‘A great of Australian sport': how Minjee Lee rose to top in a golden era of women's golf
The finest triumph for Australia's highest-paid sportswoman was accompanied by something unusual. For the usually private, impassive Minjee Lee – after winning her third major at the Women's PGA Championship near her second home in Dallas, Texas – tears were a glimpse into her recent pain.
Related: Australia's Minjee Lee wins historic third major at Women's PGA Championship
Advertisement
A 19-month winless run. A collapse at last year's US Open. An adoption of the broomstick putter, a very public symbol that everything was not right. But those experiences were consigned to the past after sinking a par putt on 18 in Frisco. 'It's very different, because I feel like I had a lot of doubt the past few years,' she said. 'I think this one just means a little bit more to me.'
The West Australian won by three strokes to earn $2.8m and become only the third Australian golfer to claim three different major championships, after Karrie Webb and Jan Stephenson. Even Greg Norman only found major success at a single tournament, the Open Championship, in his two victories.
Lee's coach Ritchie Smith said it can be difficult to comprehend just how much Lee has achieved. 'It's a golden era for women's golf, and she's still a great,' he said. 'It's hard for me to say, because I'm her coach and I'm biased. I don't think she's just a great of golf, I think she's a great of Australian sport.'
The likes of Ash Barty, Sam Kerr, Lauren Jackson, Ellyse Perry and Stephanie Gilmore have been recognised as Australia's most successful female sportspeople in the past decade, all as standard bearers in globally competitive sports. But while Lee had risen to become the second-ranked golfer in the world by 2019, her profile – at least in Australia – was not at the same level as her peers. Outside the men's majors, golf does not have the same cut-through or broad appeal as other codes, and when it does reach a broader Australian consciousness, it is usually thanks to the achievements of PGA stars such as Adam Scott or 2022 Open Championship winner Cameron Smith. Lee's softly-spoken manner and reserved demeanour is also less than a natural fit with publicity.
Advertisement
Her profile has even been challenged by her younger brother Min Woo, now Australia's top-ranked men's golfer. He has emerged as a legitimate star on the men's PGA Tour over the past two years, with a brash social media status enhanced by a stream of celebrity colabs.
But over 11 years on the LPGA tour, Minjee's winnings still dwarf the prize money won by her brother, and are approaching US$20m. Even if the younger Lee passes that figure, he almost certainly will not end his career with anything near the list of her accomplishments. Minjee Lee is only the fifth active player to have won three majors alongside Lydia Ko, Yani Tseng, In Gee Chun and Anna Nordqvist, and only Ko is younger.
The Australian knows she should have had another too, after she led by three shots in the final round of last year's US Open before she 'blew up' – as she described afterwards – to finish ninth. Across Lee's many years as a professional, Smith has observed how she handles defeat less with disappointment and more with embarrassment, and the US Open result was about as bad as it could get. On the sport's highest stage, there was Lee, fully exposed.
'To capitulate the way that she did last year, it had a really negative effect on her,' Smith said. 'So to reinvest into actually being in a vulnerable position like that, it takes a long time, and this is what people don't understand. 'She's risked being vulnerable in front of a whole heap of people, and I couldn't be prouder of her to be honest, because that's a scary proposition.'
Advertisement
Lee was asked by the host in the trophy ceremony whether she now wishes she had adopted the longer putter 'a little bit earlier'. She laughed and said 'no'. It was an acknowledgement of the importance of her recent adversity.
Rather than just biomechanics, Smith said Lee has undergone psychological change. 'She's been so guarded and stoic for her whole career,' he said. 'And now, if you have a look at her, her interview at the end of the round, there were actual emotions, she shed a tear – which is probably the first time she's ever done that.'
Smith believes the process means Lee can now be happier in the sport. 'All of her 'being' revolved around being a really great golfer, but when you emotionally disengage a little bit, then all of a sudden you can be the person that you want to be. And I don't know if you notice, but she smiles a lot more now.'
Lee admits the criticism affected her. 'The more I heard, like the media and other people saying things about my putting, I think it got to me more and more over time.' Yet that difficult period is now over. A major winner again, Lee said this week's triumph – highlighted by a champagne shower on the 18th green delivered by those familiar with her struggles – was 'my most deserved'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Bad news for Saints, All-Australian Dog sidelined
St Kilda's Max King has needed more knee surgery, confirming he won't play any AFL this season. The key forward's inability to recover from his pre-season injury has been a disaster for the Saints, who are in the bottom four after Saturday night's fighting loss to Collingwood. Also on Monday, Saints young gun Mattaes Phillipou reportedly is out for several weeks. He was distraught after aggravating a lower-leg injury only minutes before of the start of the Collingwood game and was a late withdrawal. And the Western Bulldogs have lost All-Australian Adam Treloar for six weeks with another calf muscle injury. Treloar was hurt in the first half of Sunday's win over Richmond and coach Luke Beveridge said there was "significant concern" about the midfielder's latest setback. King has not played since round 17 last year, but the Saints had been hopeful he would return before the end of this season. He has already needed two operations on his right knee because of the initial injury during a February practice match. The Saints re-signed King to a six-year deal last season, taking him to 2032. In a statement, the club said Monday's surgery was on damage to the medial aspect of the knee, which had caused "occasional but persistent" pain. The Saints are also adamant they have been baffled by King's ongoing problems. "Max's case has not been simple nor linear, and we've attempted to adequately keep our members and fans up to date while maintaining Max's privacy," said Saints football boss Dave Misson. "We have also been dealing with a medical situation that has often confounded the many medical experts we have consulted. "About 10 days ago, as Max was closing in on a return to football, he felt a clunking in his knee - the same knee that has been causing him trouble throughout this season. "This was as surprising as it was frustrating, as all indications were that Max's most recent arthroscope had addressed this issue." That meant more consultations and scans, leading to Monday's surgery. "We feel the cause of Max's issue has been pinpointed and that damage to the medial aspect of his knee, in certain situations, was impeding his movement and causing pain," Misson said. "The operation aimed to address and repair this issue. It will see Max off-legs for several months, however, will allow him to be ready for the commencement of pre-season." Meanwhile, the AFL website reported Phillipou would be out for several weeks after his plantaris tendon injury flared again before Saturday night's match. Phillipou was a late scratching when he felt sharp pain in his calf while warming up. Injuries have restricted him to only four games this season. Treloar has only played four games in 2025 after last year's All-Australian honours. The Bulldogs confirmed he has a moderate-grade calf strain and ruled him out for six weeks.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Paige Bueckers Joined by Familiar Face During UConn Reunion
Paige Bueckers Joined by Familiar Face During UConn Reunion originally appeared on Athlon Sports. UConn is one of those special and very successful basketball programs where players develop bonds that last for seemingly a lifetime. Advertisement Just a couple of months ago, the school won the women's NCAA championship behind the sensational play of Paige Bueckers and the support of fellow guard Azzi Fudd. Fudd was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after scoring 25 points in the title game versus South Carolina. Bueckers is now a rookie in the WNBA with the Dallas Wings, and on Sunday, she had 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Unfortunately for her and her team, it wasn't enough, as Dallas lost in overtime to the Washington Mystics, 91-88. But she did have some time to spend with Fudd, her beloved fellow Husky. Bueckers made her name with the Huskies and averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game while shooting a very high percentage, both from the field and from 3-point range. She missed all of the 2022-23 season with a torn ACL, but she returned and seemingly got better afterward. Advertisement She won the Nancy Lieberman Award twice and has been described as a generational talent. Connecticut Huskies guards Azzi Fudd (35) and Paige Bueckers (5) © Lucas Boland-Imagn Images Fudd contributed as UConn's other starting guard and put up 13.6 points a game this past season. The backcourt of Fudd and Bueckers gave the school two dead-eye outside shooters who were very difficult for opposing teams to contain. Fudd decided to return to UConn for one more season rather than enter this year's WNBA draft with Bueckers, who was the No. 1 overall pick. Related: Paige Bueckers Comments on Cooper Flagg's Potential Move to Dallas This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Wallabies sharpening skills ahead of Lions and Fiji
With 12 months of the Joe Schmidt reign behind them the Wallabies have launched straight into "re-sharpening the sword" for the British and Irish Lions. The Wallabies gathered in Sydney on Monday for their first training session ahead of three-Test Lions series which begins next month, and fullback Tom Wright said they hit the ground running. "This morning was less about trying to push over a fresh load of information and plays and structures onto everyone's plate, and more about a refresher, and getting everyone back into language and lingo, and then everyone just sort of hitting the ground running," the Brumbies gun said. "Last year it was a lot of trying to digest and absorb stuff but today it was just re-sharpening the sword, and it was exciting to see that translate as opposed to just picking it up fresh last year." With 37 Tests under his belt, Wright had a breakout campaign for the Wallabies on last year's spring tour, scoring a hat-trick against Wales as well as racking up major carry metres and clean breaks. But with superstar league convert Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii able to play just about anywhere in the backline, including fullback, Wright knows there's competition for the No.15 jersey - and welcomes it. "He goes pretty well anytime he's on the field," Wright said of Suaalii, who was man of the match in his Test debut against England in November. "His talent is probably second to none in the group, and you pair that with his work ethic that he's got, it's really impressive, and he gets the most out of all of us as his teammates. "It was good to see competition for spots heat up today at training, so that's the luxury that the coaching staff have. There's going to be guys that miss out." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wallabies (@wallabies) While the touring Lions are the primary goal, the initial focus for the Australians is their Test against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6. It's the first time the teams have squared off since Fiji shocked the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, breaking a 69-year drought. The Fiji win helped send the Australians crashing out of the tournament at the pool stage. Wright, who was a shock omission from the World Cup by then coach Eddie Jones, said the Wallabies couldn't afford to look past the Fijians, who have included 15 northern hemisphere-based players in a threatening squad. "Obviously we get a taste of the Fijians with the Drua throughout the (Super Rugby) season so we know how lethal they'll be, with and without the ball, and then you drip in some of the guys from Europe obviously, some of the most talented players in the world. "We've got our eyes set on Newcastle and that being a really important fixture to leap-frog into what is obviously a strong Lions side in July too." The Lions have arrived in Perth ahead of their clash with the Western Force and will be licking their wounds after falling to Argentina in their warm-up Test. But Wright said both teams played "exciting footy" and the Wallabies couldn't read much into the result. "The Argentinians were really good and I wouldn't say the Lions played really poorly," the 27-year-old said. "That's a bunch of guys trying to come together for the first time really. I wouldn't read heaps into it."
