Defending Champion Minjee Lee Made Big Moves on Founders Cup Day 3

Minjee Lee knows she can win at Upper Montclair Country Club. She did it last year, after all, edging out Lexi Thompson by two shots at the demanding A.W. Tillinghast design.

On Saturday, Lee put herself in excellent position to do it all over again and win back-to-back at the Cognizant Founders Cup with her 5-under 67—the low number of the day.

Lee began the day one back of leaders Sarah Kemp and Jin Young Ko, a two-time winner of the event. The Australia native ran into some trouble on No. 1, when her drive drifted right, leaving an overhanging branch blocking her approach shot.

The mistake led to an opening bogey, but the reigning U.S. Women’s Open champion cruised from that point onward.

She put together a string of birdies and eagled the par-5 12th to go 6 under in her next eleven holes. Lee came in with six consecutive pars to cap off the day, ultimately finishing with a three shot lead of the tournament.

Defending champ @minjeegolf took the lead and ran with it at @LPGAfounders on Saturday 🏃‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/AiIcafMsQJ
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 13, 2023

“I’m sure I’ll be nervous coming down the first hole, but I think they’re good nerves,” Lee said, looking forward to tomorrow’s start. “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.”

Ko lagged on Saturday with an even-par 72, but Angel Yin and Hae Ran Ryu posted scores of 68 and 70, respectively, to enter a tie for second heading into Sunday’s final round.

Yin’s name has been frequenting the top of the leaderboard as of late. She finished in solo second at last month’s Chevron Championship, the first LPGA major of the season.

“I think this course really tests you to be patient, play your shots,” Yin said of Upper Montclair. “I had a four bogeys in the first day and then I think two or three yesterday and then one today, and they’re not huge mistakes, but if you just are not 100% there, then it just—it bites you in the back real quick. The birdies are not easy, either.”