Alison Lee vaulted into contention at the Buick LPGA Shanghai on Saturday, firing a 5-under 67 in the third round at Sheshan Golf Club to move into sixth place as she continues her pursuit of a long-awaited first LPGA Tour victory.

The 31-year-old American opened with rounds of 74 and 73 before surging up 18 spots on the leaderboard during Saturday’s low-scoring third round. Her 67 tied for the lowest score of the day alongside Ruoning Yin, Jennifer Kupcho, and Yuri Yoshida.

Lee’s pristine ball-striking and sharp short game fueled her third-round surge. She hit 13 of 14 fairways, reached 12 of 18 greens in regulation, needed just 26 putts, and went a perfect 2-for-2 in sand saves while carding six birdies and a bogey.

"I would say this course is a beast," Lee said. "You know, this obviously isn't one of our major championships, but especially the first two days, it definitely was playing like it. It was playing challenging. It was playing long. Even some of the greens as well. You have long clubs into a few holes where, I mean, you can't miss it or else you have a high chance of making a bogey."

Lee noted that setup changes by rules officials provided welcome relief during Round 3.

"The rules officials were kind to us today," Lee added. "They moved some of the tees up, which made a couple of the really challenging holes a lot easier. Like nine is probably one of the toughest holes out there.

“I feel like today I really took advantage of those holes, especially where they moved the tee up. Nine usually playing really difficult. Definitely average score's probably over par. I was able to make a birdie there; and 11 as well. So overall today just I was hitting it so much better. I feel like I got into the groove of things. After Solheim Cup I definitely took some time off, and I just didn't feel like I was hitting it my best the first couple days but got into a good groove today and made a lot of good putts.”

The strong performance in China reflects a standout 2026 season for Lee, who has made nine cuts in 12 starts while securing three top-10 finishes. Her solid year includes a tie for fifth at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, a tie for third at the Dow Championship alongside her playing partner, and a tie for third at the Mizuho Americas Open.

Lee’s impressive form was further highlighted at the Solheim Cup, where she delivered a historical performance. Making her third appearance in the biennial team event, she became the first player in Solheim Cup history to go 4-0-0 or better for a losing team.

She improved her overall Solheim Cup record to 6-5-0, dramatically eclipsing the two total points she had earned across her previous two appearances combined. Her perfect week featured two team victories against Europe’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Celine Boutier, a win over Charley Hull and Lottie Woad, and a singles victory.

Heading into Sunday’s final round at Sheshan Golf Club, Lee remains firmly focused on capitalizing on her momentum to break through for her maiden LPGA Tour title.

Alison Lee Fires 67 to Vault Into Contention in Search of First LPGA Tour Win

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