The World No.5 finished with a four-under-par 68 to sit two behind defending champion Jennifer Kupcho, who birdied the par-5 18th for her six-under 66 and a share of the first-round lead on Thursday.

Lee made bogeys on the 3rd, 9th and 11th holes, but had birdies on 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15 and 18 at Blythefield Country Club. The West Australian starting on the back nine on Thursday, her bogey on the final hole the day dropping her back on the congested leaderboard.

“I played pretty solid the front – the back nine – which was my front nine today,” Lee said.

“Yeah, I mean, I was kind of trying to ride my momentum into the front nine, but I had a few misses here and there.

“So I think I kind of stopped my momentum in the middle and then I made two birdies later and then I bogeyed the 9th hole, so, yeah, I mean, overall I think I'm striking it really solid, and hopefully get my putter in line and then I'll be okay.”

Kupcho birdied four of the five par-5 holes in a bogey-free round to be tied with Ayaka Furue, Frida Kinhult, Lindsey Weaver-Wright and Cheyenne Knight.

"I think it kind of sets up really well for my game," Kupcho said.

"Five par-5s, I like par-5s at all golf courses, so certainly helps. I think I just feel really comfortable in general. Played pretty well here even aside from the wind."

Kupcho is making her second title defence of the year, but the first came in the relocated major Chevron Championship on a new course in Texas.

"Overall I think I'm striking it really solid, and hopefully get my putter in line and then I'll be okay.” – Minjee Lee.

"It's definitely a lot different defending this versus Chevron," Kupcho said.

"Just knowing the golf course, knowing where most of the pin placements are going to be, it's just a whole level of comfort."

Knight also had a bogey-free round.

"This course you can make a lot of birdies if you position yourself well off the tee, especially." Knight said. "So, I played pretty solid today. Didn't make a ton of mistakes and, when I did, I was able to recover."

Ally Ewing was a stroke back at 67 with Amy Yang, Emily Kristine Pedersen, Alison Lee and Eun-Hee Ji.

"If you hit solid golf shots here you can make some birdies," Ewing said. "So, I just stuck with a good game plan and tried to give myself a lot of looks and was able to convert some longer putts early on."

Ashleigh Buhai, the ShopRite LPGA Classic winner last week in New Jersey, joined Lee in a 12-player group at 68.

Canadian Brooke Henderson, who won the event in 2017 and 2019, opened with a 69 along with 2015 winner Lexi Thompson and Steph Kyriacou.

The young Australian had four birdies and a bogey to be tied 22nd.

Compatriots Hannah Green and Grace Kim shot one-under 71s and have to be mindful of the cut with 25 others tied with them in 53rd.

A major championship follows this week, with the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol in New Jersey, where Lee took a recent reconnaissance trip.

“Actually played Baltusrol. Had a look on Tuesday after Mizuho, so did that and went home for maybe three or four days and then I came here,” she said.

“So not really a rest, but more training. We're right in the middle of our season now and a lot of majors coming yeah, so got to be on the game.”