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The 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine promises to be an enthralling watch. The event will boast the largest purse in women’s golf history at $13 million, ensuring putts and swings are sharp as ever. The field comes with some interesting questions: can World No. 1 Nelly Korda claim a third major this year, or will Jeeno Thitikul race to her breakthrough major? Will Minjee Lee defend her title?

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Lee arrives at Hazeltine in not-so-good form, with the Aussie yet to win in 2026. Both of her top-five finishes came before the end of March. Meanwhile, England’s Charley Hull intends to make a “massive charge” and aims to improve on her T-12th finish last year. But with eight top-three finishes in her last nine starts and four wins this season, Korda’s dominance seems inevitable. Add to that, a win would clinch the two final points required to cement her entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame. So, let us see when the competition starts.

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On Thursday, World No. 1 Nelly Korda will start her round paired with Hannah Green and Sei Young Kim at 9:17 AM ET. She is part of the featured group. Lydia Ko, Brooke M. Henderson, and Lottie Woad, teeing off from the first tee at 9:06 AM ET, are also part of the featured group. The second-round tee time is also final. Below are some of the notable pairings and their timings for the second round:

No. 1 tee 

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7:44 AM Jin Young Ko, Angel Yin, Alison Lee
8:06 AMMinjee Lee, Amy Yang, Rouning Yin 
8:17 AMCharley Hull, Jeeno Thitkul, Gaby Lopez
8:50 AMAndrea Lee, Lindy Duncan, Mimi Rhodes
1:31 PMDanielle Kang, Miyu Yamashita, Jasmine Suwannapura
1:42 PM Yani Tseng, Celine Boutier, Ina Yoon

No. 10 tee 

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7:33 AMJenny Bae, Auston Kim, Wei-Ling Hsu
8:06 AMChizzy Iwai, Somi Lee, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard
1:31 PMLydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Lottie Woad
1:42 PMNelly Korda, Hannah Green, Sei Young Kim
1:53 PMMao Saigo, Lauren Coughlin, Patty Tavatanakit

The course boasts a competitive legacy, with its first major championship being the 1966 U.S. Women’s Open. Seven years have passed since it last hosted the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, adding further prestige to the event for players. A notable addition for this year’s tournament is a new tee at the 16th hole. Elevated by 30 feet, it will provide fans and players with a panoramic view of Lake Hazeltine.

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With the timings listed, let’s look at the champions gracing the ground.

Can Min Jee Lee go back-to-back at the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship?

The storied lineup boasts 24 of the 25 best players in the Rolex Rankings. World No. 1 Nelly Korda is leading the group of 12 past champions in the field. Then there is Minjee Lee, who faces an uphill task to defend her title. But history is not necessarily her corner.

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This century, only three players have won back-to-back editions of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Inbee Park, Annika Sorenstam, and Juli Inkster. A glance at Lee’s form doesn’t inspire confidence, having finished outside the top 25 in her last five starts. A more likely candidate seems to be a fellow Aussie, the World No. 6 Hannah Green.

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She has had a spectacular start to the 2026 season, collecting four wins worldwide. Standing alongside are world No. 10 Sei Young Kim, whose 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship remains her only major. China’s Ruoning Yin has yet to taste success since 2024. The World No. 5 will rely on her precise short game and exceptional ball-striking to improve on her T-8 finish at the U.S. Women’s Open. Making her KPMG debut, Lottie Woad will aim to hover among the world’s best.

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Written by

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Sijo Samuel Paul

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Edited by

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Riya Singhal

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