Minjee Lee Bio
Minjee Lee (born 27 May 1996) is an Australian professional golfer from Perth, Western Australia, widely regarded as one of the most consistent players of her generation on the LPGA Tour. A three-time major champion, she has captured the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship, the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open, and the 2025 Women’s PGA Championship. Beyond her major titles, Lee has accumulated 14 professional victories across the LPGA Tour, the Ladies European Tour, and the WPGA Tour of Australasia.
Lee has also earned three Greg Norman Medals as Australia’s top professional golfer, and she became the first player to win the Rolex Annika Major Award on two occasions. In 2025, she was honored as the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year.
Early Life and Background
Minjee Lee was born on 27 May 1996 in Perth, Western Australia, to parents Soonam and Clara Lee, both of whom emigrated from South Korea to Australia in the early 1990s. Growing up in Perth placed her close to several prestigious golf clubs, including Royal Fremantle Golf Club, where much of her early development took place. Her family’s immigrant background and the strong golf culture of Western Australia helped shape her early connection to the sport.
Lee attended Methodist Ladies’ College in Perth, where she became the youngest winner of the WA Amateur Open in 2010, while still a Year 9 student. At the start of 2012, she transferred to Corpus Christi College to be closer to Royal Fremantle Golf Club, and she left Corpus Christi in 2013. The decision to switch schools reflected her growing commitment to competitive golf at a national and international level.
Path to Professional Golf
Lee’s amateur career moved quickly. In 2012, she won the U.S. Girls’ Junior, announcing herself as a world-class talent at age 16. The following year, she won the Australian Women’s Amateur in 2013 and successfully defended the title in 2014, demonstrating her consistency in match play and stroke play formats.
In February 2014, Lee won the Oates Victorian Open on the ALPG Tour and rose to the number one position in the world amateur rankings on 26 February 2014. She held that top spot until she turned professional in September 2014, after leading Australia to victory in the Espirito Santo Trophy. Her rapid amateur rise made her one of the most anticipated prospects entering the LPGA Tour.
Minjee Lee Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
Lee’s professional career began in September 2014, and she made an immediate impact. On 18 May 2015, she captured her first LPGA Tour victory at the Kingsmill Championship. That early breakthrough confirmed her status as a rising star and gave her valuable experience competing at the highest level week in and week out.
In 2016, Lee added two more titles, winning the Lotte Championship in April and the Blue Bay LPGA in October. She also represented Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, finishing in a tie for seventh in the women’s golf competition. That same year, her younger brother Min Woo Lee won the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur, making them the first brother-sister pair to capture USGA junior championships.
LPGA Breakthrough (2017–2020)
Lee continued to build her reputation across 2017 and 2018. In April 2018, she lost the LPGA Mediheal Championship in a playoff to Lydia Ko, but on 27 May 2018, her birthday, she won the LPGA Volvik Championship. She finished 2018 ranked second on the LPGA money list with $1,551,032 in earnings and second in scoring average at 69.75 shots per round. That season she also became the first woman to win the Greg Norman Medal, recognizing Australia’s top professional golfer on the world stage.
On 28 April 2019, Lee won the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open, her fifth LPGA Tour victory. Within weeks she had risen to number two in the Women’s World Golf Rankings, although her profile in her home country remained modest. She continued to refine her game through 2020, posting strong finishes and steadily building toward her first major title.
Major Championship Era (2021–2022)
On 25 July 2021, Lee claimed her first major championship, the Amundi Evian Championship, in dramatic fashion. She came from seven strokes behind in the final round and defeated Lee Jeong-eun on the first playoff hole. Later that year, she qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and finished 29th in the women’s competition, missing the medal places.
In 2022, Lee won the Cognizant Founders Cup on 15 May, beating Lexi Thompson by two strokes. Just weeks later, on 5 June 2022, she won the U.S. Women’s Open by four strokes over Mina Harigae, earning a then-record $1.8 million payday from a $10 million purse, the largest in women’s golf history at the time. She finished the season by winning the Aon Risk Reward Challenge and a $1,000,000 bonus for the 2022 LPGA Tour season. In November 2022, she also received the Rolex Annika Major Award.
Continued Dominance (2023–2025)
Lee captured her third Greg Norman Medal in 2023, further cementing her position as Australia’s leading golfer. In June 2025, she won her third major championship at the Women’s PGA Championship, completing the third leg of her major collection. The following month, she finished third at the Evian Championship, one stroke shy of a two-way playoff.
In August 2025, Lee became the first person to win the Rolex Annika Major Award on two occasions. In October 2025, she helped Australia win the International Crown for the first time, one of the marquee team events in women’s golf. She closed the year as the 2025 Western Australian Sports Star of the Year.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lee’s career is studded with signature performances, from her 2021 Evian Championship rally to her record-shattering 2022 U.S. Women’s Open win. Her 271 total at Pine Needles set a championship scoring record, and her runner-up Mina Harigae earned $1,080,000, marking the first time two women’s golf prizes exceeded $1 million in the same event.
Minjee Lee Career Wins
Minjee Lee has compiled 14 professional victories across multiple tours, including 11 LPGA Tour titles, three Ladies European Tour wins (two of which were co-sanctioned), and two ALPG Tour wins. She has also recorded three major championship victories, placing her among the most successful Australian golfers in history.
LPGA Tour Highlights
Lee’s first LPGA Tour win came at the 2015 Kingsmill Championship, and she has since added titles at events including the Lotte Championship, Blue Bay LPGA, LPGA Volvik Championship, Hugel-Air Premia LA Open, Cognizant Founders Cup, U.S. Women’s Open, and the 2025 Women’s PGA Championship. Her 2022 U.S. Women’s Open victory, by four strokes over Mina Harigae, is widely regarded as her defining competitive performance.
Other Wins and Performances
Lee’s non-LPGA victories include ALPG Tour and Ladies European Tour events such as the 2014 Oates Victorian Open, won as an amateur. She has also been a key contributor to Australian team success, helping the country win the Espirito Santo Trophy in 2014 and the International Crown in 2025.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPGA Tour | 11 | TBD | TBD |
| Ladies European Tour | 3 | TBD | TBD |
| ALPG Tour | 2 | TBD | TBD |
Minjee Lee Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Lee’s parents, Soonam and Clara Lee, are both originally from South Korea and emigrated to Australia in the early 1990s before Minjee was born. The family settled in Perth, and the city’s strong golf environment played a key role in Minjee’s introduction to the sport.
Personal Life
Lee’s younger brother, Min Woo Lee, is also a professional golfer. In 2016, Min Woo won the U.S. Junior Amateur, making the Lees the first brother-sister pair to win USGA junior championships. The siblings remain close and have both represented Australia in team competitions.
2025 Season Performance
Minjee Lee’s 2025 season was highlighted by her third major championship victory at the Women’s PGA Championship in June, a win that added to her already impressive major resume. She followed that title with a third-place finish at the Evian Championship in July, falling one stroke short of a two-way playoff. Her major form throughout the year positioned her among the leading players in the Women’s World Golf Rankings.
Off the course of majors, Lee earned the 2025 Rolex Annika Major Award in August, becoming the first player to receive the honor twice. In October, she helped Australia win the International Crown for the first time, a breakthrough team result for Australian women’s golf.
Lee closed 2025 as the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year, capping a campaign that blended individual major success with national team achievement. With three major titles and 14 professional wins to her name before her 30th birthday, she continues to shape the modern era of women’s golf.