Australia's Lee targets LPGA Hall of Fame induction after third major title
Australia's Minjee Lee, who clinched her third major title when she won the Women's PGA Championship on Sunday, said her ultimate goal was to complete a career grand slam by winning all five women's majors and entering the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Lee, who finished three strokes ahead of Auston Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen to win the $1.8 million tournament, previously won the Evian Championship in 2021 and the U.S. Women's Open in 2022.
'I mean, that is my ultimate goal," the 29-year-old said about completing the career grand slam.
'I really wanted to be in the Hall of Fame, that's why I started golf, and that's why I wanted to be on the LPGA Tour to win a bunch of tournaments and try and get into it," Lee added.
Lee mentioned New Zealand's Olympic gold medallist Lydia Ko, who has also won three major championships and was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame last year.
"Seeing Lydia do it, I think it just, I'd really like to get there, but we'll see how we go after this week," she said.
Lee is the fourth Australian golfer with three or more major titles, after Karrie Webb, Peter Thomson and Jan Stephenson.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Australia's Khawaja ready to be a mentor for teenager Konstas
Experienced Australia batter Usman Khawaja said he is ready to guide 19-year-old Sam Konstas through his journey as a test opener as the pair prepare to walk out onto the pitch together for the first match against West Indies in Bridgetown. Konstas has been drafted in to replace Marnus Labuschagne, who opened in the World Test Championship final alongside Khawaja but failed to impress as Australia lost to South Africa by five wickets. "It's an added role. To help Sammy along through his journey, trying to impart as much knowledge as I can. I won't be around forever," Khawaja told reporters ahead of the match beginning on Wednesday. "But it's very important that I can do whatever I can, obviously first and foremost, have a solid partnership between us but then a bit of stability at the top, but also guide him through this journey. "He's still very young, he's a 19-year-old boy, and it's quite exciting. There's obviously this series and then a big Ashes coming up." While Konstas will be eager to prove himself, the three-test series will also give Khawaja another opportunity to quash any doubts about his ability to handle seam bowling. The 38-year-old struggled against South Africa, departing for a duck in the first innings and scoring just six runs in his second, losing his wicket on both occasions to fast bowler Kagiso Rabada. "I can't understand how I can (have a problem against seam bowling) if I can score so many runs in Shield cricket or be the highest run-scorer for Australia in the WTC cycle," Khawaja said. "I open the batting for Australia. So I get out to seam more than I get out to anyone else ... I understand I'm 38-years-old. People will be looking for an excuse."
CNA
12 hours ago
- CNA
Fonseca clinches first grass-court win, Sun ousts defending champion Kasatkina in Eastbourne
Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca claimed his first tour-level win on grass with a 6-7(8) 6-0 6-3 victory over Zizou Bergs to reach the second round at Eastbourne on Monday. The 18-year-old qualifier, who earned the biggest win of his career over then world number nine Andrey Rublev in the Australian Open first round earlier this year, will next face defending champion Taylor Fritz. Bergs edged a tense first set in the tiebreak, saving all three break points he faced, while Fonseca fended off both on his serve. Fonseca responded with a bagel in the second set to level the match. He raced to a 3-0 lead in the third. Although Bergs broke back for 3-2, Fonseca responded immediately, restoring his advantage to 4-2 as the Belgian continued to struggle. He sealed the win with a confident hold to love. "I am very happy to win my first match on grass, here in Eastbourne, in such a nice place and against a very good player," Fonseca said. "After a tough tiebreak, getting through mentally is very good. I am very happy for this one." New Zealand's Lulu Sun defeated top seed Daria Kasatkina 7-5 2-6 6-3. Sun raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set before Kasatkina stormed back to lead 5-4, but the 24-year-old Kiwi regained control by reeling off the final three games to take it 7-5. Russian-born Australian Kasatkina responded by going up 4-2 in the second, breaking for 5-2 and serving it out to level. Sun broke for 2-0 and surged ahead to 3-0 in the decider, keeping Kasatkina on the back foot. The defending champion struggled to create chances as Sun dictated the rallies to secure the win.
Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Straits Times
Minjee Lee wins Women's PGA Championship for third career Major
Minjee Lee with the trophy after winning the Women's PGA Championship 2025 on June 22. PHOTO: AFP FRISCO – Minjee Lee of Australia steadied herself after a bumpy start, carded a final round 74 and captured the Women's PGA Championship on June 22 in Frisco, Texas. Lee began the day with a four-stroke advantage over Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul and was never seriously threatened. She finished on four-under 284 for the week, with key birdies at Nos. 14 and 15 of PGA Frisco's Fields Ranch East course providing some important cushion. 'I just said, 'Just stick to my game plan,'' Lee said. '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. Yeah, just be patient and take every shot as it comes.' Lee bagged her third career Major following the 2021 Evian Championship and the 2022 US Women's Open. The 29-year-old moved up the all-time Majors leaderboard, tying names like Nancy Lopez, Chun In-gee of South Korea, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and Lydia Ko of New Zealand with her third win. The only two Australian women to reach the milestone before Lee were Karrie Webb (seven) and Jan Stephenson (three). 'It's really cool, especially being only a couple of us or a few of us done it so far... It's just a really special feeling,' Lee said. Auston Kim and Thailand's Chanettee Wannasaen each shot four-under 68 on June 22 to tie for second at one under. Jeeno, ranked No. 2 in the world, held the lead after each of the first two rounds before a 76 on June 21 knocked her behind Lee. She bogeyed Nos. 1 and 3 to start off on the wrong foot, settled for a final-round 75 and tied for fourth at one over with Japan's Chisato Iwai (71). Lee spent time in the bunker at Nos. 3 and 5 on her way to two early bogeys, and she dropped her third shot at No. 6. After following up a birdie at the par-five ninth hole with another bogey at No. 10, Lee protected a two-shot margin with three straight pars, including a nine-foot putt at the par-three 13th. That is when she began to break away. She rolled in another nine-footer at the par-five 14th hole for birdie, and at No. 15 – a par-four measuring just 235 yards – Lee nearly drove the green and putted her second stroke to within six feet of the flagstick, setting up another birdie. A final bogey at No. 16 did not sour her mood. After completing a two-putt par at the final hole, she dropped her putter, placed her hands on her head and received a champagne shower from friends and fellow Australian players. 'Pretty much I saw every single leaderboard and knew exactly where I was pretty much all of today,' Lee said. 'I checked the scores and I then I just come back to each shot and try and execute it the best that I could.' Not only did this mark Lee's third Major, but it was her first win of any kind since October 2023. Her brother, PGA Tour player Min Woo Lee, sent her a special congratulatory message. 'I'm so proud of you,' he said. 'The last couple years have been tough and I'm so glad to see you back in the winner's circle. I'm proud of you and love you.' Kim, a 24-year-old from Florida, had never finished better than T30 at a major before June 22 and has yet to win on the LPGA Tour. Kim shot three rounds of par or better this week. She birdied Nos. 1, 7, 8 and 9 on June 22 to shoot up the leaderboard but stopped there, finishing with all pars on the back nine. 'Obviously, the result was really good, but I'm really happy how I handled myself, my emotions, all the adversity,' Kim said. 'The course is playing really, really tough, but I feel like this week... my team and I were very locked in and we focused on all the right things. The result took care of itself.' The grueling conditions all week took a toll on some of the game's top names. World No. 3 Lydia Ko, who started her week with a four-over 75, carded a one-under 71 on June 22 to finish in a group sharing 12th on 293. World No. 1 Nelly Korda fired a final-round 76 for a share of 19th on 294 and world No. 4 Yin Ruoning was in a group on 295 after a closing 76. REUTERS, AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
