‘A great of Australian sport': how Minjee Lee rose to top in a golden era of women's golf
Related: Australia's Minjee Lee wins historic third major at Women's PGA Championship
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A 19-month winless run. A collapse at last year's US Open. An adoption of the broomstick putter, a very public symbol that everything was not right. But those experiences were consigned to the past after sinking a par putt on 18 in Frisco. 'It's very different, because I feel like I had a lot of doubt the past few years,' she said. 'I think this one just means a little bit more to me.'
The West Australian won by three strokes to earn $2.8m and become only the third Australian golfer to claim three different major championships, after Karrie Webb and Jan Stephenson. Even Greg Norman only found major success at a single tournament, the Open Championship, in his two victories.
Lee's coach Ritchie Smith said it can be difficult to comprehend just how much Lee has achieved. 'It's a golden era for women's golf, and she's still a great,' he said. 'It's hard for me to say, because I'm her coach and I'm biased. I don't think she's just a great of golf, I think she's a great of Australian sport.'
The likes of Ash Barty, Sam Kerr, Lauren Jackson, Ellyse Perry and Stephanie Gilmore have been recognised as Australia's most successful female sportspeople in the past decade, all as standard bearers in globally competitive sports. But while Lee had risen to become the second-ranked golfer in the world by 2019, her profile – at least in Australia – was not at the same level as her peers. Outside the men's majors, golf does not have the same cut-through or broad appeal as other codes, and when it does reach a broader Australian consciousness, it is usually thanks to the achievements of PGA stars such as Adam Scott or 2022 Open Championship winner Cameron Smith. Lee's softly-spoken manner and reserved demeanour is also less than a natural fit with publicity.
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Her profile has even been challenged by her younger brother Min Woo, now Australia's top-ranked men's golfer. He has emerged as a legitimate star on the men's PGA Tour over the past two years, with a brash social media status enhanced by a stream of celebrity colabs.
But over 11 years on the LPGA tour, Minjee's winnings still dwarf the prize money won by her brother, and are approaching US$20m. Even if the younger Lee passes that figure, he almost certainly will not end his career with anything near the list of her accomplishments. Minjee Lee is only the fifth active player to have won three majors alongside Lydia Ko, Yani Tseng, In Gee Chun and Anna Nordqvist, and only Ko is younger.
The Australian knows she should have had another too, after she led by three shots in the final round of last year's US Open before she 'blew up' – as she described afterwards – to finish ninth. Across Lee's many years as a professional, Smith has observed how she handles defeat less with disappointment and more with embarrassment, and the US Open result was about as bad as it could get. On the sport's highest stage, there was Lee, fully exposed.
'To capitulate the way that she did last year, it had a really negative effect on her,' Smith said. 'So to reinvest into actually being in a vulnerable position like that, it takes a long time, and this is what people don't understand. 'She's risked being vulnerable in front of a whole heap of people, and I couldn't be prouder of her to be honest, because that's a scary proposition.'
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Lee was asked by the host in the trophy ceremony whether she now wishes she had adopted the longer putter 'a little bit earlier'. She laughed and said 'no'. It was an acknowledgement of the importance of her recent adversity.
Rather than just biomechanics, Smith said Lee has undergone psychological change. 'She's been so guarded and stoic for her whole career,' he said. 'And now, if you have a look at her, her interview at the end of the round, there were actual emotions, she shed a tear – which is probably the first time she's ever done that.'
Smith believes the process means Lee can now be happier in the sport. 'All of her 'being' revolved around being a really great golfer, but when you emotionally disengage a little bit, then all of a sudden you can be the person that you want to be. And I don't know if you notice, but she smiles a lot more now.'
Lee admits the criticism affected her. 'The more I heard, like the media and other people saying things about my putting, I think it got to me more and more over time.' Yet that difficult period is now over. A major winner again, Lee said this week's triumph – highlighted by a champagne shower on the 18th green delivered by those familiar with her struggles – was 'my most deserved'.
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USA Today
22 minutes ago
- USA Today
Timeline of most notable NFL contract holdouts in history
For yet another year, contract holdouts have become one of the biggest storylines out of NFL training camp, with the Dallas Cowboys' dispute with edge rusher Micah Parsons dominating recent headlines. It's a second straight year that Dallas is dealing with one of its star players holding out – wide receiver CeeDee Lamb did the same last year before signing an extension. Holdout situations are not a new phenomenon for the Cowboys, a team that consistently deals with more than its fair share of off-the-field drama and distractions. However, Dallas isn't the only team in NFL history to experience rough patches in contract negotiations, even if the Cowboys have been dealing with them more frequently lately. Here's a timeline of some of the most notable contract holdouts in NFL history, as well as a Cowboys-specific timeline detailing their disputes over the years: EXCLUSIVE: Jerry Jones unplugged. He talks Micah Parsons contract Notable NFL contract holdout timeline Dickerson set the all-time, single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in 1984 and wanted to cash in on his success with a new contract. When the Rams refused, Dickerson sat out the first two games of the 1985 season before eventually returning to action and helping Los Angeles to the playoffs with his 1,234 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. The running back's contract issues with the Rams were never fully resolved, and he was subsequently traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 1987. The Buccaneers hosted Jackson on a visit to team facilities while he was still in college, but their use of a private plane to get him there rendered him ineligible to play his final season of college baseball. Jackson was so furious with Tampa Bay that he refused to play for them despite being the No. 1 overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft. He went on to begin his baseball career with the Kansas City Royals instead. The next year, the then-Los Angeles Raiders drafted Jackson in the seventh round, with then-Raiders owner Al Davis allowing Jackson to wait to report to the team until the baseball season ended. Jackson played four years with the Raiders before a hip injury forced him to retire from the sport. One year after Jackson made headlines for sitting out the 1986 season as the No. 1 pick, Stouffer – the sixth overall pick by the then-St. Louis Cardinals in 1987 – sat out all of his rookie season due to contract issues. The Cardinals moved to Arizona the following year and traded Stouffer to Seattle for two fifth-round picks and a first-rounder. Stouffer played in 22 games for the Seahawks and went 5-11 in his 16 starts for the team. Russell's holdout lasted all of his first training camp and extended through the first week of the 2007 regular season before the Raiders signed their No. 1 overall pick to a six-year deal. Perhaps in hindsight, the Raiders wish they had let that holdout continue indefinitely. After playing out his first three seasons with the Jets, Revis sat out all of training camp and preseason action waiting for a new contract. He finally got a four-year deal with New York a week before the team's regular-season opener. Thomas took a page out of Revis' book when it came to his contract negotiations, though his story had a less happy ending. The Seahawks' safety sat out all of training camp and preseason activities as he held out for a contract, but never ended up reaching an agreement before he returned to the team just in time for Week 1. Four weeks later, Thomas was flipping the bird to the Seahawks' sideline as he was carted off the field with a broken leg. It was his last game in Seattle. In January 2018, Bell warned the Steelers that he'd consider sitting out the season if the team were to place the franchise tag on him for a second straight year. That March, the Steelers used the franchise tag on Bell, who refused to sign the tag and went on to sit out the entirety of the 2018 season. He signed with the Jets in free agency the following offseason. Gordon had been averaging over 900 yards per season in his first four years with the Chargers heading into his fifth-year option season with Los Angeles, and he wanted to cash in on an extension. He went on to hold out of training camp, the preseason and the first three games of the regular season before reporting to the team with no new deal. Gordon started 11 games and rushed for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in his last year with the team that drafted him. Jones is one of the most recent notable holdouts in the NFL. His began at the end of July 2023, when the defensive tackle did not report to Chiefs training camp, and continued until after Week 1 of the 2023 regular season. Jones still took in the Chiefs' Week 1 game against the Lions from his suite at Arrowhead Stadium before signing a one-year deal and returning to the team in time for Week 2. Jones went on to have a career year for Kansas City, recording 10.5 sacks and making his second straight All-Pro first team. After the season, he signed a five-year extension worth $158.75 million. OPINION: Would trading Micah Parsons give Cowboys owner Jerry Jones a new Herschel Walker moment? Notable Cowboys contract holdouts Thomas' story is one of the NFL's most fascinating. The 1970 first-round pick led the league in rush yards per attempt in his rookie season, then demanded a reworked contract ahead of his second year. The Cowboys didn't play ball, and Thomas ripped into the team before refusing to report to training camp. Dallas then traded the running back to the New England Patriots, but the Patriots petitioned then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle to void the trade within days, thanks to Thomas butting heads with head coach John Mazur. So Thomas headed back to Dallas and refused to speak to his fellow players, coaches or the media during the 1971 season, a season in which he led the league in touchdowns before the Cowboys went on to win the Super Bowl. Dallas traded him to the Chargers the following offseason. Smith led the NFL in rushing yards (1,713) and touchdowns (18) in 1992, then sat out of training camp and the Cowboys' first two games in 1993. Dallas went 0-2 without Smith, then paid him with a four-year, $13.6 million deal. He went on to lead the league once again in rushing yards (1,486), won the MVP, and helped the Cowboys win another Super Bowl, where he was named the game's MVP as well. After three excellent seasons with the Cowboys to begin his career, Elliott held out almost all of training camp for a new contract before his fourth season began. The result was a six-year, $90 million extension, which preceded four consecutive years of declining production before Dallas released him in 2023. After an excellent nine seasons with Dallas to start his career – nine years that included six appearances on the All-Pro first team – Martin held out of training camp while trying to receive a new deal from the Cowboys. Ironically, team owner/general manager Jerry Jones said at the time that part of the reason he and the team were hardballing negotiations was because "We've got a guy out here, (Micah) Parsons, who's going to need a little money,' ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. Martin received his deal – a two-year, $36.85 million contract – and played it out before retiring after last year. Before Parsons, Lamb was the most recent Cowboys holdout. He didn't attend any offseason activities with the team after leading the league with 135 catches and setting career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. The holdout ended when he signed his four-year, $136 million deal in late August last year.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Micah Parsons rumors tracker: Latest news on Cowboys star amid contract dispute with Jerry Jones
Micah Parsons rumors tracker: Latest news on Cowboys star amid contract dispute with Jerry Jones originally appeared on The Sporting News Cowboys star Micah Parsons says he wants out of Dallas, but is his trade request anything more than a negotiating ploy? Jerry Jones continues to be confident a deal will get done to keep Parsons in a Cowboys uniform long-term, but the former All-Pro pass-rusher isn't budging to this point — and the bad blood between the two sides raises questions about how likely an extension is as the season approaches. Parsons became extension-eligible after the 2023 season, but 2024 came and went without a new deal, as did the bulk of the 2025 offseason. Parsons can play for the 2025 season on his fifth-year option, but he has made it clear he prefers a trade over another season in Dallas without long-term security. 📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp The Sporting News is tracking the latest trade rumors surrounding Parsons as his stalemate with the Cowboys continues. MORE:Full timeline of Micah Parsons' contract dispute with Cowboys Micah Parsons trade rumors Jerry Jones pours cold water on Parsons trade talk Date: Aug. 2 Source: Jerry Jones Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shrugged off Parsons' trade request on Saturday, telling reports that the development was just a regular part of contract negotiations. "Don't lose any sleep over it," Jones said. "That's the one thing I would say to our fans, 'Don't lose any sleep over it.'" The Cowboys have a history of taking major contract talks right up to the start of the season, though Parsons has gone a step further than recent Dallas stars who negotiated new deals by publicly saying he wants out. Executives don't expect Cowboys to trade Parsons Date: Aug. 1 Source: Jeremy Fowler and Todd Archer, ESPN While executives are shocked that the Cowboys continue to take the same approach with their stars, they don't necessarily believe the Parsons saga will culminate in a trade, ESPN reports. "A separate NFC exec said he does not believe the Cowboys will trade Parsons," ESPN reports, noting that a deal would be difficult to execute due to the draft capital and mega contract required to get it done. Teams planning to check in on Parsons' availability Date: Aug. 1 Source:Dianna Russini, The Athletic While the Cowboys don't plan to fulfill Parsons' trade request, teams are planning to check in on his availability, according to Dianna Russini. Acquiring Parsons would likely require a massive haul even if Dallas was ready to make a deal, but prying him away from the organization that drafted him is likely to be difficult unless the relationship between the two sides breaks down even further. MORE:Examining potential Micah Parsons trade packages Will Cowboys trade Micah Parsons? The Cowboys continue to insist they will get a deal done with Parsons. While Dallas didn't immediately comment on Parsons' trade request, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported the team had no plans to trade the 26-year-old, and Jones told reporters the request "is just a part of negotiation." "Don't lose any sleep over it," Jones said. "That's the one thing I would say to our fans, 'Don't lose any sleep over it.'" Still, teams quickly checked in on Parsons' availability, according to Russini. Until a new contract gets done, the bridges evidently burned between the Cowboys and Parsons at least keep the possibility of a trade on the table. It's worth noting, however, that the Cowboys have taken contract negotiations down to the wire before. Ezekiel Elliott held out for his new deal in 2019 until the week of Dallas' season opener, while CeeDee Lamb's holdout in 2024 lasted until the last week of August. The Cowboys are quite comfortable waiting deep into training camp to get mega deals done, though neither Elliott nor Lamb ever requested a trade. Micah Parsons landing spots Chargers The Chargers are looking to stand out in a division loaded with major names and high-profile quarterbacks. They also have the third-most projected cap space entering the 2026 offseason. Why not make a splash and add a player who can make Patrick Mahomes' life more difficult? L.A. has plenty to offer Parsons, between location, chances of contending, playing for Jim Harbaugh and plenty of money available long-term. The Chargers also have a need at the position with Khalil Mack taking his career year-to-year at this point and Tuli Tuipulotu perhaps the only starting-caliber option still standing if Mack retired or left after 2025. Seahawks The Seahawks got by fine with Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall and Leonard Williams all getting to the quarterback in 2024, and they added Parsons' former teammate Demarcus Lawrence this past offseason to help defend against the run. None of those players can disrupt the way Parsons can disrupt. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald is a defensive-minded leader, and there's no doubt he would be thrilled to have a defensive anchor like Parsons for years to come. Seattle has the sixth-most cap space available this coming season and 10th-most projected cap space available entering the 2026 offseason, so fitting in a new deal for Parsons is realistic. MORE:Complete Madden 26 ratings tracker Bears The Bears might have to move some things around financially to make a Parsons deal work, but they are another team that hopes to contend despite pass-rushing questions. Montez Sweat was heavily disappointing in 2024 after a stellar finish to 2023. He's looking to bounce back under new DC Dennis Allen, while new addition Dayo Odeyingbo is hoping to take advantage of a featured role next to Sweat, but Parsons is on a completely different level than both players and would signal that the Bears will stop at nothing to compete in a loaded NFC North. Colts The Colts have gotten a combined 16.5 sacks out of Kwity Paye over the last two seasons and have second-year edge rusher Laiatu Latu set for a large role this season, but the pass-rush has been lacking in Indianapolis for a number of years — and neither of those pieces rival the kind of impact Parsons can make. It's unlikely the Colts go very far until they get their passing game in order, whether that's with Anthony Richardson or someone else under center, and that could make the idea of trading a premier draft pick for Parsons a major risk. Would it be safer for the Colts to hold onto their top 2026 pick in case they need to draft a quarterback? Possibly. Chris Ballard knows, however, that he might not be in a position to make that pick if Indianapolis' season goes off the rails, particularly after the death of the loyal Jim Irsay. Adding Parsons to the defense would give the Colts a chance to keep up with Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter in Houston or Josh Hines-Allen in Jacksonville. Micah Parsons contract projection Reports all along have indicated Parsons is aiming to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. After a recent three-year, $123 million extension for Steelers star T.J. Watt, that means his new deal would have to exceed $41 million per year. Over four years, a hypothetical $42 million annual salary would come out to a four-year, $168 million deal. $42 million annually over five years would amount to $210 million, which would exceed Nick Bosa's defensive record of $170 million on the five-year deal he signed in 2023. Guaranteed money could also be a sticking point for the Cowboys. Garrett's deal is 77 percent guaranteed, while Watt's deal is 88 percent guaranteed but spans one fewer year. Parsons said after Garrett's deal that a $40 million annual salary was what he was looking for. "I think if I had $40 million, I'd be the happiest man alive," Parsons said in March, months before Watt signed his new deal and raised the ceiling for defensive players.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
How the Micah Parsons dispute embroiled Jerry Jones, Dez Bryant, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj
Entering the final year of his rookie deal, star pass rusher Micah Parsons is looking for a lucrative contract extension from the Dallas Cowboys. Months of back and forth reached a boiling point on Friday, when Parsons posted a letter requesting a trade and explaining why his frustrations ultimately led him to 'no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys.' Advertisement And that, in turn, led to a weekend of responses, including a wild thread involving Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, entertainment mogul Jay-Z, 'Queen of Rap' Nicki Minaj, and former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant. As strange as it sounds, those characters were all joined together by the contract standoff between Parsons and the Cowboys. About 24 hours after Parsons made his public trade request, Jones spoke to reporters at Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, Calif. One of the key issues in the standoff between the Cowboys and Parsons has been the reluctance of Jones, the team's general manager, to speak with Parsons' agent, David Mulugheta. On Saturday, Jones was asked why he doesn't get involved with the agent, which led the owner to reflect on a different negotiation from a decade ago. 'When we have a problem within the team and a player, I don't ever find the agent. He's nowhere to be found,' Jones said. 'Jay-Z said that Dez (Bryant) would make all meetings. Jay-Z and I negotiated the contract. We spent hours negotiating the contract. (Jay-Z) said, 'Anybody in my organization is on time.' He said, 'My office used to be on the street corner, and I've always been early. So, they will be on time.' I said, 'Where do I sign?' But I'm going to call you. He finally quit taking my call.' If that sounds familiar, it's because Jones told the story a little over three months ago at The Star in Frisco, Texas, days before the NFL Draft. At that time, Jones offered the anecdote unprompted, adding on to a question that was asked to Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones about the nature of negotiations. Jones' story got lost in the shuffle of that hour-long press conference focused on the draft. On Saturday, though, his comments caught the attention of Bryant, who took to X to respond, warning Jones that it wasn't smart to mention his name and that Bryant 'kept quiet' about a lot of 'unfair' things. Advertisement The next morning, Roc Nation Sports issued a statement, saying that 'the claim that (Jay-Z) or Roc Nation representatives did not return a call from Jerry Jones is not only a false statement, but it's also a comical one.' Later Sunday, Minaj posted a gif of herself walking down a hallway with the caption, 'I hope Jerry Jones is having a great day.' An hour and a half later, Minaj quote-tweeted Bryant's post about Jones from the day before. 'How about we play a game?' Minaj wrote. 'Every time you do a 'Jerry Jones' or 'NFL' story time, I'll do a 'story time' of my own.' Bryant quote-tweeted Minaj with the eyeball emoji and a gif, reading, 'I want to play a game.' Minaj then quote-tweeted Bryant with another gif, referencing her contentious history with Jay-Z, Roc Nation and its CEO, Desiree Perez. For context, Minaj has been vocal about her issues with Roc Nation. On July 8, she posted the same gif of her walking down a hallway, while claiming that Jay-Z owes her up to $200 million. That claim centers on her equity in Tidal, Jay-Z's music streaming service, which was sold in 2021. Bryant ultimately gathered that he was caught in a dispute between Minaj and Roc Nation that went beyond himself. He quote-tweeted Minaj's post with a video, saying, 'Look, Ms. Nicki. Leave me out of it. I don't want no problems. I'm a huge fan. I hope you're having a great day.' It was too late for Bryant, though. Minaj responded with a post that began with, 'It's Mrs. Petty' and ended with 'See the problem with ppl who are always playing, is that they think everyone else is playing, too. I'd mind my business if I were you. Be blessed.' Bryant tried to disengage, but things escalated from there, with Minaj referencing a 2012 news story when Bryant was arrested for allegedly assaulting his mother; Bryant defending himself and referring to Minaj's husband's past guilty plea for attempted rape; Minaj offering Bryant $10 million to fight her husband; and Bryant saying he would 'stomp' her husband before reiterating his allegiance to Roc Nation. There were a number of feuds crossing over — Bryant vs. Jones, Minaj vs. Roc Nation, and now Bryant vs. Minaj. And at the root of it all was the Cowboys' inability to sign a star pass rusher to a contract extension.
