Minjee Lee shot a 2-under 70 in Sunday’s final round at Upper Montclair Country Club in New Jersey to hold off Lexi Thompson for the Founders Cup title.
The Australian struggled Sunday, making only three birdies on the back nine to post her only round not in the 60s for the tournament.
Still, Lee finished the tournament with a 19-under 269 overall. She secured the win with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 14th hole.
A clutch birdie on the 72nd hole.@minjeegolf with ice in her veins. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/fK53TmZap5
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 16, 2022
“I’ve been hitting it really, really well this whole…I mean, this whole season, and I just felt like it was kind of around the corner. I kept knocking on the door, and here I am now,” Lee said.
Thompson finished two shots behind Lee after firing six straight pars to finish the round with a 69. Sunday marked Thompson’s second runner-up in six events this season.
Lee’s victory is her seventh career title and first this year.
Minjee Lee shot a 3-under 69 to take a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the Cognizant Founders Cup Saturday.
The 25-year-old entered the third round with a three-shot lead, preserving her place atop the leaderboard with an eagle-birdie sprint on the back nine.
Leading by one after 54 holes. 🇦🇺
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 15, 2022
Watch some of @minjeegolf best shots from her Saturday 69! 👇 pic.twitter.com/KyVpA0xSMf
Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden sits just behind Lee, firing a 67 to come within striking distance in the third round. Lexi Thompson, who started the day tied with Sagstrom at 11 under, is in third, three shots back after hitting a 69.
“You know, I’ve been striking it really well pretty much this whole year,” said Lee. “I’ve been working hard on my putting and working hard on everything, so it would be really nice just to see the result of a win.”
Lee will hope to close out the fourth and final round at the Upper Montclair Country Club Sunday to clinch her first win of the season.
Minjee Lee bounced back from a double-bogey on her first hole to take a three-shot lead heading into the third round at the Cognizant Founders Cup Friday.
Shooting a second-round 9-under 63, Lee finished at 14-under 130 total at the Upper Montclair Country Club.
.@minjeegolf put on a show with a Friday 63 at the @LPGAfounders ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/UJjnRcvM1H
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 13, 2022
Madelene Sagstrom, Lexi Thompson and Ally Ewing all share second after the second day of golf, with Thompson and Ewing firing 66s and Sagstrom hitting a 70 to finish at 11 under.
Lee hit 10 under with three holes to play, falling short of tying the tour’s low round of 62 set by Yuka Saso of Japan, with a bogey on the 16th getting in the way.
With her first victory of the season within sight, Lee will be looking to extend her lead Saturday as the Founders Cup tournament continues.