Lee masters the winds, storms to 4-shot lead at Women's PGA

MANILA, Philippines -- Jeeno Thitikul came in as the hunted, but it was Minjee Lee who emerged unfazed by the swirling Texas winds that swept through the Fields Ranch East course, turning moving day at the Women’s PGA Championship into a brutal battle for survival.

Lee, who grew up in Australia and now calls North Texas home, showed exactly why she's considered one of the steadiest hands on tour in difficult conditions. She delivered a masterful, bogey-free 69 – one of the few clean rounds on a wind-lashed Saturday – to vault from three shots back to a commanding four-stroke lead after 54 holes.

At six-under 210, the two-time major winner moved to the cusp of a third major crown, having previously ruled the Evian Championship in 2021 and the US Women’s Open in 2022.

“I’m constantly practicing in windy conditions,” said Lee. “But it’s not usually this windy, and here it’s very consistent. You’ve got to play the wind, hit knockdown shots, and really be creative out there.”

While others faltered, Lee's brilliance stood out. She parred her first eight holes, drained a birdie on No. 9 to draw level with Thitikul, then surged ahead on the back nine with birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 to complete a 36-33 round.

Despite missing seven greens, she scrambled flawlessly and finished with just 26 putts, underscoring her short-game precision.

“She played absolutely an ‘A’ game for sure,” said Thitikul, who played alongside Lee. “I never saw her miss at all.”

Thitikul, poised for a career-defining breakthrough after two stellar rounds, crumbled under pressure and tough conditions. The Thai ace opened with bogeys on Nos. 3 and 6, briefly recovered with a birdie on No. 8, but bogeyed three of her next six holes to limp home with a 76. Her 38-38 card dropped her to solo second at 214.

She hit just seven fairways with a 257-yard driving norm, missed eight greens and needed 32 putts – far from her sharp form in the earlier rounds.

The gusts didn’t spare the rest of the field. In strong contention after the second round, Rio Takeda and Somi Lee faltered badly. Takeda ballooned to an 80 to plunge to joint 18th at 221, while Lee settled for a 76 to fall into a tie for 10th at 219.

Lexi Thompson struggled as well, shooting a 75 to drop to a share of third at 217 alongside Hye Jin Choi and Miyu Yamashita, who posted rounds of 72 and 73, respectively.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda held her ground, posting a gritty 72 for a 218. She's tied for sixth with Leona Maguire (72), Yealimi Noh (74), and Chisato Iwai (75). But needing to erase an eight-shot deficit, the multi-titled Olympic gold medalist Korda faces an uphill battle in the final round.

Meanwhile, ICTSI-backed Filipinas Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan couldn’t make headway either as the former stumbled to a 76 after a solid 72 and dropped to a share of 62nd at 227. Pagdanganan fared worse, shooting a 78 and sliding to joint 69th at 229.

As the winds continue to wreak havoc, Lee’s calm demeanor, creative shot-making, and flawless scrambling have positioned her for a return to major glory. With just 18 holes to go and a four-shot cushion, the championship is now hers to win – or lose.