Minjee Lee Takes the Lead at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
In the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, golfer Minjee Lee, a two-time major champion, positioned herself at the top after an impeccable bogey-free round. Her performance, marked by a 3-under par 69, gave her a four-stroke lead over Jeeno Thitikul.
Lee, after starting the day three strokes behind Thitikul, number 2 in the world, achieved a total of 6-under par 210. The Australian player, residing in Irving, stood out with a two-foot par on the 12th hole, surpassing Thitikul, who accumulated her second consecutive bogey and the fourth of the day, finishing with a round of 76.
The Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco, exposed to the Texan wind, presented significant challenges, with gusts exceeding 30 mph on Saturday. The high temperatures, near 90 degrees, added difficulty to the game.Minjee Lee saluda a la multitud en Frisco, Texas, tras completar una ronda sin bogeys, 3-bajo par 69 el sábado en el Women’s PGA.Nelly Korda, the world’s number one golfer, described the conditions as “brutal” after her round of 72, which included initial bogeys but culminated in birdies. Korda is tied for sixth place with a total of 2-over par 218.
Lee and Thitikul were the only players who remained under par. Lexi Thompson, after a triple bogey, placed third with 1-over par, along with Hye Jin Choi and Miyu Yamashita.
Thitikul birdied the 8th hole, but her lead faded after consecutive bogeys in the second half of the round. Lee took advantage of the situation to consolidate her position, securing the lead.
Lee, winner of the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2021 British Women’s Open, maintained a consistent game with eight consecutive pars, followed by birdies on holes 9, 14, and 15.
Thompson, who played in the penultimate group, had a complicated start with a triple bogey on the first hole. Despite this, he managed to recover with birdies and bogeys.
LPGA rookie Rio Takeda also faced difficulties, including double bogeys. Grace Kim stood out with a round of 68, moving up in the rankings.
Also, Brianna Do achieved a hole-in-one on the 4th hole.
