-under-par 71 to finish four strokes clear of the second place competitors. The weather was stormy through the final day, so everyone was battling the elements and their own games. But it didn’t scare the hometown favorite. In fact, it thrilled her.
“I was a lot more nervous the whole round last week than I was today. I was actually really stoked when I woke up and the conditions were really tough because I knew it was going to be anyone’s,” Bennett said during a post-win interview on March 8.
“I knew if I hung in there well, it was mine for the taking, so that was good. But yeah, I was a little shaky over that last putt, not going to lie!”
And from one warm state to one in the opposite hemisphere in a completely different continent, let’s head to the Epson Tour’s Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf.
Mexico’s Isabella Fierro posted three beautiful rounds of golf to win her second title on the Epson Tour. She shot 68 and 65 in the first and second rounds, respectively. That nearly spotless 6-under-par second round included seven birdies and put her in a tie for second place. Then, in the final round, Fierro shot a 4-under-par 67 to finish four strokes clear of the players in second place.
“It’s definitely gonna bring me a lot of confidence for starting the year, but definitely winning on this golf course, it’s just hard,” Fierro said during a post-win press conference on March 7.
“And everybody played so well this week that I knew that I had to bring my A-game, so I’m just really, really happy. I’m blessed that it paid off.”
With the win, Fierro set the new 54-hole tournament scoring record at 13-under-par. She also earned 500 points in the Epson Tour Race for the Card standings.
The LPGA has a break this week, but then we’re back in North America for a little while. The LET stays Down Under for the Women’s Australia Open from March 12–15, and the Epson Tour continues its Florida swing at the IOA Golf Classic from March 13–15.
See you next time, golf fans.
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This week in women’s golf
LPGA News
Ingrid Lindblad and Hannah Green headline early commitments for the 2026 JM Eagle LA Championship
Auston Kim’s offseason focus fuels hot start in 2026
Weiwei Zhang earns career-best LPGA Tour finish in native China at Blue Bay LPGA
Mi Hyang Lee wins Blue Bay LPGA for third LPGA Tour title
Ruoning Yin records first hole-in-one of 2026 season in home country at Blue Bay LPGA
LET News
Bennett buzzing for home open following special victory at Magenta
Cheenglab high on confidence and wanting to win again
Kyriacou loving being back on home soil at Kooyonga
Watch live: 2026 Women’s Australian Open
Major champions in town for Women’s Australian Open
Women’s Australian Open back on LET rotation this week for first time in a decade
Angurasaranee wins LET Player of the Month for February 2026
Bennett claims stellar home win at Australian Women’s Classic
Hall makes first ever hole-in-one at Magenta Shores
Epson Tour News
Things to know about the 2026 IOA Golf Classic
Field breakdown: 2026 IOA Golf Classic
From the reserve list to the weekend: Faith Choi’s whirlwind Epson Tour debut
Caitlin Peirce cards 64 to claim top-10 finish at Atlantic Beach Classic
Amateur/NCAA News
Yujie Liu earns first two LEAP points in two weeks
Five at The IX: Quotes from competitors at the 2026 Blue Bay LPGA, including champion Mi Hyang Lee
Champion Mi Hyang Lee’s feelings post-win:
“Still kind of a little bit shake my hands, and was first hole make birdie, but like two double front nine and then finish 4-over so was almost give up, but my caddie just kept telling me keep fighting, fighting.
“So I really fought by myself, just didn’t give up, and then I just got to make a lot of birdie, so I think amazing. Feels amazing, yes.”
Lee on the pressure of playing in a final pairing with home favorite Yu Liu and her crowd of supporters:
“No, I didn’t feel that noise. Of course they get the support of the Chinese player. When I play in Korea a lot of Korean people cheering for Korean people.
“I didn’t think about that way. Also I play with Yu Liu and she played good. And then we were good friends with each other, too. So I just really enjoy play with her last two days.”
Lee on knowing where her competition was during the final round:
“Yeah, I knew it. I just keep watching the scoreboard. I think that’s why this—that give me a lot of confidence. I just keep making one more birdie, two more birdie, and so it was—yeah, just keep watching it, the scoreboard. I knew Weiwei and Rio play well, too.”
Auston Kim (T3) on her struggles down the stretch:
“I mean, I’m proud of the three birdies that I made coming in, but, you know, it really sucks to play that well Thursday, Friday, and not get it done. Really frustrating. Feel like last year was really tough. This year was really tough year, too.
“There is a lot of stuff to be proud of, but just really frustrated with how yesterday and today went. Like the first nine.
“So I love playing golf. I love competing. I know that probably going to learn a lot from this week, but it just hurts right now. I’m like really upset. I know that there is a lot of good to take forward moving on, but right now it just hurts.
“I really felt like I could get it done this week and just didn’t happen. I know that’s the way that it is with golf sometimes, but I hope moving forward I won’t make the same mistakes that I did this week and play better.”
Aditi Ashok (T3) on her work this offseason and how it contributed to her being in contention:
“Yes, after two days being in the top, second leader group I guess — third leader group today, second leader group today, so I knew I was finally putting myself back in that position. I’ve played some decent golf and I feel like 2023 was the last time I had actual chances to win. I had three top 5s, and after that I’ve just struggled with a couple things injury-wise, swing-wise.
“Yeah, put in a lot of work this offseason, and not that I didn’t the last couple years, but sometimes it takes time to see it. I feel like this week, first event on the LPGA in three, four months, so didn’t know where my game was, especially landing here on Wednesday.
“Yeah, I guess if I told me an Wednesday you’re going finish Top 3 I would’ve taken it. Yeah, still I feel like some of the offseason work is paying off now and I can see it in my game. I just need to keep at it, get sharper, and don’t make as many mistakes.”
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