ILHEE LEE

The Facts

Capsule Bio

Ilhee Lee turned professional in Jun of 2006. She joined the KLPGA, where she played for the next few years. In 2009, she entered qualifying school for the LPGA. After the final round had ended, she found herself tied for the final card with another player. She had a multi-hole playoff, finally winning it to earn the last full tour card for 2010.

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Lee had an OK rookie season in 2010. She finished with a bang, though, with her two best finishes, including her only top ten, coming in her final two events. She maintained playing status on tour for 2011.

In 2011, Ilhee split her time between the KLPGA and LPGA tours. She finished 91st on the LPGA money list to maintain category 11 status there. In Korea, her best finish was a 10th place at the KLPGA Championship.

Ilhee had a breakout year on the LPGA in 2012, thanks largely to two tournaments. She was phenomenal at the US Women's Open, notching a tie for 4th, her best ever Major AND regular tour result. The next time she played, she managed another top ten at another huge event: 9th at the Evian Masters. She also shot a 66 in the first round there.

In all, she smashed her previous best money list total by making over $355,000 for the year and finishing 40th on the money list.

Ilhee topped herself again in 2013 with her new best season. Included was her first career LPGA win, which came in tough conditions at the rain shortened Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic. She also notched two more top tens and wound up with her best seasonal money list total, position, and scoring average ever.

Ilhee had another great year in 2014. She notched her career best number of top tens, five. Most of her success came towards the end of the season; she made all her top tens in September and later. Four of them came in a stretch during the Asian swing, where she contended in China, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, while notching top 20s in Taiwan and the second Chinese event. In Japan, she made her best finish of the year, ending up tied for second behind winner Mi Hyang Lee.

Il Hee managed to break several personal records in 2015. Although she did not win, she managed 8 top tens, her new best, and made over $600,000 in a season for the first time. She played well in Australia (t-4th) and Phoenix (t-3rd). But her best week came in France at the Evian, the year's final Major. Like everyone else, she got lapped by winner Lydia Ko, but still managed a tie for 4th, tying her career best Major result.

Il Hee had a much worse 2016 season. She made only two top tens, finishing 86th on the money list. This caused her to fall to Category 11 status for 2017. At one point, she missed 10 of 13 cuts (with a withdrawal also thrown in there). It's possible she had an unreported injury, as she had never struggled like this before.

Ilhee played even worse in 2017. She missed most of the cuts when she played and had no top tens. She wound up 123rd on the money list, which dropped her tour status all the way to Category 16. But she still had status on tour and played on the LPGA in 2018.

Alas, 2018 was an even worse season for Lee. She played just 9 tournaments and missed the cut in all of them. She did not play at all after July, suggesting that she was dealing with injuries. She did not play at all in 2019. She still had category 16 status for the 2020 season.

In 2020, the whole world was rocked by the Covid-19 pandemic. The LPGA and KLPGA tours canceled and postponed many tournaments. Il Hee Lee actually did play two LPGA events in 2020, making one cut, where she finished tied for 28th. She made a bit more than $12,000 for the year, but fortunately for her, the LPGA decided to allow all players to keep their cards until the end of 2021 because of the pandemic. She also had her best ever scoring average, 70.80, but that's largely down to the small number of rounds, six, that she played. Her worst of those rounds was a 72.

Ilhee played just once in 2021, at the Cambia Classic, and missed the cut. But surprise, Ilhee has not retired yet! She returned for three events in 2022, and though she missed the cut all three times, she still has category 17 status due to her previous tour win.

Ilhee played a surprising number of events in 2023, although her results were not that good. She played nine times, making four cuts. Her best finish was a tie for 48th at ISPS Handa World Invitational. She earned less than $20K all year, but still has category 17 status in case she wants to try again in 2024.