Minjee Lee Wins Women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East
FRISCO — If the caliber of a golf course is best measured by the greatness of its champions, PGA Frisco’s 3-year-old Fields Ranch East is off to a birdie-birdie start.
Australia native and Irving resident Minjee Lee conquered the wind, heat and world-class field to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship by three shots Sunday, her third major title.
Lee, 29, joins fellow Fields East winner Steve Stricker, whose May 2023 Senior PGA Championship here is among his pile of seven PGA Tour Champions major titles.
On a brutal week when the scoring average on par-72 East was 75.596, Lee finished 4 under, was among only three players who finished under par and was the only player with two rounds in the 60s.
The Tournament
“I feel mentally fried right now,” Lee said, moments after taking a champagne swig, after about 10 of her LPGA colleagues, most of them Aussies, sprayed her on the 18th green.
Lee entered the day with a four-shot lead and extended it to five, but after her advantage dwindled to two, she held off Floridian Auston Kim and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen (both 1 under) by playing the final eight holes in 1 under.
“The wind, for sure, and the heat,” Lee said of the week’s biggest challenges. “It wasn’t even the golf course layout itself. I mean, I think it was fine. The wind was so heavily influencing the ball that the pin placements, some of them just felt like you just couldn’t get near it.”
Contrasting Victories
Lee’s path to victory and that of Stricker in 2023 could not have been more contrasting, with Stricker shooting 18 under and winning in a playoff.
After Stricker’s victory, 752 days elapsed before the Women’s PGA. Now the May 20-23, 2027, PGA Championship at Fields East is on the clock, ticking at 697 days from now.
Course Preparations
PGA Chief Championship Officer and course setup master Kerry Haigh in two major championships here has had the impossible task of pleasing 312 Goldilocks.
Some of the senior men grumbled about slanted tee boxes and the LPGA players’ complaints included unreachable par 5s and unhittable par-3 greens.
The porridge was too tepid for the seniors, too hot for the ladies and now Haigh and staff have 23 months to get it just right for the PGA Championship.
One significant change we know will take place is that the front and back nines used for the seniors and women will flip-flop for the PGA.
Improving the Player Experience
“As we continue to evaluate all aspects of our Championships, we strive to provide the best possible major championship experience for everyone,” Women’s PGA and PGA Championship tournament director Jason Mengel told The Dallas Morning News via email.
“This process led us to switching the front and back nines for the 2027 PGA Championship. This will allow for more spectators to view the finishing holes, which creates an enhanced atmosphere for players.
“It is not unprecedented for courses to have different routing when hosting Major Championships.”
Course preparations for the 2027 PGA will begin this week, with the Fields Ranch course maintenance staff receiving the hole-by-parameters for where the new rough lines will be.
Conclusion
Overall, the two majors that have been played here should be considered a success, especially since Fields East just opened in 2023. Course designer Gil Hanse reminded us this week that most new courses take seven or eight years to mature.
For decades we had been told that the reasons for the lack of major golf championships played in North Texas were twofold:
One, a lack of elite courses that had ample space for parking, hospitality and other infrastructure. Two, it’s too freaking hot here in the summer months, when the U.S. Open and PGA Championships traditionally were played.
Fortunately that won’t be an issue for the May 2027 PGA Championship. Now Fields East and the PGA have 23 months to get The Big One just right.
FAQs
Q: Who won the Women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East?
A: Minjee Lee won the Women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East.
Q: What was the scoring average on par-72 East during the tournament?
A: The scoring average on par-72 East during the tournament was 75.596.
Q: When is the next PGA Championship at Fields East?
A: The next PGA Championship at Fields East is scheduled for May 20-23, 2027.
