Minjee backs new long putter to revive her fortunes – Golf Australia Magazine – The Women’s Game

Lee, fellow major champion Hannah Green, Steph Kyriacou and Hira Naveed all carded one-under-par 70s to be the leading Australians after the first round at the Bradenton Country Club.

Tied for 36nd, the quartet trail frontrunning pair Jennifer Kupcho and Nanna Koerstz Madsen by five shots at the season’s second event of the year.

In her first outing since closing with the low round of her career, a sizzling 10-under 62 at last week’s Tournament of Champions, Lee got it to four under through 13 holes on Thursday.

But she faltered down the stretch with a bogey and dreaded double on the par-4 16th as American Kupcho and Dane Madsen grabbed a one-stroke first-round lead over US duo Angel Yin and Lauren Coughlin and Korean Jin Hee Im.

Encouraged by her blazing, equal-fourth finish in Orlando, Lee hopes her putter change – after woes on the green left her winless last year for the first time since COVID-ravaged 2020 –  and earlier-than-normal start to the season pay dividends.

“I’ve not started this early in probably maybe seven years or something like that,” said the 28-year-old former world No.2.

“I didn’t really expect too much, obviously being the first tournament of the  season for me (last week) and playing with the celebrities was a lot of fun and just kind of a nice way to start the year. 

“I haven’t got too many expectations here as well. I just want to have a good week and just get everything.”

The sweet-swinging Perth ace described her switch to a new, longer blade as a “new adventure”.

“The putter itself doesn’t look that different to me because I was kind of using like a similar head shape,” Lee said.

RIGHT: The change in flatstick is a “new adventure”, for Lee. PHOTO: Getty Images.

“And with the new square to square Callaway has brought out, it goes straight into the middle of the the face, the shaft.

“So it wasn’t too different. It’s just more like where my hands are on the shaft and obviously it’s longer, so you’re a bit up taller, so the way you look at the hole is a little bit different.

“It’s kind of a new adventure.”

The Founders Cup champion in 2022, Lee has fallen from second to 17th in the rankings following her 28-tournament, 16-month winless streak.

World No.6 Green opened with a vastly different one-under 70 than Lee’s rollercoaster round that featured six birdies, three bogeys and the double.

Coming off her stellar three-win 2024 campaign, Green had just one birdie and no blemishes to start her tournament.