[Winner's Club] Minji Lee, the Magic Broomstick

Major KPMG Women's PGA Championship Victory
Return to the Top After Switching to a Broomstick Putter
Stable Par Saves on the Final Two Holes of the Last Round

Minji Lee became a major champion after changing her putter.

On June 22 (local time), at Fields Ranch East Course (par 72) in Frisco, Texas, Minji Lee won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the third major tournament of the LPGA Tour season, by three strokes. With this victory, she claimed her 11th LPGA Tour trophy, 20 months after her previous win at the BMW Ladies Championship in October 2023. This marks her third major title, following the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship and the 2022 US Women's Open.

Minji Lee is sinking the par putt with a broomstick putter on the 18th hole of the 4th round at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship to secure her victory. Frisco, USA - Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Minji Lee struggled with putting last year. She finished 43rd on the money list, her worst season since her debut in 2015. While she is known for her strong mid- and long-range putting, she often missed short putts within 2 meters. To address this weakness, she began using a broomstick putter starting from the season opener. Her decision proved wise. With the so-called "broomstick magic," she returned to the top tier of players by winning a major championship.

The broomstick putter is known for its strong straight-line performance, making it advantageous for short putts. However, it has a drawback in that it can be difficult to control distance on long putts. Minji Lee demonstrated her stable putting ability by saving par on both the 17th hole (par 3) and the 18th hole (par 4), securing her victory. Lee commented, "I played with patience. It was truly a battle with myself," and added, "Some of my driver shots were messy, but I focused on preventing them from leading to major mistakes. I'm satisfied with how the broomstick putter is working for me."

<Clubs Used by Minji Lee in Her KPMG Women's PGA Championship Victory>

Driver: Callaway Elite (10.5 degrees)

Fairway Wood: Callaway Elite (16.5, 21 degrees)

Irons: Srixon MK2 (#5-PW)

Wedges: Callaway Opus (52, 56, 60 degrees)

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser 7 CS

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X *Source: Golf.com