Minjee Lee wins the KPMG Women's PGA Championship for her 3rd major title

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Minjee Lee went into the final round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship with a four-stroke lead, and took a glance at every leaderboard she saw on the course. Even after some early bogeys, she stayed on top all day on way to her third major title.

“I knew exactly where I was in terms of like the scores,” Lee said. “But I just want to be clear. Like I definitely was nervous starting the day. I wasn't really sure if it was the heat that was making my heart beat more. ... I looked calm, but not as calm as everybody thinks."

Lee closed with a 2-over 74 while maintaining at least a two-stroke lead throughout the final round. Her 4-under 284 total was three strokes ahead of Auston Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen, the only other players to finish under par at wind-swept Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco.

Lee, the 29-year-old Australian who is a Texas resident, living in nearby Irving, got her 11th career win. She joined Karrie Webb (seven) and Jan Stephenson (three) as the only women from Australia to win three majors.

While Lee had three bogeys in a four-hole stretch midway through the front nine, playing partner Jeeno Thitikul, the world’s No. 2-ranked player, bogeyed both par 5s that are among the first three holes. Still in search of her first major, Thitikul hit her first shot Sunday into the right rough on way to a 75 to finish at 1 over 289, tied for fourth with Chisato Iwai (71).

Lee, ranked 24th, took home $1.8 million of the record $12 million purse, which was up from $10.4 million a year ago and matched the U.S. Women’s Open for the most prize money. She also got $1.8 million for her four-stroke win in the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open.

Kim and Wannasaen both shot 68, the best rounds of the day and matching the best of the tournament after only two 68s combined the first three rounds. Kim was bogey-free, but had only pars after three consecutive birdies to wrap up her front nine.

“I’m really happy how I handled myself, my emotions, all the adversity,” Kim said. “There is obviously a lot on the line today, but I was chasing. I think that definitely helps. Took a lot of pressure off in the moment.”

While still windy like it had been all week at 15-20 mph, there weren’t the constant gusts of 30 mph or more that had made the playing conditions so difficult Saturday.

Thitikul had the solo lead after the first and second rounds. But the 22-year-old from Thailand fell behind shooting a 76 on Saturday, when Lee had the only bogey-free round for any player until then.

Lee is the 16th player to win in 16 LPGA tournaments this year. But top-ranked Nelly Korda, who won seven times last year, isn't one of those winners after a closing 76 to tie for 19th at 6-over 294.

In what was probably the key moment, Lee maintained a two-stroke lead with a clutch 8-foot par at the 170-yard 13th hole to stay at 3 under. That came about the same time Wannasaen rolled in a 14-foot eagle putt at the 235-yard par-4 15th hole to get to 1 under, though the 21-year-old from Thailand then missed the green and bogeyed the 455-yard 16th.

There was a subtle fist pump from Lee when she then made a 9-foot birdie at No. 14, the only par 5 on the back nine, and followed with another birdie at No. 15. She was the only player this week with two rounds in the 60s, with 69s on Thursday and Saturday.

“I just tried to be really simple out there. It was just so tough with the wind,” Lee said. “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 holes would be birdie opportunities, so just tried to stay patient and just try to make pars until those holes.”

Lee’s first bogey was at the par-5 third after her third shot went into a deep greenside bunker, then she had back-to-back bogeys on the 441-yard fifth and 434-yard sixth hole. She didn’t have a birdie until the ninth to make the turn at 4 under — at the time three ahead of Thitikul and Kim.

Kim started the final round nine strokes back, which was two more than the record comeback for a women’s major. Several players have done that, including Lee when she won the 2021 Evian Championship in France by coming from seven back for her first major title.

The 24-year-old Kim opened her round with a 5-foot birdie putt on the 528-yard par 5 first. She got within two strokes of Lee after the three birdies to wrap up her front nine. Her tee shot at the 157-yard eight hole stopped a foot from the cup.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Minjee Lee celebrates after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament, Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee holds the trophy after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee kisses the trophy after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee holds the winner's trophy after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee poses with the trophy after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee hits onto the second green during the final round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee waves her ball after sinking a putt on the first green during the final round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee, right, and her caddie Michael Paterson strategize for a putt on the first green during the final round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee waves after sinking a putt on the second green during the final round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minjee Lee hits a tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't scoring the way he usually does, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are still winning the way they normally do.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, averaged 31.1 points during the regular season. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he is averaging 20 points and taking only 14 shots per game.

Oklahoma City has still won the first two games by an average of 18 points. Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 22 points, and the defending champion Thunder beat the Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night.

Ajay Mitchell, starting in place of injured Jalen Williams, is averaging 19 points on 50% shooting in the series for Oklahoma City.

“I think the coaching staff does a good job at just getting all of us ready,” said Mitchell, a second-year guard. "And we have a lot of competitors. Like, everyone’s a competitor on our team. So every time the lights are bright, everyone’s ready to go.”

Holmgren is the leading scorer for the Thunder in the best-of-seven series with 23 points per game. The 2026 All-Star also is averaging 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

Jared McCain, a midseason acquisition from the Philadelphia 76ers, barely played in the first round against Phoenix but has averaged 15 points and made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the series.

“He goes in there, stays in character, stays aggressive," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "He’s going to shoot the next shot. He makes the right plays, plays inside the team. He competes defensively, has had good defensive possessions for us. And he was huge tonight. You need that in a playoff series.”

The Lakers again were without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. They also were missing forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve forward who dislocated the pinkie on his right hand during the second quarter of Game 1. The Lakers had three players finish with five fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late in the game.

Los Angeles guard Austin Reaves, who struggled with his shot in Game 1, scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Game 1, followed that up with 23.

With the Lakers up 63-61 early in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander got tied up with Reaves and was called for his fourth foul. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander's follow through. Oklahoma City's Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul as the situation was being sorted out.

Gilgeous-Alexander left the game with the Lakers up 65-61, but the Thunder rallied and took control without him. On a fast break, Holmgren found a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 while Gilgeous-Alexander was out in the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth.

“It was amazing," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They strung together stops, they’re playing the right way offensively and things are going their way. Full confidence in those guys. They know how to win basketball games. And we've proven that. They’ve proven that no matter who’s on the floor, they know how to get the job done. And they just did it again tonight."

The Lakers cut Oklahoma City's lead to five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder pulled away again.

Los Angeles will host Game 3 on Saturday.

“We just stuck with it,” Holmgren said. “It’s the game of basketball. It’s not always going to go your way. It’s about how you respond. And this team has proven many times that we know how to respond. And we did so tonight.”

This story has been corrected to show that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20, not 19, points per game against the Lakers.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves (15) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, front, works for a shot as Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves, rear, defends in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James stands on the court in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Los Angeles Lakers' Deandre Ayton (5) and LeBron James, rear, in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) works to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)