Minjee Lee has a golden opportunity to become just the second Australian to win consecutive major championships after moving to within one stroke of the lead at the Amundi Evian Championship in France.

Few times in major championship history has a leaderboard had such a strong Australian influence so late in the tournament, Lee (66) joined by Gabi Ruffels (66) and Grace Kim (70) inside the top six with one round to play.

Victorious at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship just three weeks ago, a second Evian Championship and fourth major title would see Lee join Karrie Webb as the only Australians to win consecutive majors, Webb doing it for a second time at the 2001 Women’s PGA Championship and 2001 US Women’s Open.

The 29-year-old West Australian is the only player inside the top 11 with a major championship on her resume and could join icons Webb and Peter Thomson as the only Aussies to win at least four majors.

Wiping away the disastrous start to Round 2 where she dropped five shots in six holes, Lee has played her last 21 holes in 10-under par and made just one bogey to play her way into the final group alongside Ruffels and England’s Cara Gainer.

“I’m usually always pretty relaxed, but I definitely feel like I have a different mentality and maybe a little bit different fire in me after KPMG,” admitted Lee, who trailed by seven shots going into the final round of the Evian Championship in 2021.

“I definitely have a little different motivation I think coming off that win.

“I just feel like I’m in a really good position right now and can chase tomorrow.

“Obviously I was way back (in 2021) and I shot a really good score on Sunday to get into that playoff.

“Going into that I wasn’t expecting to shoot a score like that, but then I did and I was obviously happy.

“I was really clutch in the playoff, so that really brings back great memories.

“It feels like a lifetime ago really. Four years, that sounds like a long time.”

Lee is also now in the position of being a mentor to two players in particular who will try to deny her a fourth major on Sunday.

Ruffels was denied the outright lead by a wicked lip-out for birdie on the final hole on Saturday, the 2019 US Women’s Amateur champion excited to take the next step in her professional career.

“This is what you practice for, what you play for,” said Ruffels, in just her second full year on the LPGA Tour.

“I’ve been working so hard, and it’s great to see the hard work pay off.”

While being paired with a three-time major champion in the final group on the Sunday of a major could be intimidating, Ruffels will draw comfort from playing with a fellow Aussie in Lee.

“Be really cool. Be cool to have someone I know from back home to be able to chat on the fairways with,” she added.

“Obviously to see Australians doing well is really, really cool.

“It kind of goes to show what Golf Australia is doing and their program and even Karrie Webb and what she’s doing with her scholarship program.

“There are a lot of good Australian golfers coming out and it’s really cool to see.”

It’s also a reminder to Lee that a career in professional golf can fly by.

“I’ve seen them since the they were really young and coming up,” said Lee, who played her first tournament as a professional at Evian 11 years ago.

“I was on Tour already, so I kind of saw their amateur careers coming through to pro.

“It’s kind of a full circle moment now seeing them doing so well.”

Kim’s 1-under 70 was largely a day of frustration.

The Round 1 co-leader made birdie at the par-3 second but was then stuck in neutral, making 14 straight pars before just her second bogey for the week at the par-4 17th.

The 24-year-old snatched that back with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 18th to draw level with Lee, world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul and Korea’s Somi Lee in a share of third at 10-under par.

Round 3 Australasian scores T1 Gabriela Ruffels -11 T3 Minjee Lee -10 T3 Grace Kim -10 T44 Stephanie Kyriacou -1 T66 Hira Naveed +2 MC Robyn Choi +3 MC Karis Davidson +4 MC Lydia Ko (NZ) +5 MC Hannah Green +8 MC Cassie Porter +10