Lee grew up in Hermosa Beach, California. She started competing at age 8 and won 50 junior titles in four years.[3] At 15, she qualified for the 2014 U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst and made the cut. She finished the 2014 season as the number one ranked player in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) after winning two big tournaments on that circuit, the Rolex Tournament of Champions and the Yani Tseng Invitational. The latter victory earned her an exemption into the 2015 Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic where she finished tied 51st. She received a sponsor's invite for the 2015 ANA Inspiration, missing the cut by one stroke. She led Mira Costa High School to the state title in 2015.[4]
Lee played collegiately for Stanford University between 2016 and 2019. She became the most decorated golfer in school history, setting a school record with nine individual titles and topping the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.[5] As a freshman in 2016–17, she was WGCA Freshman of the Year, a finalist for WGCA Player of the Year, and a finalist for the Honda Sports Award for golf.[3]
Lee turned professional in late 2019 after she finished T30 at the LPGA Q-Series to earn status for the 2020 LPGA Tour.[5] In her rookie season, she made 11 cuts in 15 starts with two top-10 finishes, a tie for fifth at the Marathon Classic and a tie for seventh at the 2020 Women's British Open, to finish 48th on the money list.[1]