But the world No.4, like the rest of the field, is playing catch up despite her four-under round on Thursday.
Despite the Australian's fine round, Lee is still five strokes behind in a tie for eighth behind runaway leader Hyo Joo Kim who posted a nine-under 63 after a birdie-eagle finish.
Kim, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour and the 2015 Founders Cup champion, was bogey-free on her first trip around Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club, which is hosting for the first time.
"I am just so satisfied I had no bogeys. I had some mistakes in the beginning, but I was able to save them," Kim said. "I ended with an eagle, so I ended pretty happily."
Kim, 30, holed out for eagle at the par-5 18th hole.
"I couldn't see the hole from where I was," Kim said, "but people started cheering and then I heard a 'Yeah!' so I figured it went in."
Two strokes off the pace is fellow South Korea native Dongeun Lee, a 21-year-old making just her second LPGA start.
Lee's round of 65 also concluded with an eagle at No.18, after five of her seven birdies came on the front nine.
"The line was quite long but I had the line in it so I just first wanted to approach it first, but it went in," Dongeun Lee said. "So good."
Germany's Polly Mack and South Korea's Jin Hee Im are tied for third at six-under 66.
Mack overcame a double-bogey seven at No.10 with eight birdies.
"It's funny, I have my mental coach here this week and it's great to just really see that work coming in play right there," Mack said.
"I think I did pretty good at just doing my post-shot routine and basically letting that bounce off right there and move on and just not let it affect me too much."
The knot at four-under 68 included major winners Perth's Lee and Mao Saigo of Japan. Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh was still on the course as play wound down late Thursday afternoon, 4 under par through 15 holes.
Australian Cassie Porter was next best with 69, placing her in a tie for 12th.
Porter dropped a shot on the third but then made birdies on the eighth and ninth.
The 23-year-old from Sydney dropped another shot on the 11th, but responded with three more birdies to make her way up the field.
Compatriot Karis Davidson (70) is a further shot back after fighting back from making three bogeys in four holes.
Joining Davidson on two-under 70 is world No.2 Nelly Korda, while world No.1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand settled for an even-par 72.
Young star Rose Zhang, who won the 2024 Founders Cup, shot a one-under 71 to begin just her second start of the season.
Fifteen-year-old amateur Victoria Cui shot an impressive one-under 71.
with AAP
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