Minjee Lee Conquers Challenging Conditions to Storm Ahead in Final Round of Women’s PGA Championship

Minjee Lee stands on the brink of joining an elite group of Australian golfers, poised to become only the fourth Aussie – and the third woman – to secure three major championships.

After an outstanding performance, Lee finished the third round of the Women’s PGA Championship in Texas with a remarkable score of 3-under par, establishing a four-shot advantage heading into the final round.

The competitors faced sweltering conditions and fierce winds, yet Lee managed to deliver the first bogey-free round of the tournament.

Jeeno Thitikul, who began the day with a three-shot advantage over Lee, faltered with six bogeys and two birdies, ultimately dropping to second place.

Lee and fellow Australian Grace Kim, who started early and escaped the worst of the weather, were among just three players to finish the third round under par, despite gusts exceeding 50 km/h and temperatures soaring into the mid-30s Celsius.

Lee aims to etch her name alongside Australian golfing legends Karrie Webb, Jan Stephenson, and Peter Thompson, each having won three majors.

“Major Sunday is unlike any other day,” she remarked.

“No matter your position on the leaderboard, it never feels truly secure until you’re hoisting that trophy.”

“I’ve experienced both sides of the coin, and I’m sure each will aid me tomorrow.”

“This is still the third round, so I must stay focused and aim for a solid score, even with my four-shot lead.

“I’ll keep my head down and concentrate on executing my game plan to the best of my ability.”

In a steady display of skill, Lee recorded 15 pars and three birdies, adhering to the demands of the day’s challenging conditions.

She hinted at having more to offer in the final round.

“I believe I played well and remained composed today,” she shared.

“I capitalised on the birdies when they arose and executed excellent up-and-downs from tricky positions.”

“I plan to maintain my strategy and see it through to the end tomorrow.”

Lee, the victor of the 2022 US Women’s Open and the 2021 British Women’s Open, started her round with eight straight pars before sinking a birdie from one metre at the par-5 ninth hole. She also added birdies at the par-5 14th and the par-4 15th.

Kim’s 4-under 68, which included six birdies and two bogeys, stood out as the best round of the day, propelling her from a tie for 68th to a share of 10th place.

Starting her round at 6:55 am local time, Kim was one of 11 players to advance to the weekend at the cut of 7-over and teed off well before the final pairing of Thitikul and Lee.

As the day unfolded, Lee and Thitikul remained the only players to finish under par. Lexi Thompson, after recovering from a triple-bogey start, was tied for third at 1-over along with Hye Jin Choi and Miyu Yamashita.

In other news, world No. 1 Nelly Korda called the weather “absolutely brutal” following her round of 72, which kicked off with two consecutive bogeys but concluded with two birdies at the end. She carded five birdies against five bogeys, tying for sixth at 2-over 218.

The only birdie of the third round was recorded by Thitikul at the 157-metre par-3 eighth hole, which usually benefits from downwind conditions. Remarkably, only 29 per cent of tee shots have remained on the green throughout the tournament. That four-metre birdie was her first of the day, lifting her to 5-under and two strokes ahead of Lee.

However, Thitikul’s advantage evaporated after back-to-back bogeys on the back nine. Her short par putt at the 11th hole slipped past the cup, marking her initial miss within five feet this week. After sending her drive at the 12th hole way off course into a penalty area, Lee seized the lead, which she retained to the finish.