Minjee Lee secured her third major title after closing out an impressive three-shot victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
The Australian took a four-shot lead into the final day at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch East and never relinquished top spot, despite three bogeys in a four-hole stretch on her front nine halving her overnight advantage.
Lee saw a birdie at the par-five ninth cancelled out by a bogey at the next but restored control of the tournament with back-to-back gains from the 14th, pulling her four ahead of the chasing pack with three holes to play.
Minjee Lee previously won the 2021 Evian Championship and 2022 US Women’s Open
The world No 24 bogeyed the 16th but closed out victory with successive pars, with a two-over 74 enough to end the week on four under and clear of closest challengers Chanette Wannasaen and Auston Kim.
Wannasaen and Kim both charged up the leaderboard with final-round 68s, leaving them on one under and the only other players to end the week under-par, while world No 2 Jeeno Thitikul ended a further two strokes back in tied-fourth with Chisato Iwai.
How Minjee closed out major success
Lee held a commanding advantage after a bogey-free Saturday and pulled five ahead when Thitikul bogeyed the par-five first, before both players dropped a shot at the par-five third.
Back-to-back bogeys from the fourth saw Lee’s lead cut to three, with Kim – who started the day nine back – then charging to within two after closing her front-nine 33 with three consecutive birdies.
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Maja Stark couldn’t contain her frustration at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where she snapped her putter and had to putt with a wedge!
Lee took advantage of the par-five ninth to reach the turn three ahead but started her back nine with a bogey, leaving her just two clear, with the group in tied-second bunching when Wannasaen eagled the driveable 15th to also get to one under.
A birdie at the par-five 14th and another from seven feet at the next put Lee four clear and helped her close out an impressive victory, with her 11th LPGA Tour victory earning her a $1.8m (£1.34m) first prize.
Minjee Lee secured her third major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
“A lot of patience out there,” Lee said after her victory. “Obviously, I had ups and downs today. 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.”
Back-to-back 73s over the weekend saw Charley Hull end nine strokes back in the group that contained AIG Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko and American Lexi Thompson, who struggled to a closing 76.
Charley Hull ended the week on five over
What’s next?
The LPGA Tour heads to Michigan for the Dow Championship, with coverage from Midland Country Club beginning live on Thursday from 4pm on Sky Sports+.
The women’s major season continues next month at the Amundi Evian Championship, live from July 10-13 on Sky Sports Golf, where Ayaka Furue is defending champion. Not got Sky? Stream the PGA Tour and more with no contract.
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