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Australian golf ace Minjee Lee has won her second major championship with a commanding four-shot victory at the US Women's Open in North Carolina.
Minjee Lee hopes to inspire a whole new generation after joining Australia's all-time golf greats as a multiple major champion with a runaway victory at the mega-rich US Women's Open in North Carolina.
Lee converted a three-stroke third-round lead into a four-shot triumph at Pine Needles Country Club to pocket a cheque for a record $US1.8 million ($A2.5m).
The 26-year-old finished with a score of 13-under 271, the lowest 72-hole total in tournament history after closing with an even-par 71 on Sunday.
Lee is the third Australian to win the US Women's Open, the biggest event in female golf, after legends Karrie Webb (2000 and 2001) and Jan Stephenson (1983).
"I'm speechless. I can't believe it right now," Lee said.
"It's such a great honour just to be amongst those two names.
"It's just super, super special and it's been my dream since I was a little girl, the one I always wanted to win.
"So now I've done it and it just feels amazing."
Lee's younger brother Min Woo, who plays on the PGA Tour, was among the first to congratulate her.
"This one hits hard. Tears in my eyes. So so proud. Just a kid from Perth. Two major wins to her name now. Inspiring," he tweeted after calling Lee during the trophy presentation.
Lee's dominant victory follows her breakthrough maiden major at the Evian Championship last July and is set to catapult her from fourth to No.2 in the world.
The 2022 US Women's Open carried a total purse of $US10 million ($A14m) - the biggest prize pool in women's golf history.
"It's such a large sum and I'm really honoured to be the first winner of it but we're only going to get better and better," Lee said.
"We're only moving in the right direction."
The win also elevated Lee into esteemed company as the sixth Australian golfer to have captured multiple majors.
Webb, with seven major championships, Stephenson (3) and men's greats Peter Thomson (5), Greg Norman (2) and David Graham (2) are the only other Australians to have won more than one.
"This will be huge for all the little girls and even the boys and the children watching. I know there's been a really big (golf) boom in WA," Lee said.
"The girls have been a lot more interested in playing, so hopefully they watch me on TV and I can be a good role model to them and they'll start getting more involved."
After starting the final round three shots ahead, Lee all but slammed the door shut on the chasing pack with consecutive birdies on the first two holes to charge five clear.
The world No.4 then made bogeys on the fifth and seventh holes but still reached the turn where she'd started at 13 under par, while her American playing partner Mina Harigae had dropped one shot to slip four behind.
Lee turned the back nine into a procession as her challengers fell away, with Harigae (72) finishing runner-up.
Already the LPGA Tour's 2022 scoring average leader and victorious in her last two stroke play starts, Lee's next target will be the Women's PGA Championship from June 23-26.
She could potentially replace South Korean Jin Young Ko as world No.1 if she wins at Congressional Country Club in Maryland.
