In a tournament loaded with rookies, it’s 32-year-old Mi Hyang Lee leading the way. The LPGA’s 2026 rookie class has 28 members and 22 of them are competing in the Blue Bay LPGA in China this week.
But it’s the veteran Lee leading at 11 under. A member of the LPGA since 2012 and playing the Blue Bay for a seventh time, the Lee’s 67 and 66 so far are her two best scores ever in this event. Lee isn’t thinking her path to victory this week is any easier, though, with all the first-timers in the field.
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“No, I don’t think so. All the rookies and all the players, they have a chance to win this tournament of course. And then I saw a lot of, I mean, the great players in this tournament as well,” she said. “I think everyone can win this tournament. Just only playing as I have, just good position right now, but, yeah, I think everyone has a good chance.”
Mi Hyang Lee hits a tee shot during the second round of the 2026 LPGA Blue Bay at the Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club in China.
Lee, a native of South Korea, has two career wins but none since 2017. Her second round was bogey-free with six birdies. She has 13 birdies in total this week, and she’s doing it all while still not fully healthy.
“I had a right shoulder injury and still not 100 percent yet,” she said. “This is really great playing what I expected so I’m really thankful. My shoulder is getting better and better. That’s my first thing, first goal of the year. Then, yes, of course if I win this tournament it’s grateful, really thankful. But just hopefully my shoulder is getting better first and just enjoying [being] on the golf course.”
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Yu Liu is a shot back at 1 under. American Auston Kim is solo third at 9 under. There’s a three-way tie for fourth at 7 under between Ayaka Furue, A Lim Kim and Weiwei Zhang.
China’s Ruoning Yin is tied for 11th at 5 under. She had the shot of the day with an ace on the par-3 seventh hole, her 16th hole of the day after starting on No. 10:
Muni He, another one of the 31 Chinese players competing on home soil, is T-14 at 4 under.
Notables who missed the cut at the 2026 Blue Bay LPGA
The cut came in at 4 over and 75 players made the cut, including one amateur, Yujie Liu of China. Notable golfers who did not make the weekend include Parajee Anannarukarn (5 over), Saki Baba (7 over), Hailey Cooper (10 over) and Moriya Jutanugarn (16 over).
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This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LPGA Blue Bay field packed with rookies but veteran Mi Hyang Lee leads
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