SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. — Minjee Lee won the U.S. Women’s Open by four strokes over Mina Harigae at Pine Needles on Sunday to earn $1.8 million, the largest payout in the history of women’s golf.

Lee closed with an even-par 71 to finish at 13-under 271 after the Australian flirted with the tournament record of 16 under set by Juli Inkster in 1999 at Old Waverly in Mississippi.

“I mean, I’m speechless,” Lee said. “I can’t believe it right now. No, it’s just super, super special and just a great honor. It’s been my dream since I was a little girl. It’s the one that I always wanted to win on; now I’ve done it, and just feels amazing.”

Lee’s winnings came from a record $10 million purse.

“We’re only moving in the right direction,” Lee said. “I think it’s only going to get better and better from here. It’s such a large sum, and I’m really honored to be the first winner I guess of this sum. We’re only going to get better and better.”

Harigae shot a 72 for her best finish in a major and a check of slightly more than $1 million.

Although she knew she had no chance to win down the stretch, Harigae said it was still stressful knowing that $1 million – a check that is larger than the winner makes at most LPGA Tour events – was at stake.

“I’m not going to lie, my stomach hurt the last couple holes coming down the stretch,” Harigae said. “I was really stressed out, but I was really just focusing on one shot at a time, making solid contact, and just hitting good putts.”

South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi was one of only two players to break par Sunday, carding a 70 to finish third at 7 under.

South Korea’s Jin Young Ko, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, finished fourth at 6 under after a 71. Lydia Ko was at 5 under after a 72.

Ingrid Lindblad, the LSU player from Sweden, was the low amateur at 1 under, tying for 11th after a 76.

Lee, 26, was never challenged Sunday on a course that played significantly tougher than the previous three days. She opened with rounds of 67, 66 and 67.

Lee became the sixth straight international player to win the U.S. Women’s Open, and the first from Australia since her mentor, Karrie Webb, in 2001. It was her second victory at a major championship; she won the Evian Championship last July. Her previous best finish at the U.S. Open was a tie for 11th in 2017.

PGA: Billy Horschel sank an eagle putt from one end of the green to the other on the 15th hole to end any doubt about his victory in the Memorial at Dublin, Ohio.

Horschel had a five-shot lead at the start of a sun-soaked final round, and no one ever got closer than two shots. He closed with an even-par 72, winning by four strokes with a 13-under 275 total.

Aaron Wise (71) finished alone in second.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Jerry Kelly birdied the first hole of a playoff with Kirk Triplett to win the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, Iowa.

Kelly hit his approach to 4 feet on the par-4 18th to set up the winning putt.

Kelly and Triplett each shot 5-under 67 to finish at 18-under 198, two strokes ahead of Steven Alker and Bernhard Langer.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Kalle Samooja finished with back-to-back birdies and shot a course-record 8-under 64 to win the European Open in Winsen, Germany.

It was his first title on the European tour.

The 34-year-old Finn’s eight birdies in the final round – including three in the last four holes – left him 6-under 282 overall as he overturned a seven-shot deficit and secured a spot at the upcoming U.S. Open.

Samooja finished two shots ahead of Wil Besseling of the Netherlands (71).

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