West Australian Minjee Lee will start the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship with a four-stroke lead following a flawless display on day three at PGA Frisco. On a day in which firm greens and winds that whipped across the golf course saw East Fields Ranch play to an average of 76.065, the only two players to break par were both Australians. Lee delivered an exceptional show of ball-striking and scrambling to record the first bogey-free round of the week, a 3-under 69 that will go down in Australian golf folklore if she goes on to claim a third major championship. Grace Kim climbed 58 spots into a tie for 10th by matching the low round of the week – 4-under 68 – but Lee’s performance in the toughest of the conditions has her poised to add to her legend as one of Australia's greats.

Statistically speaking, the 29-year-old’s round was without fault:

• 1st in Scrambling (7/7)

• T1st in Sand Saves (3/3)

• 2nd in Strokes Gained: Total (6.615)

• 4th in Strokes Gained: Putting (3.335)

• 4th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (1.917)

• 5th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (3.280)

Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul (76) is the only player within seven strokes of Lee as she seeks to add to her 2021 Amund Evian Championship and 2022 US Women’s Open victories and become the fourth Australian winner of the Women's PGA Championship, joining Jan Stephenson (1982), Karrie Webb (2001) and Hannah Green (2019). “Major Sunday is like no other,” said Lee, who is seeking to become just the fourth Australian with at least three major championships. “Regardless of where you are (on the leaderboard), I don’t think you’re really ever in a comfortable position until you’re holding that trophy. “I’ve had both experiences and I’m sure both of them will help me tomorrow. “This is Round 3, so I have to still dig deep and post a score, even with a four-shot lead. “I’m just going to put my head down and just work on the things that I can do and do it to the best of my ability.” Three back at the start of play on Saturday, Lee opened with eight straight pars before making her first birdie of the day by getting up-and-down from the greenside bunker at the par-5 ninth. That was enough to draw within one of Thitikul at the turn, three straight pars to start the back nine handing Lee top spot as Thitikul dropped shots at 11 and 12. The first of two straight birdies at 14 and Thitikul’s bogey saw the Aussie take full command, closing out one of the best rounds of her career with a final up-and-down from the back of the 18th green. “I think I played really well within myself today,” Lee added. “Took the birdies when I could and made really great up-and-downs when I was out of position. “I’m going to try and stick to the same game plan and get it over the line tomorrow.” Out in the third group of the day, Kim’s remarkable round featured six birdies to put the 24-year-old in position for a maiden major championship top 10. “I had very similar conditions this morning as I did yesterday afternoon, so I kind of knew what I had to do, how low I had to keep the ball or how well I had to control the ball,” said Kim. “It’s tough. It’s a major, so it’s a given. I think it does get to a point where some pins just didn’t quite match the wind conditions so that makes it extra tough. “Everyone is in the same boat, so just got to kind of cop one on the chin.” Gabi Ruffels improved her position on the leaderboard by 18 spots with a round of 3-over 75, Karis Davidson advancing one spot into a tie for 43rd with a 4-over 76. Photo: Ryan Lochhead/PGA of America Round 3 Australasian scores 1 Minjee Lee -6 T10 Grace Kim +3 T26 Lydia Ko (NZ) +6 T43 Karis Davidson +9 T43 Stephanie Kyriacou +9 T50 Gabriela Ruffels +10 T69 Hannah Green +13 78 Hira Naveed +21 MC Robyn Choi +8 MC Cassie Porter +10 Round 4 tee times AEST 12am Lydia Ko (NZ) 12:05am* Karis Davidson 12:16am* Stephanie Kyriacou 12:27am* Gabriela Ruffels 1:17am Grace Kim 1:33am* Hannah Green 1:50am Minjee Lee 1:55am* Hira Naveed