Leona Maguire faltered out of contention but held on for a top-20 finish, as Minjee Lee delivered an impressive four-day performance on a challenging golf course to claim the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
The scoring average at Fields Ranch East was just over 75 – the highest for any LPGA Tour major in over a decade. Maguire posted a respectable one-over-par front nine, but her challenge was ended with a three-putt double bogey on the 12th.
The Cavan native’s four-over-par 76 left her with a six-over-par total, securing a tie for 19th, a significant improvement after four consecutive missed cuts. Lee shot a 2-over-par 74 on Sunday, but it mattered little as she won by three shots over Austin Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen, finishing with a 4-under-par 284. Lee, Kim, and Wannasaen were the only three golfers to finish under par for the week.
Lee opened the day with three bogeys in her first six holes, opening the door to the chasing pack. Kim and Wannasaen’s 68s were the rounds of the day, and the duo moved up eight spots on the leaderboard, but they finished about an hour before Lee.
Lee made a birdie on the par-5 9th after a tidy two-putt from 45 feet. She gave it back with a bogey on the 10th but effectively sealed the victory with back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th, before hitting her tee shot to just 18 feet on the par-3 17th and making an easy two-putt. She played the closing hole in textbook fashion – hitting the fairway and two-putting for a par.
This was Lee’s first major triumph since 2022, when she won the U.S. Women’s Open. She also won the Amundi Evian Championship in 2021, meaning she is now three-quarters of the way to achieving a career Grand Slam.
“A lot of patience out there today,” Lee said afterwards. “Obviously I had ups and downs today, and I just felt like some shots were going my way and some shots weren’t. I knew there were some opportunities coming down the stretch to make some birdies and close the gap a little bit.
“Yeah, I just played my very best.”
Lee’s brother, Min Woo Lee, said at the Travelers Championship that he had “called it” a few months ago that she would win again soon.
“It’s great to see her win a major, and her game is built for majors. She’s very solid, and her mental strength is one of the best I’ve ever seen,” Min Woo Lee said. “Combine that with some good putting and a strong short game, and, yes, she’s going to win.
“It’s very exciting to see her back in the winner’s circle, and I’m very proud of her.”
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