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World No.6 Minjee Lee has become the first woman to win the Greg Norman Medal, awarded to the country's best-performing golfer of 2018.

Minjee Lee's dual victories and subsequent surge into the world's top 10 has seen her pip Jason Day to claim the Greg Norman Medal as Australia's best-performed golfer of 2018.

The world No.6 was announced as the winner at a Tuesday night ceremony on the Gold Coast ahead of the Australian PGA Championship starting Thursday.

Lee shot from No.19 in the world at the start of the season to as high as five on the back of her Vic Open triumph and Volvik Championship win, which was her fourth on the LPGA Tour.

The West Australian finished with a staggering 13 top-10 finishes in the LPGA calendar year and was fifth in the Race to CME Globe standings with more than $US1.5 million ($A2.07m )in prize money.

It was enough to pip world No.11 Day, who won the award in 2015 and 2016, despite his Farmers Insurance Open and Wells Fargo Championship victories this year.

Marc Leishman (2017) has been the only other winner of the medal.

"I'm humbled to have won such a prestigious award alongside two amazing golfers already in Marc and Jason," the 22-year-old said.

"It's a great honour. Greg is arguably one of the greatest golfers to ever come out of Australia so to win an award attached to his name is really special.

"I've had a great 2018 season and this is a really nice way to be acknowledged for that, thanks to my team for their hard work throughout the year, hopefully we can have a bigger and better one next year."

In a recorded message, Norman lauded Lee's breakout season.

"We have seen the emergence of some great young players, making their name in the US and Europe, and seen many of our established players continue their successful careers," he said.

"One nominee for the Greg Norman Medal this year stood out above the rest."