Two-time major winner Minjee Lee will endeavour to tick off a career first when she tees it up at the Hana Financial Group Championship in Korea starting Thursday.

A regular visitor to Korea since 2014, Lee is yet to taste victory on the Korean LPGA Tour, her best chance a runner-up finish in this event two years ago at Incheon.

This year marks the fourth time that the 27-year-old has played the event which comes with the added pressure of being sponsored by one of her personal sponsors.

“There’s going to be extra pressure as you always want to win a tournament where your sponsor is involved,” said Lee, who won her ninth LPGA Tour title a fortnight ago at the Kroger Queen City Championship.

“As a LPGA player, we do not have too many opportunities to play and have a chance to win here in Korea.

 “But having said that, the level of competition on the KLPGA is indeed very strong and it certainly measures up to the LPGA.

“As for myself, I’m coming in with a lot more confidence and I hope to show that winning form again this week.”

With just three events left in the season, the pressure is also mounting on the Aussie contingent on the Epson Tour.

Robyn Choi, Hira Naveed, Cassie Porter and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey are all playing this week’s Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout in Arkansas as the race for 10 LPGA Tour cards heats up.

A three-time winner this season, Gabi Ruffels has already locked up her promotion to the LPGA Tour in 2024 while Choi is in 16th position and less than $12,000 shy of 10th spot.

Currently 28th in the standings, Naveed would need a win and another high finish in her final three events to climb inside the top 10 while Porter, No.51, will be out to enhance her status for the 2024 season

Round 1 tee times AEST
Korean LPGA Tour
Hana Financial Group Championship
Bear’s Best Cheongna, Incheon
12pm                    Ye Won Lee, Ji Young Park, Lydia Ko (NZ)
12.10pm              Su Ji Kim, Da Som Ma, Minjee Lee

Defending champion: Su Ji Kim
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 3pm-6pm Thursday on Fox Sports 503; Live 3pm-6pm Friday on Fox Sports 507; Live 2pm-5pm Saturday on Fox Sports 507; Live 2pm-5.30pm Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo Sport.

Epson Tour
Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout
Mystic Creek Golf Club, El Dorado, Arkansas
10.52pm*            Katherine Smith, Amelia Garvey (NZ), Nataliya Guseva
3.33am                Cassie Porter, Minji Kang, Alana Uriell
3.44am                Yue Ren, Kristen Gillman, Robyn Choi
3.44am*              Hira Naveed, Natasha Andrea Oon, Pinyada Kuvanun

Defending champion: Britney Yada
Past Aussie winners: Hannah Green (2017)

Photo: Dylan Buell/Getty Images