Aussie superstar pays tribute to family after winning historic major

23-06-2025

Cementing her greatness, Australian golf superstar Minjee Lee has held her nerve to capture a historic third career major with a steely victory at the mega-money Women's PGA Championship in Texas.
Lee had her four-shot overnight lead slashed in half early in the final round before hanging on, then surging gamely for a three-shot triumph in more extremely trying conditions at PGA Frisco's windswept Fields Ranch East course.
The 29-year-old bogeyed three of the first six holes in an understandably anxious start before steadying to close with a sufficiently sound two-over-par 74 on championship Sunday (Monday AEST).
'Just stick to my game plan. It's a battle against myself pretty much, especially with how tough the conditions were this whole week,' Lee said of her final-round approach.
'Not just today. It's just amplified today because it's a major Sunday, but yeah, just be patient, take every shot as it comes.
'I pretty much I saw every single leaderboard and I knew exactly where I was, pretty much all of today, so I checked the scores and then I just came back to each shot and tried to execute it the best that I could, so I played within myself today.'
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Lee finished with a 72-hole four-under 284 total to deny fast-finishing American Auston Kim (68) and Thai Chanetee Wannasaen (68) improbable comeback victories at the third women's major of the year.
In adding to her 2021 Evian Championship triumph and 2022 US Open success, Lee completed the third leg of women's golf's fabled grand slam to edge ever closer to a place in the sport's Hall of Fame.
The British Open and Chevron Championship are the only two majors to elude Lee.
Just as significantly, Lee joined legends — and fellow females — Karrie Webb and Jan Stephenson as only the third Australian golfer in history to win three different major championships.
With three majors, Lee also surpassed the great Greg Norman and David Graham on Australia's all-time majors winning list.
Lee now only trails seven-times major champion Webb and five-times British Open winner Thomson.
Sunday's victory also snapped a 19-month winless run, the longest drought of her decorated career, and secured Australian women's sport's highest earner another monster cheque of $US1.8 million ($A2.8 million).
Perhaps most gratifying of all, the Perth prodigy also buried the demons from last year's spectacular final-round crash at the US Open.
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Lee opened up a three-stroke back-nine lead only to collapse down the stretch to finish tied for ninth at Lancaster Country Club.
The sister of PGA Tour star Min Woo Lee paid a heartfelt tribute to her family after pocketing the monster winning and enhancing her status as Australian sport's highest-earning women's athlete.
'At this point in your career, I mean, my parents have sacrificed so much for me to be here,' Lee said with her mother and career-long coach greenside.
'I can't say more things than I've already. It's just extra special that I could win in front of them and obviously wherever Min is, he's supporting me out there.
'He's a social media nut so he's all on top of that, so it is really cool.
'And obviously my dad's back in Aus — I don't know what time it is there — but he's tuning in and they've always got my back, so it's really nice and it's great support and unconditional.'

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Ryan Daniels: Inside Harley Reid's contract talks and the multi-million dollar offers on the table

West Australian

7 hours ago

West Australian

Ryan Daniels: Inside Harley Reid's contract talks and the multi-million dollar offers on the table

It wasn't quite high-powered Wall Street execs in Armani suits, marching in to close a billion-dollar deal — but the stakes, in a footy sense, were just as high. Harley's Melbourne-based manager Nick Geischen rolled into town, and while he didn't utter the words 'Show Me the Money', he didn't need to. The phrase was emanating from his $24 million smile. It's been a hectic week in Harley-world, with a somewhat surprising shift in the situation. Earlier this year, the Eagles put forward multiple contract options to Harley's team. Three, five, seven-year deals — a pick-your-own-adventure approach. Nothing came of it. which had people thinking — he's gone. Even before the Eagles drafted him, there was talk Harley would bail. That the Eagles would be better off trading the pick. Victorian journalist Sam McLure now famously declared 'they won't pick him, Mitch (Cleary)' — suggesting West Coast would be better off passing on one of the most prodigious talents the draft has seen in years — just to avoid the inevitable messy exit. It's always been perceived as a matter of when Harley will leave, not if . Then, the twist. Geischen had come bearing gifts — a proposal for West Coast. An 11-year deal. $2.2 million per year, on average. $24 million all up. The largest deal in AFL history. More money per year than Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins. Unprecedented numbers across the board. While it sounds like monopoly money, in 11 years, $2.2 million won't be as crazy as it sounds right now. By then, Harley will be 32 and potentially edging out of his prime — but with the growth of the AFL's salary cap, he might end up a bargain at some stage. Remember, back in 1994 Alastair Lynch signed a ten-year deal for $1 million — at $100,000 per season, people lost their minds at the money. By the time Lynch retired, he was woefully underpaid. As part of this proposed deal, Harley would have the option to leave after two years. If not, he'd be here until the end of 2037. Let that sink in. In 2037 we might actually have flying cars and robot slaves. Or we'll be slaves to the robots. I'll be 54 years old. Bring me a pair of warm slippers, a glass of prune juice, and cap it off with a few episodes of Murder She Wrote. Maybe my idea of what it's like to be 54 is a little dated — but you get the point — 2037 is an eternity away. Harley's people bringing this to the table signals his intention to stay — if terms can be agreed. So, what's changed? Nothing, really. All along we've heard Harley, the Eagles, even his management declare the young midfielder was taking his time, happy in Perth. In recent weeks Reid's form has elevated, he's exhibiting an edge, leadership around the club. He's forming strong bonds with teammates. My understanding is he's told Andrew McQualter he wants to stay. At 20, he's living on his own, cooking, cleaning, he's got a dog. He's handling the media/fan pressure superbly. Some 20-year-olds can barely remember to flush the toilet. This kid is settled. Credit to the Eagles for an environment where a country kid from the other side of Australia feels comfortable, happy. Saying that, nothing is guaranteed here. The new proposal isn't quite a gun to the head, an ultimatum — but it's not miles off it. This is how keeping Harley Reid looks. If that's too rich, there will be other suitors. It's a fairly simple situation — other than the overwhelming commitment. That's the holdup, if there is one. No one saw this coming. Not even the Eagles. The deal, or at least the sheer enormity of it, has blindsided West Coast. They've taken a pause. In the month following the contract proposal landing in their inbox, there's been no response. Some meals take a lot longer to digest, and this is like going to a steak joint and being served an entire cow. Don't panic Eagles fans, they know what they have in Harley. They love him. If they believe they've found the sun which all other planets can rotate around, that he could be their Dustin Martin, their Patrick Dangerfield, then they need to do it. Maybe it's a slight variation of this proposed deal, a happy compromise, but they can't get too cute here. Harley could be the AFL's best player within a few years. Yes, a deal that long, with that kind of financial commitment comes with risk. In my opinion, it's a risk worth taking. This kid is special. He wants to be here and he's box office. After a disastrous four years at the West Coast Eagles, the signature of Harley Reid would be a significant victory and a sign that things might finally be turning around. Years of endless chat about a move back to Victoria for Harley, now the Eagles have a chance to keep their man. They just need to sign on the dotted line.