Aussie major winner's new high
Negotiations for the next staging of the women's Australian Open are ongoing after officials abandoned the dual-gender format that has been played for the past three years, with both tournaments returning to stand-alone events.
World No.2 Rory McIlroy is locked in for a return to the men's event being played at Royal Melbourne in December, but the women's tournament is set to be played early in 2026, a return to a timeslot more favourable to attract the world's best players.
The last stand-alone women's Australian Open was co-sanctioned with the LPGA Tour, played in Adelaide in February 2020, and attracted an elite field including world No.1 Nelly Korda, who won the event in 2019.
Lee reached a career-high ranking of No.2 in 2022, and had been a constant in the world's top 10 until midway through 2024 as she endured a 19-month winless drought.
The 29-year-old went into the PGA Championship ranked 24, having dropped out of the world's top 20 for the first time since 2015. FRISCO, TEXAS - JUNE 22: Minjee Lee of Australia poses with the trophy after winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship 2025 at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on June 22, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by) Credit: Sam Hodde / Getty Images
But her return to the winner's circle in Texas delivered the rankings bump, lifting her over great friend Hannah Green, who fell out of the top 10 to No.11 and lost her place as Australia's highest-ranked player, male or female.
Jason Day, who finished fourth at the $30m Travellers Championship, is the only Australian male in the world's top 30, ranked 28.
In the wake of her win, Lee revealed how hard her coach, Richie Smith, had to work to get her to make the drastic switch to the long putter, a move that put her back on a path towards the No.1 ranking.
'I think he mentioned it to me like twice and I was like mucking around with it, so I would say it was a good change,' she said.
'I think just for me, it was taking the hands out of the putter. Just using my hands too much. So I was like manipulating the putter to the break. For me it was just using more of my shoulders to hit the point where I thought it was going to break and not making it break.
'I feel like I had a lot of doubt the past few years … I guess with my long game but more with my putting.
'I think the more I heard media and other people saying things about my putting, I think it got to me more and more over time.
'I guess I just had a lot of thoughts and just I was overthinking probably about just the conventional way of putting … and using the broomstick has really been helping me.'
Lee now has more majors than Greg Norman, who only won two, but is yet to reach the No.1 ranking the Great White Shark held for a mammoth 331 weeks. Minjee Lee of Australia reacts on the 18th hole green after winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship Credit: Alex Slitz / Getty Images
Adam Scott and Day have also been world No.1, but there has never been an Australian female No.1, not even seven-time major champ Karrie Webb, with the women's rankings only introduced in 2006.
But Lee declared she had greater ambitions than getting to world No.1.
'I really wanted to be in the Hall of Fame. That's why I started golf. That's why I wanted to be on the LPGA Tour, to, you know, win a bunch of tournaments and try to get into it,' she said.
'I think I would really like to get there. We'll see how we go after this week.'
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Herald Sun
7 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Maharaj, Markram, steer South Africa to big win against Australia
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australia has been served a brutal defeat to open its one-day series against South Africa, going down by 98 runs at Cazalys Stadium on Tuesday night. The hosts suffered a calamitous batting collapse at the hands of Keshav Maharaj, with the veteran off-spinner ripping through Australia's top and middle order in Cairns. After a promising start to their run chase, Australia lost six wickets for just 19 runs, with five of those coming at the hands of Maharaj. The hosts seemed to have no answer for the 35-year-old tweaker, who had never taken a five wicket haul in ODIs before. 'To see it come together is super special. You train really hard as individuals and as a team to get that kind of performance,' he said. 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Picture: Getty Images Meanwhile, South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of the three-match one-day international series against Australia because of inflammation in his ankle. Rabada played all three Twenty20s in the preceding series between the teams but underwent a scan on Monday after feeling discomfort. South Africa announced Rabada's withdrawal just one hour before the ODI series-opener in Cairns. He will remain on the Australia tour, where he will undergo rehabilitation. Left-arm 19-year-old quick Kwena Maphaka, who claimed a leading nine wickets in the T20 series, has been added to the squad but was overlooked for the series-opener. Veteran quick Lungi Ngidi leads a South African attack featuring off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen, who makes his ODI debut. South Africa were sent in to bat first. Originally published as Australia vs. South Africa, first ODI: Maharaj, Markram, steer South Africa to big win
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A career-best haul from veteran spinner Keshav Maharaj has inspired South Africa to a crushing 98-run win over Australia in the first ODI in Cairns. With Australia cruising at 0-60 chasing the Proteas' 8-296, Maharaj wreaked havoc during a stunning spell as the hosts lost 6-29 in 55 balls at Cazaly's Stadium. The 35-year-old bowled his 10 overs unchanged - at one stage having 5-9 - to finish with 5-33. It was the first five-wicket haul of his ODI career and was aptly named player of the match. Maharaj's efforts were the fourth-best ODI numbers by a South African bowler in Australia. Debutant Prenelan Subrayen, a right-arm offspinner, started Australia's collapse by getting the dangerous Travis Head stumped for 27. Captain Mitch Marsh played a lone hand from the top as none of Australia's middle-order reached double figures. While Marsh remained at the crease, Australia had an outside chance of pulling off a remarkable win. CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 19: Marnus Labuschange of Australia is dismissed during the Australia v South Africa - ODI Series: Game 1 at Cazaly's Stadium on August 19, 2025 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by) Credit: Emily Barker / Getty Images But when Marsh fell for 88 to Nandre Burger (2-54), it was only a matter of time before the Proteas secured victory and bowled Australia out for 198 in the 41st over. Spin, unexpectedly, dominated in Cairns, after Travis Head's part-timers also proved hard to handle. Australia's aggressive opening batter took 4-57, claiming opener Ryan Rickelton (33), as well as Tristan Stubbs (0) and rising star Dewald Brevis (6) within three balls. The Proteas need no reminder of Head's bowling capabilities after he took two crucial wickets in Australia's thrilling World Cup semi-final win in 2023. Rickelton made a productive start with World Test Championship final hero Aiden Markram, the pair putting on 92 for the opening wicket. Markram (82) played flawlessly for his first 80 balls, but fell to a stock-standard delivery from Ben Dwarshuis (2-53) when seemingly headed for a fourth ODI century. CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 19: Keshav Maharaj of South Africa reacts with team mates during the Australia v South Africa - ODI Series: Game 1 at Cazaly's Stadium on August 19, 2025 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by) Credit: Emily Barker / Getty Images WTC-winning captain Temba Bavuma returned for his first match since the historic final at Lord's two months ago, crafting a patient 65 before being bowled by Dwarshuis when trying to lift the run-rate with four overs left. Allrounder Wiaan Mulder, fresh off his extraordinary 367 not out in a Test against Zimbabwe last month, delivered in the final overs with a blazing unbeaten 31. Earlier, South Africa suffered a major blow, losing spearhead Kagiso Rabada for the three-match series. The 30-year-old will miss the 50-over games in north Queensland due to an ankle injury. Australia fielded first after captain Mitch Marsh won the toss and elected to send the Proteas in to bat. When captaining Australia, Marsh has won the toss 21 times and chosen to field every time. Australia opted to play Alex Carey as a specialist batter, electing to use Josh Inglis as the wicketkeeper instead of their Test gloveman. But Carey and Inglis both fell to Maharaj, playing poor shots to get out. The second ODI will take place in Mackay on Friday.
