Staff WriterThe LPGA Q-Series isn’t known for mercy, and it certainly isn’t dealing any out this week. After three rounds of wind, rain, delays and frayed nerves, Dongeun Lee has muscled her way to the top at 10-under, looking every bit like a player ready for the big leagues. If you were searching for a calm centre in the storm that is LPGA Q-Series, Lee is it.
The 22-year-old Korean fired a gritty 69 on the Falls Course, a round patched together with five birdies, three bogeys and an iron will. When she rolled in back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14, it felt like a turning point. She’s been an unflappable presence all season on the KLPGA Tour—winning the DB Group The 39th Korean Women’s Open Golf Championship, collecting seven top-five finishes, and making 25 cuts from 30 starts. For someone who only turned pro in May 2023, she looks frighteningly ready.
But nothing at LPGA Q-Series ever comes easy.
Three Players One Shot Back—and Breathing Down Lee’s Neck
A trio at 9-under—Perrine Delacour, Leah John, and Helen Briem—is lurking with intent.
Delacour, the French Olympian who’s seen more turbulence on the LPGA Tour than Heathrow in winter, stitched together a 2-under 69. Five birdies, three bogeys and a razor-sharp 32 on the front nine put her right where she needs to be. With five career top-10s, $2.0 million in career earnings and two Olympics under her belt, she’s exactly the sort of seasoned threat who can topple a leader before breakfast.
Then there’s Leah John, who has stared down the Epson Tour grind all season and come away battle-hardened. Her 69 came with six birdies, two bogeys and a double—your usual Q-Series cocktail. She birdied the opening hole, turned in 3-under and never blinked. Her honesty about the week hits home for anyone watching this human stress test unfold.
“Yeah, it’s been everything but predictable… it’s been like the hardest tournament I’ve ever played mentally… it’s a total grind.”
Helen Briem, meanwhile, kept her composure with an even-par 71. Three birdies, three bogeys, nothing fancy—just German efficiency in golf shoes. A standout on the LET with three runner-up finishes this season, she looks primed for the jump.
Boyd, Joo and a Handful of Climbers Make Their Move
Camille Boyd sits at 8-under after a tidy 70—though astonishingly, she hasn’t made a single birdie on a par five this week. That’s either a warning shot or a promise of what’s still in the tank. The former University of Washington standout has looked sharp in her Epson Tour rookie season and will be itching to prove she belongs here.
The round of the day belonged to Soo Bin Joo—a blistering 7-under 64 on the Falls Course that rocketed her from T50 to T9. Eight birdies and a single bogey in this weather? That’s how you announce yourself.
Joo didn’t hide how savage the week has been:
“Yeah, I think I’ve been to Q-Series a couple of times, and I think this is the worst weather ever… I kept my mental state pretty stable… I think that helped me in a good position.”
The U.S. and South Korea currently dominate the top 25, each stacking the leaderboard with talent ready for Category 15 status. And if you’re chasing the stat sheets: yes, the scoring records still stand—none of today’s chaos toppled Yu Liu’s 62 on the Falls or the Crossings Course 62s from Chisato Iwai and Ina Yoon.
Withdrawals, Weather, Nerves – The Full Q-Series Experience
Two players bowed out today—Yahui Zhang (injury) and Carla Tejedo Mulet (after the round). No judgment here; this event isn’t so much a tournament as it is a psychological stress fracture waiting to happen.
Still, for every player limping out, another finds something extraordinary. Just ask Nastasia Nadaud, who pieced together a 3-under despite starting in miserable, freezing conditions:
“It was freezing… had to make up and down all the time… got the putter to heat up a bit so it was nice.”
Or Mimi Rhodes, who opened her rainy restart by holing out from 117 meters:
“Didn’t see it go in obviously, but my mom was cheering really loudly… it was just really exciting to start with that.”
What’s at Stake Now
This is where LPGA dreams either grow wings or get shredded. Finish inside the top 25 and ties, and you clinch LPGA Tour status. Fall short, and you’re Epson Tour-bound in Category C. Brutal, yes, but fair—this is the gateway to the game’s biggest stage, and nobody strolls through it.
With three rounds to go, the leaderboard is tightening, the weather is threatening, and the nerves are already cracked. Dongeun Lee has the advantage—but as everyone knows, LPGA Q-Series doesn’t care about your résumé.
It cares about who holds their nerve.
