Having just finished her final class at Ohio State, LPGA rookie Jaclyn Lee shifts her full focus from her Insurance and Risk course to her game, paying off with a LPGA career best round of 67 today.
It’s given the Canadian another adjustment on top of adapting to the LPGA Tour grind.
“Now I am kind of just hanging out and I don't know what to do with my time, because I used to do golf and school and now it's just golf and relaxation and just enjoying the places we're in.”
The first place she was able to visit in her career was Australia. Lee finished T22 at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, carding an impressive final round 68 to vault up the leaderboard.
But the momentum stalled there, as the Canadian went on to miss the cut at her next three events.
She went back to work with team Canada after the Kia Classic, trying to maintain her ability and continue to grow in her confidence on tour. Lee has been part of the program for six years.
It’s helped her to crystalize one of the most important lessons she has learned this season. “Just getting over that hump of just playing golf and not worrying about the cut and the Money List and all that stuff. I think it's probably a rookie mistake to do that.”
She’s also been able to lean on her fellow Canadians, in particular Alena Sharp, for advice in her first season. Lee’s one of five players on tour from Canada this year, joining Brooke Henderson, Anne-Catherine Tanguay, and Brittany Marchand.
She leads the Canadian contingent after her performance today, sitting in contention heading into the weekend for the first time in her career.
She’ll also be starting in San Francisco next week, missing an opportunity to walk at her graduation at Ohio State.
Lee’s keeping it in perspective, “I would way rather be playing out here on tour than going to my graduation.”