So Mi still hadn't won, but in 2020 she righted
that problem. It was a tough season, with the Covid pandemic causing
the cancelation of a large part of the season. But when action started
again in late May, Lee quickly showed she was ready to play. She
finished 2nd in just her fourth event of the year. She had several
more great results, including a third, but that initial win still
seemed to elude her.
Finally, in late October, she broke through with
her first career win at the Huen Care Women's Open. In all, she
collected seven top tens and made 402 million won, good for tenth
on the money list.
Lee's trajectory continued upwards in 2021. That
year she made over 758 million won, which put her 6th on the money
list. She won twice: at the Dayouwinia Women's Open and at the Lotte
Rent-a-Car Open, the year's first event. She accumulated a second,
two thirds and two fourths as well, and a total of 12 top tens.
In just three years, Lee has established herself as one of the brightest
young stars on tour.
2022 was another powerhouse year for So Mi. She
had a gaggle of top tens, though it took her until the end of the
year to get into the win column. Then she won back to back events:
the SK Networks Ladies Classic and the S-OIL Championship. She had
a second, a third and two fourths in addition, and a total of eleven
top tens. She earned over 736 million won for the year, good for
7th on the money list. She even had a chance to play as her good
friend Ayean Cho's caddie at one tournament!
So Mi has talked about wanting to play on the LPGA
soon. She managed a fifth at the LPGA's Lotte Championship in Hawaii
in April. She also played her first Major, the US Women's Open,
finishing tied for 44th there. In February 2023, she was invited
to play the Saudi Ladies International; she ended up tied for 24th
there.
In 2023, So Mi was not able to get a win on the
KLPGA, but did have a very strong season. She had two runner up
finishes and four thirds, with 12 total top tens. She made a hair
less than 742 million won, 7th on the money list. She also played
in two Majors on the LPGA: the Evian, where she missed the cut,
and the US Women's Open at Pebble Beach, where she finished tied
for 33rd.
In the Fall, So Mi went to LPGA Q-Series. She was
near the top of the leaderboard much of the week. On the second
to last day she led the tournament, but she had a weak final round
and fell to a tie for 2nd. Still, that earned her category 14 status
for the 2024 season. She has told the press that she is working
extra hard to prepare to have a great year on tour. Best of luck
to her!
|