Minjee Lee holds on to win Cognizant Founders Cup

Minjee Lee of Australia made three birdies on the back nine to hold off Lexi Thompson and win the Cognizant Founders Cup on Sunday at Clifton, New Jersey.

Lee was one-ver through 11 holes before birdies at Nos 12, 14 and 18 on the Upper Montclair Country Club course to shoot a two-under 70 and finish at 19-under overall.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

It was enough for her seventh win on the LPGA Tour and her first since she won the 2021 Evian Championship last July, her first major title.

Stephanie Meadow finished with a one-over 73 that left her on one-over for the tournament in a tie for 68th.

Lee told the Golf Channel: "I wasn't really that nervous, but obviously I wasn't striking it as well as I wanted to. You know, I still drove it and putted really well, so got to take the positives."

Lee entered the final round with a one-shot lead over Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom, but her biggest challenge came from Thompson, who tied her for the lead at 16-under with a birdie at the par-four 10th.

Both players birdied the par-five 12th to get to 17-under. But while Lee moved into sole possession of the lead with a birdie at the 14th - another par-five - Thompson couldn't get another birdie to fall the rest of the day. She carded a bogey-free, three-under 69 to finish at 17-under.

On the final hole, Thompson, who hasn't won on tour since 2019, left a mid-range birdie putt low of the hole. It was a missed opportunity to apply pressure on Lee, who then sank a short birdie for the two-stroke victory.

Sagstrom, who shot a 63 to take the first-round lead, finished with an even-par 72 on Sunday due in part to a triple bogey at the third hole. She tied for third with Angel Yin (67) at 16-under.

Carlota Ciganda of Spain fired a 64 with nine birdies and a bogey