Defending champion Minjee Lee holds the 54-hole lead in the Cognizant Founders Cup at New Jersey’s Upper Montclair Country Club for the second consecutive year.

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Lee made an eagle, four birdies and one bogey in her 5-under 67 to take a four-shot lead at 12-under. Her eagle came at the par-5 12th hole, where she reached the green in two and drained a 20-foot putt. Lee’s putter was on fire on Thursday – she drained a 50-footer for birdie at the 8th and needed just 28 putts on the day.

“I’m sure I’ll be nervous coming down the first hole, but I think they’re good nerves,” said Lee. I feel pretty good about the golf course and how I’m hitting it, so just going to play my game and play aggressively when I can and play smart when I have to. Stick to my processes and game plan, which I have been doing.”

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This is the seventh time in her LPGA Tour career that Lee holds a share of the lead heading into the final round. She has won five of those times, most recently at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open, and finished second the one time she did not win. With a win, Lee would surpass Rachel (Teske) Hetherington (eight wins) to become the third-winningest golfer from Australia behind World Golf Hall of Famers Karrie Webb (41) and Jan Stephenson (16).

Tied in second place at 9-under are American Angel Yin (68) and South Korean Hae Ran Ryu (70). Yin, who fell in a playoff at The Chevron Championship three weeks ago, and Ryu, a 2023 LPGA Tour rookie, are both looking for the first wins of their LPGA Tour careers.

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South Korea‘s Jin Young Ko (72), South African Ashleigh Buhai (68) and India‘s Aditi Ashok (71) are tied in fourth at 8-under.

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