In the Texas heat and swirling winds, Minjee Lee rose above the field to win the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, securing her third major title and making history in the process.
The 29-year-old Australian, now living in Irving, battled through punishing conditions at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco to finish 4-under-par, one of only three players to finish under par for the week.
A Big Win For Lee
Sunday’s victory marked a significant milestone: with prior major wins at the Evian Championship (2021) and the U.S. Women’s Open (2022), Lee became just the 14th woman to win at least three of the five modern major championships.
She’s also only the fourth Australian golfer, male or female, to reach that mark, joining the ranks of legends Peter Thomson, Karrie Webb and Jan Stephenson.
“It feels pretty amazing,” Lee said after the win. “I feel like I really deserve this one. I put a lot of hard work into it.”
Enduring Tough Conditions at Fields Ranch East
Lee’s victory didn’t come easy. Over four days, the firm, fast course conditions and relentless Texas winds made low scores elusive. Early on, Lee struggled to find fairways and greens, recording three bogeys in her first six holes. But she still beat the field average by 4 to 7 strokes during the first three rounds and matched it on Sunday, enough to hold off runners-up Auston Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen. The scoring average for the field hovered near 75, and yet Lee was the only golfer to card two rounds in the 60s.
“I definitely was nervous starting the day,” Lee said. “I wasn’t really sure if it was the heat that was making my heart beat more... I looked calm, but I wasn’t as calm as everybody thinks.”
Lee’s consistent play through one of the season’s toughest tests earned her a $1.8 million winner’s check, the largest payout in women’s golf, tied with the U.S. Women’s Open. The total purse for the championship in Frisco was $12 million, matching the highest in LPGA history.
Another Chapter in Texas Golf History
Lee’s win at Fields Ranch East places her among a growing group of champions at PGA Frisco. She joins Steve Stricker, who captured the Senior PGA Championship at the same venue in May 2023. Together, their victories help solidify PGA Frisco’s position as one of golf’s new proving grounds.
For Lee, the win carries a special kind of pride.
“It was just nice to see familiar faces out there — I don't really get it too often,” Lee said. “Obviously when I'm in Australia and playing in Australia, I have a lot of friendly faces, but not so much in America. So it's just nice — a little bit of comfort in a different country, which I now kind of base myself in, is really nice.”
Now, all eyes are already turning back to Frisco as it prepares to host the 2027 PGA Championship.
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