Minjee Lee wins Women’s PGA Championship for third career Major

FRISCO – Minjee Lee of Australia steadied herself after a bumpy start to card a final round two-over 74 and captured the Women’s PGA Championship on June 22 in Frisco, Texas.

She began the day with a four-stroke advantage over Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and was never seriously threatened, finishing on four-under 284, three shots ahead of American Auston Kim and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen (both 68).

Key birdies at holes 14 and 15 of PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch East course provided some crucial cushion, as Lee bagged her third career Major following the 2021 Evian Championship and the 2022 US Women’s Open.

“I just said, ‘just stick to my game plan’,” said the 29-year-old. “I know it’s a battle against myself pretty much, especially with how tough the conditions were this whole week, not just today.

“Just amplified because it’s Major Sunday. Yeah, just be patient and take every shot as it comes.”

Lee moved up the all-time Majors leaderboard, tying names such as American Nancy Lopez, Chun In-gee of South Korea, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and Lydia Ko of New Zealand with her third win.

The only two Australian women to reach the milestone before Lee were Karrie Webb (seven) and Jan Stephenson (three).

“It’s really cool, especially being only a couple of us or a few of us done it so far... It’s just a really special feeling,” said the world No. 24.

Jeeno, ranked second in the world, held the lead after each of the first two rounds before a 76 on June 21 knocked her behind Lee. She bogeyed holes 1 and 3 to start off the fourth round on the wrong foot, settled for a 75 and tied for fourth at 289 with Japan’s Chisato Iwai (71).

Lee spent time in the bunker at holes 3 and 5 on her way to two early bogeys, and she dropped her third shot at No. 6.

After following up a birdie at the par-five ninth hole with another bogey at No. 10, she protected a two-shot margin with three straight pars, including a nine-foot putt at the par-three 13th.

That was when she began to break away. She rolled in another nine-footer at the par-five 14th hole for birdie, and at No. 15 – a par-four measuring only 235 yards – Lee got up and down to extend her lead.

A final bogey at No. 16 did not sour her mood. After completing a two-putt par at the final hole, she dropped her putter, placed her hands on her head and received a champagne shower from friends and fellow Australian players.

“Pretty much I saw every single leaderboard and knew exactly where I was pretty much all of today,” Lee said.

“I checked the scores and then I just come back to each shot and try and execute it the best that I could.”

Not only did this mark Lee’s third Major, but it was also her first win of any kind since October 2023.

Her brother, PGA Tour player Min Woo Lee, sent her a special congratulatory message.

“I’m so proud of you,” he said. “The last couple years have been tough and I’m so glad to see you back in the winner’s circle. I’m proud of you and love you.”

Kim, a 24-year-old from Florida, had never finished better than T30 at a Major before June 22 and has yet to win on the LPGA Tour.

She shot three rounds of par or better this week. She birdied holes 1, 7, 8 and 9 on June 22 to shoot up the leaderboard but stopped there, finishing with all pars on the back nine.

“Obviously, the result was really good, but I’m really happy how I handled myself, my emotions, all the adversity,” Kim said.

“The course is playing really, really tough, but I feel like this week... my team and I were very locked in and we focused on all the right things. The result took care of itself.”

The gruelling conditions all week took a toll on some of the game’s top names.

World No. 3 Ko, who started her week with a 75, carded a 71 to finish in a group of seven sharing 12th on 293.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda was another shot back in joint 19th, after her 76 and world No. 4 Yin Ruoning was in the group on 295 after a closing 76. REUTERS, AFP