West Australian Minjee Lee is ready to make a run at a third major championship as she enters the weekend of the Chevron Championship just outside the top 10.

Forced to set an early alarm so that she could complete Round 1 – “It was in the 4s” – Lee returned to The Club at Carlton Woods only to make bogey at the par-4 ninth.

The 28-year-old headed back out for Round 2 and quickly turned momentum her way.

Lee made birdie at the par-4 first and added three more at five, six and eight to turn in 4-under and 5-under for the championship.

The tough par-4 10th elicited just the third bogey of the week for Lee, eight pars to finish putting her within three strokes of 36-hole leader Yan Liu (72).

Given she came from seven strokes back in the final round for her major breakthrough at the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship, Lee likes how she is placed at the halfway mark.

“I just want to play with freedom, so for me, I just want to see my shots really clearly,” said Lee after her round of 3-under 69.

“If it stays this soft, I think I could be pretty aggressive on the holes where I can hit shorter clubs. Just try and take advantage of those opportunities.

“They’re probably going to try and make it a little bit harder come the weekend because it is a major championship. Just try and play smart, be patient when I have to be.”

Lee compiled her second round in a very different fashion to Round 1.

After hitting 17 of 18 greens and taking 34 putts in her opening round of 1-under 71, Lee hit 12 of 18 greens and needed just 27 putts in Round 2.

“It was pretty ideal conditions to score,” Lee shared.

“There are some tougher… like 9 is a little longer. Ten, obviously the drive is demanding. Few holes coming in that are quite demanding.

“Just try to have a solid score through those. Finished at 3-under so pretty happy where I’m at.”

Lee was one of five Australians inside the cut-line when play was suspended for the second day in succession, this time due to poor light at 8:04pm local time.

A hole-out for eagle at the par-4 ninth was the highlight of Grace Kim’s 2-under 70 that saw her rise 41 spots and into a tie for 40th at even par.

Stephanie Kyriacou hit more fairways, more greens and had less putts in her second round of 1-under 71 to also climb inside the cut-line as Cassie Porter made birdie at three of her final six holes to also move through to the weekend in her first major.

Gabriela Ruffels was 1-over and in a tie for 46th with one hole to play when play was suspended, Hira Naveed to return Saturday morning to play two holes before her second round will be completed.

It was a difficult day for world No.5 Hannah Green, the West Australian hitting 12 of 18 greens and taking 35 putts in her round of 5-over 77 to miss the cut.

Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Round 2 scores T11 Minjee Lee -4 T40 Grace Kim E T46 Gabriela Ruffels +1 (through 17) T46 Stephanie Kyriacou +1 T46 Lydia Ko (NZ) +1 T46 Cassie Porter +1 T109 Hannah Green +6 T124 Hira Naveed +8 (through 16)