Five players shared third place on seven under, including Norway’s Suzann Pettersen (68) and Swede Carin Koch (70).

Morgan had surged into second place at halfway thanks to a second round 65. She could not quite produce the same heroics and a 74 left her five shots off the pace, but she was pleased to be still in the hunt.

“I didn’t play quite so well today,” said the 32-year-old from Abergavenny after a round of one birdie and four bogeys.

“It’s a while since I was in contention but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Morgan made a bright start with a birdie at the third but then missed the green at the eighth, hit into bunkers at the 10th and 17th and three-putted the 14th to drop the shots.

Jee Young Lee, who won an LPGA tournament in her native country before she was a Tour member in 2005, finished at number 20 on the money list as a rookie last year and had a string of top 10 finishes.

A huge hitter, the 22-year-old had a perfect day, with four birdies in each half to raise hopes of her first success on US soil.

She made the ideal start, with back-to-back birdies at the first and second and added others at the sixth and eighth to be out in 32.

Coming home, she again started birdie, birdie and made another brace at the 14th and 15th in a career-best round.

Playing alongside Morgan, Sarah Lee, who led by two at halfway, stuttered with three bogeys and two birdies on a day when the rounds stretched to almost five hours.

England’s Johanna Head, with a 70 for two-under 211, was the next best of the British players, one ahead of Scot Mhairi McKay, who shot 73. Laura Davies, who made such a promising start with a first round 65, slumped to a 78 for four over.

Lorie Kane, the only Canadian to make the cut, had a 74 for one over par 214 and was just outside the top 50.