Minjee Lee Sizzles Under Sweltering Texas Sun in Pursuit of Third Major Title at Women’s PGA Championship

Minjee Lee is poised to enter the weekend just three strokes off the lead, vying for her third major title at the Women’s PGA Championship.

In blistering heat in Texas, Lee managed an even-par 72 during the second round, leaving her trailing world No. 2, Jeeno Thitikul, by three shots.

The afternoon’s soaring temperatures, reaching close to 40°C alongside a strong breeze, created challenging conditions. With the final groups taking nearly six hours to finish their rounds, the primary goal on Friday was simply to endure the rigours of the game.

Lee, who proudly claimed major wins in 2021 and 2022, emphasised that avoiding careless mistakes will be crucial for securing victory. With weather predictions indicating more of the same conditions for the weekend, the Fields Ranch East course is likely to toughen up as the sun and wind take their toll.

“I believe we know what to expect now,” the 29-year-old stated.

“The key will be to have the best recovery possible in this heat, and to steer clear of those soft bogeys.

“It’s been blisteringly hot, and with the slow pace of play, it’s all about maintaining focus.”

“The player who manages to do that will likely end up lifting the trophy come the end of the tournament.”

With only seven out of 156 competitors below par as they approach the weekend, there hasn’t been a single bogey-free round, and the cut was set at seven-over.

Returning to compete despite stepping away from the tour, Lexi Thompson is also in contention for her first major win in over a decade.

“Whenever I step onto the tee, my goal is to compete and win. I’m just focused on being completely prepared for each round,” said Thompson.

“This gives me comfort knowing that I’m not committed to a full schedule, allowing me to look forward to having some time off,” Thompson expressed.

After an even-par score on Thursday, Thompson played the second round without a bogey until her 18th hole, where she found the bunker on her approach and was unable to save par.

At 30 years old, Thompson, who previously indicated last year would be her last on a full schedule, is currently participating in her seventh event of the season, having played all three majors thus far. She plans to compete next week before taking an extended break.

Her sole major title came in 2014, although she boasts an impressive record of 13 top-five finishes in majors since 2013—more than any other player—and has attained 20 top-10 finishes in those tournaments.

Thompson’s last tournament victory was back in 2019. She remains reluctant to ponder the implications of potentially securing another major. Following a missed cut at the US Women’s Open three weeks ago, she noted, “I’m focused on taking it one shot at a time. If I start thinking too far ahead, it gets overwhelming. I just want to enjoy the moment.”

“I’ll head into the weekend and hope for the best; that’s all I can do.”