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LOS ANGELES: Australia’s Minjee Lee defied difficult, windy conditions with a remarkable bogey-free 3-under par 69 on Saturday to seize a four-stroke lead over Jeeno Thitikul at the Women’s PGA Championship in Texas.

Lee, chasing her third major title, fired three birdies in one of just three sub-par rounds at Fields Ranch East in Frisco, north of Dallas, where soaring temperatures and wind tested golfers for a third straight day.

“I just try to stay patient out there,” the 29-year-old said after building a six-under total of 210. “You can’t get ahead of yourself, especially in these conditions.”

Trailing Jeeno by three to start the day, Lee grabbed her first birdie at the ninth, where she blasted out of a greenside bunker to four feet and made the putt.

She finally took control at the par-5 14th, drilling a 19-foot birdie putt as Jeeno three-putted for a bogey that dropped her three strokes back.

Lee added a birdie at the 15th, and remained bogey free with a par save at 18 — where her second shot raced through the green but she chipped to three feet.

“I try to stay within myself and play the shot as best as I could,” she said. “Just stayed patient, just take it as it comes.”

Lee, whose 10 LPGA victories include major titles at the 2021 Evian Championship and 2022 US Women’s Open, said there would be plenty of work to do on Sunday despite her four-shot cushion.

“It’s just only getting harder and harder just with I think pressure of a major championship, and also just the course just demands so much from you,” she said.

World No.2 Jeeno’s hopes of a first major title took an early hit with bogeys at the third and sixth.

She rolled in a 12-foot birdie at the eighth, but dropped into a tie for the lead after back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12.

She bounced back from her bogey at 14 with a birdie at 15, but gave back a shot at the 16th, finishing with a 4-over 76 for 214.

Lee and Jeeno, both based in the Dallas area, were the only players under par heading into the final round.

US veteran Lexi Thompson, playing a limited schedule this season, shook off a horrendous start to post a 3-over par 75 to headline a trio sharing third place on one-over 217.

Thompson opened with a triple-bogey and a bogey and added another bogey at the eighth before she made two birdies coming in.

She was joined on one-over by South Korean Choi Hye-jin, who carded a 72, and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita, who shot 73.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda had five birdies and five bogeys in her even par 72 to headline a group of four on 218.

“It’s brutal out there when it comes to the setup of the golf course, wind conditions, everything,” Korda said. “I’m very happy with even par.

“You’re just happy to get 18 under your belt on a day like this,” added the American, who said having substantial waits on several tees only added to the difficulty of the day.

“You don’t want to be spending 20 minutes and getting up to the next tee and then you’re 15 minutes and getting up to the next tee and it’s another 15 minutes,” she said. “There is just, like, no momentum in it.”

Korda was tied with Ireland’s Leona Maguire, Japan’s Chizato Iwai, South Korean Lee So-mi and American Yealimi Noh — who had two eagles but also six bogeys in her 74.

Australian Grace Kim had the low round of the day, firing six birdies in an impressive 4-under par 68 that gave put her among a group of five players on three-over 219.

ISLAMABAD: New Zealand ended Pakistan’s bid to clinch the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup title on Saturday, winning the trophy a second consecutive time in Kuala Lumpur after beating the green shirts 6-2. 

It was a one-sided contest right from the beginning, with the Kiwis stunning Pakistan with five goals in the high-octane first half at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium. 

Despite a fightback by Pakistan in the second half of the match, which saw the green shirts score two goals, New Zealand managed to score another and add 6-2 to the final tally. 

“New Zealand’s triumph not only earned them the championship but also promotion to the prestigious FIH Pro League, reaffirming their growing stature in international hockey,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) wrote. 

New Zealand signaled intent from the outset, with two early goals disallowed but persistent pressure finally paying off when Scott Cosslett converted a penalty corner. Jonty Elmes then set up Sam Hiha to double the lead, followed by goals from Dylan Thomas and Sean Findlay — the latter finishing from a difficult angle after receiving a precise aerial pass.

Before the halftime whistle, Scott Boyde capitalized on a rebound from the Pakistani goalkeeper to make it 5-0, giving New Zealand an unassailable lead.

Pakistan’s Moin Shakeel responded with a 33-minute goal, briefly shifting the momentum. 

“Cosslett netted his second goal of the match via a penalty corner in the closing minutes, while Sufyan Khan grabbed a consolation for Pakistan to end the match 6-2,” APP reported. 

France, which lost to Pakistan in the semifinal earlier this week, claimed the bronze medal by defeating South Korea in a shootout, while Wales beat hosts Malaysia for fifth place.

Japan finished seventh with a win over former champions South Africa.

The FIH Men’s Nations Cup was being played in Kuala Lumpur from June 15 to 21 that brought together eight top-ranked teams competing with each other.
Hockey is Pakistan’s national sport.

The national team boasts a proud legacy with three Olympic gold medals in 1960, 1968 and 1984 along with four World Cup titles in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994.

Hockey in Pakistan has faced a sharp decline in recent decades due to administrative challenges, underinvestment and inadequate infrastructure.

Renewed efforts are underway to revive the game with increased government support, youth development initiatives and greater international engagement aimed at restoring Pakistan’s former glory in the sport.