Minjee Lee's previous wins at a major came at the 2021 Evian Championship and 2022 US Women's Open Women's PGA Championship third-round leaderboard -6M Lee (Aus);-2J Thitikul (Tha);+1HJ Choi (Kor), L Thompson (US), M Yamashita Selected others: +2N Korda (US), L Maguire (Ire);+4C Hull (Eng) Leaderboard Australian Minjee Lee opened up a four-shot lead at the "brutal" Women's PGA Championship with a third-round 69 as overnight leader Jeeno Thitikul faltered in Frisco, Texas. Lee was three shots behind Thitikul at the start of day three but produced an impressive bogey-free round, which included three birdies, to move to six under as windy conditions again made it difficult at the Fields Ranch East course. Thailand's Thitikul, chasing her first victory at a major, led after the first two days of the tournament but shot a four-over 76, which included two birdies and six bogeys, and is on two under par. England's Charley Hull shot the lowest score of the second round with a 69 and followed that up with a 73 as she goes into the final day on four over par. There have only been five rounds in the 60s at the tournament and Lee has carded two of them with 69s on days one and three. "I just try to stay patient out there," said two-time major winner Lee. "You can't get ahead of yourself, especially in these conditions. "It's only getting harder and harder just with I think pressure of a major championship, and also the course just demands so much from you." Lee's previous major wins came at the 2021 Evian Championship and 2022 US Women's Open. She added: "I know what it takes to win and I know just kind of what to feel and what to expect now that I have two under my belt. "I just think the experience that I've had is really going to help me hopefully get over the line." Lee and Thitikul are the only players under par for the third of this year's five LPGA majors. American Lexi Thompson is on one over par after a 75 that began with a triple bogey and bogey, while compatriot Nelly Korda (72) and Ireland's Leona Maguire (72) are one shot further back. "Definitely proud of how I stayed strong," Thompson said. "It was kind of a nightmare of a start, but I knew coming into the day it was going to play very difficult. "I don't know really what happened on my first hole, but [I'm] happy I got it out of the way and stayed positive out there and just made pars and a few birdies here and there." World number one Korda added: "It's brutal out there when it comes to the set-up of the golf course, wind conditions, everything. I'm very happy with even par. "You're just happy to get 18 under your belt on a day like this."
Lee takes PGA Championship lead as Thitikul falters
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Minjee Lee Takes Commanding Lead in Women's PGA Championship as Jeeno Thitikul Struggles"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
In the third round of the Women's PGA Championship held at the Fields Ranch East course in Frisco, Texas, Australian golfer Minjee Lee surged to a commanding four-shot lead after carding a bogey-free 69. Starting the day three shots behind the overnight leader Jeeno Thitikul, Lee showcased her skill and composure in challenging windy conditions, recording three birdies that brought her total to six under par. Thitikul, who had been chasing her first major victory, struggled significantly, shooting a disappointing four-over 76, which included six bogeys and only two birdies. As a result, she fell to two under par, while Lee's steady performance highlighted her experience, having previously won major titles at the 2021 Evian Championship and the 2022 US Women's Open. Lee emphasized the importance of maintaining patience and focus, particularly in the demanding atmosphere of a major championship, stating that the pressure only grows as the competition intensifies.
The leaderboard saw a mix of seasoned competitors and emerging talents, with only Lee and Thitikul finishing under par after three rounds. American golfer Lexi Thompson, who started her day with a triple bogey, managed to recover and finish on one over par after a 75. Meanwhile, world number one Nelly Korda and Ireland's Leona Maguire both finished their rounds at one over par as well, highlighting the challenging nature of the course setup. Korda noted the brutal conditions, expressing satisfaction with her performance despite the difficulties presented by the wind and the course layout. As the final day approaches, the focus will be on whether Lee can leverage her experience to secure another major title while Thitikul aims to bounce back from her disappointing round and make a challenge for the championship.
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