Lee will lead an eight-strong Australian challenge at the KPMG PGA Championship in New Jersey, golf's second women's major of the year starting on Thursday.

Runner-up last year, a month after winning the U.S Open for her second career major, Lee has been steadily working her way back into form this season.

After failing to finish inside the top-40 in her first four events of 2023, the usually perennial trophy contender began her revival at the LPGA's LA Championship in April.

But an uncharacteristic lack of consistency through 72 holes has continued to bring the World No.5 down.

After opening with a 65 in LA, Lee followed up with a 76 on her way to a disappointing 44th-place finish in a tournament won by fellow West Australian and 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship winner Hannah Green.

In her next appearance, Lee stepped it up another level in the defence of her Cognizant Founders Cup title last month – also in New Jersey.

But the 26-year-old was left to lament what might have been after blowing a two-stroke lead with three holes to play and losing a play-off to World No.1 Jin Young Ko.

Lee looked a certain winner before three-putting the 17th to open the door for Ko, who stormed through after draining a bomb on 18 to take Minjee to extra holes.

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The Australian shockingly three-putted from short range on the first play-off hole.

Lee has also been in the mix in her past two LPGA tournaments only to falter on the weekend.

She was only two shots behind at the halfway point of last week's Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan before misfiring on Saturday to fall out of contention and finish tied for 13th.

The dual major champion also shared 13th the week before after enjoying the halfway lead at the Mizuho Americas Open only to again card a ho-hum even-par third round, again in New Jersey.

Lee will play the first two rounds this week with American stars Lexi Thompson and fellow former teenage prodigy Rose Zhang.

Her slip-up last month has allowed Ko to enter the Women's PGA Championship as the equal-longest-serving World No.1 in women's golf history.

The 27-year-old has matched Mexican great Lorena Ochoa with 158 weeks atop the rankings.