Dallas-area resident Minjee Lee is on a roll early on after her first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Field Ranch East. Lee opened with a 3-under 69 in the hot and humid conditions in Texas.
The 29-year-old two-time major winner opened her front nine with a 3-under 34 to grab the early lead, and finished the back nine with an even par 35. She trails leader Jeeno Thitikul by one shot.
After her round, Lee seemed pleased with the way she started this championship.
“I putted really great today. I made a lot of birdie putts and a whole bunch of up-and-down par putts as well,” Lee told the media after her round. “I mean, my iron game was pretty solid as well, but I think I need to sharpen up my drives a little bit. But then I think I felt quite good today.”
From off the green 💪@minjeegolf#KPMGWomensPGA pic.twitter.com/QQR9G6IcOi
— KPMG Women's PGA Championship (@KPMGWomensPGA) June 19, 2025
Lee opened with a bogey on the par-5 first hole, and closed with bogeys on sixteen and eighteen, but the Aussie is taking some of the miscues in the Texas heat all in stride.
“I mean, obviously there will be bogeys, but I think for me, I just try to stay patient,” Lee said. “If I make a bogey, I just try it back it up with something better than that. Yeah, can't get ahead of yourself, especially in this kind of weather. I think it's more just the heat that's draining your focus, so it's going to be a big factor come the next few days.”
Though she hasn’t played the East course often before this week, the excitement of having a Major Championship just miles from her city of residence is not lost on the LPGA star.
“I base myself here so it's a little bit like a home game for me,” Lee said in her Wednesday presser. “It would be extra special, I think, especially my mom is here this week, a couple of my friends will be coming out, and some close friends, too. Yeah, no, it would be pretty awesome if I could get it done this week (and win).”
Lee is on a run of three straight top 22 finishes, including a tie for 14th last week in the Meijer Classic, where she finished six shots behind winner Carlota Ciganda.
The amicable Australian was also asked in the media center Wednesday what attribute enables her to play so well in major championships, and she didn’t miss a beat.
“I think maybe a bit of my personality. I don't really get too high or too low, so I'm pretty calm out there,” Lee said. “I think I try to fight as much adversity whenever it comes to me in a bit of a calmness. I think that really helps me. Obviously, technically, I feel like I'm pretty balanced in a lot of areas, so I think that obviously helps as well.”
Being balanced in a lot of areas is the name of the game, and a recipe that seems to be working again early on in this championship for Lee. The winner of the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship and the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open is making her 56th start in a major this week at PGA Frisco, and she’s finished in the top 10 eleven times in those starts thus far.
After a solid Thursday, Lee will get back to it on Friday at 2:17 pm CT to see if she can continue this momentum for round two.
