WON LEE

The Facts

Capsule Bio

Jinnie Lee started golf at the age of 11. She won the Choong-Nam University Golf Title twice as an amateur. In late 2001, she turned professional, and played on the Futures Tour in 2002, where she achieved two top tens (including a third place), and finished 40th on the money list. She tied for 56th at LPGA Q-School to get non-exempt status for 2003.

Jinnie did not play any LPGA events in 2003, although she was qualified to do so. In 2004, she played 15 events and finished 140th on the money list. Fortunately, she managed to snag an exempt card for the 2005 LPGA tour at 2004 Q-School by being one of the players to last in a seven hole playoff for the final cards.

She played a little better in 2005, but still was not able to secure an exempt card. This time, she only got conditional status through Q-School.

Jinnie started the 2006 season well. She collected one of her career best finishes at the Takefuji Classic, a 17th; then just a few weeks later, she played magnificently at the Franklin American Mortgage Championship. Shooting three straight rounds in the 60s, she put herself into contention for the title. Her final round 69 gave her a solo fifth, by far her best ever result. After that, however, she missed cut after cut, and struggled to regain that form.

She had more luck in Korea. She won the Meritz Solmoro Classic on the KLPGA tour, her first ever victory as a professional. She finished well enough on the LPGA tour to maintain her non-exempt status for 2007.

2007 was not a good season for Jinnie. She changed her official name to "Won Lee", but she did not in fact win on tour either in Korea or America. By the end of the year, she lost her non-exempt status on the LPGA tour, and spent most of her time playing in Korea.

The last known Korean tour event Ji Yeon played in was in 2011; presumably, she has retired.

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