World No 9 Minjee Lee of Australia secured her second Ladies European Tour title under floodlights last night at the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic with a dramatic play-off victory over France’s Celine Boutier . The unique tournament offers a prize fund of €260,000 with the 56-player field competing partly under floodlights at Emirates Golf Club.
Lee posted a closing 69 for a 54-hole total of 10-under-par at the Faldo Course, tied with Boutier who finished with 68 and had led for most of the day until a late bogey.
The playoff took place on the par-four 18th hole, with both players needing to sink tough putts to win the contest on the first extra hole. While Boutier came up short with a 30-foot birdie effort, Lee sunk a 20-footer to secure the win.
“It feels pretty special to be here playing at night-time and the course has been amazing It’s been a really fun week,” said Lee, reflecting on her first Moonlight Classic appearance.
“I’ve really enjoyed the format and everything about the week, my second time playing night golf was certainly memorable,” she added.
Swede Caroline Hedwall, who led after the first and second rounds, finished tied third a shot back alongside 2019 Moonlight Classic winner Nuria Iturrioz of Spain and Germany’s Laura Fuenfstueck.
Formerly known as the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, the inaugural tournament was played in 2006 and boasts a strong rollcall of previous winners including Swedish legend Annika Sorenstam who won twice (2006, 2007) and former World No 1 Shanshan Feng of China who triumphed four times (2014-2016, 2018).
The newly-named tournament has been switched from May to November after its first staging in spring 2019 as the world’s first professional day-night tour event.
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