Minjee Lee Triumphs in KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East
The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship delivered a dramatic showcase of resilience, skill, and mental toughness, as Australia’s Minjee Lee captured her third career major title at Fields Ranch East, PGA Frisco.
The tournament featured extreme Texas heat and punishing winds, proved to be one of the toughest tests in recent LPGA history, with only three players finishing under par.
A Field Stacked with Stars
This year’s field was among the strongest in women’s golf, featuring the top 100 in the world led by No. 1 Nelly Korda, former major champions Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson, rising Thai star Atthaya “Jeeno” Thitikul, and a host of other global contenders. Yet, as the championship unfolded, the combination of a difficult course setup and relentless weather conditions separated the contenders from the rest.
The Course and Conditions: Fields Ranch East Bites Back
Designed by Gil Hanse (who also did the renovation at Colonial Country Club, home of the PGA TOUR’s Charles Schwab Challenge), Fields Ranch East quickly earned a reputation as a major championship brute. The course produced the highest scoring average for any LPGA major in nearly 20 years, with the field averaging just over 75 strokes per round.
Throughout the week, players battled triple-digit heat indices, temperatures in the mid-90s, and winds gusting up to 30-40 mph. The firm, fast fairways and tucked pin positions made even the world’s best look vulnerable.
Korda, who entered as the world’s top-ranked player, described the setup as “almost impossible” at times, and her closing 76 left her tied for 19th, well out of contention.
Ko, celebrated for her career grand slam, also struggled to mount a charge, while Thompson, in what may be one of her final major appearances, was in the mix early but faded over the weekend.
Minjee Lee: Steely Nerves and Major Poise
Lee entered Sunday’s final round with a four-shot lead over Thitikul, having posted a bogey-free 69 on Saturday that would prove decisive.
Despite her outward calm, Lee later admitted to nerves as she teed off with the heat index soaring and the wind swirling. Early bogeys at holes 3, 5, and 6 saw her lead shrink to just one stroke, but Lee’s composure never wavered. She steadied herself on the back nine, carding pars and avoiding further mistakes as her challengers faltered. Thitikul, who started the day in second, bogeyed both early par-5s and could not mount a charge.
Auston Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen made late runs, each posting the day’s best rounds at 68, but Lee’s cushion proved unassailable.
Lee finished at 4-under 284, three shots clear of Kim and Wannasaen, who were the only other players to break par for the week. Her final-round 74 was a testament to grit over glamour, as she held on in the face of mounting pressure and brutal conditions
“I’m mentally fried, I need a week off,” Lee said after her win. “I felt like every day was a grind and I really had to dig deep to do it, but it feels pretty awesome.”
A Major With Record Stakes
The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship featured an unprecedented $12 million purse, matching the U.S. Women’s Open for the largest in women’s golf. Lee’s victory earned her $1.8 million, further cementing her status as one of the game’s premier major performers.
Final Thoughts: A Championship for the Ages
The 2025 edition of the KPMG Women’s PGA will be remembered for its unrelenting test of golf, the resilience of its competitors, and the steely brilliance of Minjee Lee. In a field loaded with champions and rising stars, Lee’s ability to withstand the heat, wind, and pressure set her apart.
As the LPGA Tour looks ahead, Fields Ranch East has set a new standard for major championship difficulty—and Minjee Lee has set a new standard for major championship poise
