Leona Maguire had to settle for a top-20 finish as Australia’s Minjee Lee held her nerve to win her third major title by three shots at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Maguire started the day in a share of sixth place and while she enjoyed a steady start, and remained in contention with the leaders dropping shots, however, a bogey arrived on the eighth hole, and then the challenge ended early on the back nine.
A double-bogey for the Cavan native on the 12th was followed up by another on 13 and while she made birdie on 17, there was another dropped shot on the final hole, which resulted in a six-over tournament finish and a tie for 19th place, alongside world number one Nelly Korda.
Lee failed to replicate her stunning third-round score of 69 that had swept her into a four-stroke lead heading into the final day.
But her two-over tally of 74 was still enough to earn her a four-under total of 284 and see off the late-charging duo Chanettee Wannasaen and Auston Kim who both fired four-under 68s to earn them a share of second place.
After a bogey-free Saturday, Lee had three in the first six holes on Sunday to give her rivals hope, but back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th effectively secured her victory.
Japan’s Chisato Iwai did enough to secure a share of fourth place with Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, the early leader, who carded a three-over final round of 75 to finish five strokes adrift.
