News

Minjee Lee marches to third major at 2025 Women’s PGA Championship

Published

12 months ago

Jun 23, 2025

Minjee Lee battled through the elements and the course conditions on Sunday, and earned a three-shot win over Auston Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen. The Women’s PGA championship was her third major championship. All have been unique, with the Evian and US Open championships preceeding it. Lee stood three shots over par through six holes on the final day, despite not hitting wayward shots. With doubt creeping into the minds of the viewers and fans, how did Lee manage to stay focussed?

I just stick to my processes

Thanks to ASAP Sports, we are able to get a sense of what mental imagery Lee used to remain in the moment, remain committed to a plan. Lee missed the third fairway by about a yard, but needed an excavator to extract the ball from the gnarly rough. She was able to manage about 100 yards’ movement, which left 190 yards to the green. Her approach found the fronting bunker, and she played a solid blast to 10 feet. Her par save hit the lip and spun out, leaving her with bogey. At five, her drive found the fairway but her approach leaked right, into another sand pit. Another blast, another missed par save, another bogey. At six, her approach hit the ramp to the green and checked. Her chip released firmly past the hole, and a third consecutive par save drifted away from the target.

You know, the putting was not really the issue. I was missing the green, and then it put pressure on my chipping and my putting. So I was like, let’s try and first hit the fairway and then hit the green.

So I just tried to be really simple out there. You know, it was just so tough with the wind, so just tried to take it one step at a time. You know, some of the drives that I hit were really terrible out there, but I was able to get up and down, make bogey, not have a score that was too large to come back from. I think I managed myself really well out there today.

I knew the 14th and 15th hole would be birdie opportunities, so just tried to stay patient and, you know, try not — just try to make pars until those holes. I think I did that pretty well.

At seven, Minjee steadied the course of her vessel. The winds whipped sideways on many holes, reducing approach shots to as much of a guess as a science. She balanced bogey at ten with birdie at nine, and reached the target holes still three over on the day.

Over the first dozen holes, Lee’s playing partners (Jeeno Thitikul and Hye-Jin Choi) each stood at plus-one, meaning that a pair of shots had been made up on the leader by both golfers. Simultaneously, Austin Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen were marching toward career-best finishes in majors. With so many potentialities coming down the stretch run of the tournament, something had to happen, and something had to give.

I just said, just stick to my game plan. I know, it’s a battle against myself pretty much, especially with how tough the conditions were this whole week, not just today; just amplified because it’s major Sunday.

Lee opted to remain aware of what was happening across the course, yet remain focused of one person: herself. Greens in regulation at eleven through thirteen led to calming par putts. The dam finally broke on fourteen, when three well-planned shots gave Lee a nine-feet run at birdie. The putter that she had worked so hard to master and control, came through. She extended her advantage to three shots, critical to her stretch run. At fifteen, where the playing deck had been moved up to inside 240 yards, Lee erred on the side of caution. Her tee ball nearly cut back to the green, and she was left with fifteen feet to reach the putting surface. Eschewing the chip shot, Lee played a true Texas wedge onto the green, six feet from the hole. She converted for a second consecutive birdie, and finally had the breathing room that she needed.

Lee flinched on a par-saving effort at sixteen, but continued to avoid the doubles and triples that had plagued her fellow competitors all week. Pars at seventeen and eighteen brought her home at four-under par. Her margin of victory was three shots over Auston Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen. The two runners-up had parlayed 68s on day four into eight-position elevations on day four. Jeen Thitikul, the truest pursuer all week, finished at three-over par on the day, one-over on the week, in a tie for fourth with Chisato Iwai. Hye-Jin Choi closed with 74, two shots farther back, in a tie for eighth.

Yeah, pretty much I saw every single leaderboard and knew exactly where I was pretty much all of today. I checked the scores and I then I just come back to each shot and try and execute it the best that I could.

So, yeah, just really played within myself today I think.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

3 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

3 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase