Words: Release/Paul Prendergast
Photo: Getty Images
| Western Australia’s Min Woo Lee has ticked off one of his career ambitions with a breakthrough win on the PGA TOUR at the Texas Children’s Hospital Houston Open. Needing to get up and down from behind the green on the final hole, Lee chose a putter from off the green where he ‘would normally chip nine times out of ten’, leaving himself a mere tap-in for a one-stroke victory over World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland. With this victory, the 26-year-old enhanced his growing status as a global force with victory on a fourth continent, having already won in Europe, Asia and Australia in what is still a short professional career. By standing astride to Aim Point his final putt of inches, he also consolidated his ‘existing’ status as a fan favourite, a move that had Scheffler laughing as he watched on to learn whether a playoff would be in their near future. Some quotes from the champion: “It was a very mental grinding day but I’m super proud to win. Yeah, it was just a very tough week. I mean, I had a lot of eyes on me obviously. I had a four-shot lead going down — the last round and yeah, I mean, I was obviously very tired, which helped go to sleep but I woke up and I couldn’t go back to sleep.” “It was one of those where I think just everything aligned this week. I’m so proud to be the winner of the trophy.” “I mean, I’ve been playing a lot of good golf. To get closer to the final Top 30 (FedEx Cup), that will be — that’s one of the goals that I had in mind. Winning a tournament was one of those goals and I’m happy to check that off. It was tough. I mean, props to the guys that win week in, week out. I mean, it is very hard even though a four-shot lead is not safe, it is tough.” “Again, just so proud. Yeah, let’s keep doing it.” On chatting with sister Minjee and family: “Yeah, I just FaceTimed her on the cart trip here. I called my family, and my mum was crying as usual, dad was very happy. I think he’s playing golf right now, but he was very happy.” “My sister was the first one to pick up. I talked to her yesterday about having dinner tomorrow. She’s in Vegas and I live there and she’s playing an LPGA tournament there, so it will be very cool to see her. I haven’t seen her in a little bit, so it’s very cool to have a sister that’s really good at golf, and she’s going to win soon, too.” Lee joins a very long list of Australians – Bruce Crampton (2), Bruce Devlin, David Graham, Stuart Appleby (2), Robert Allenby, Adam Scott and Matt Jones – to have won the Houston Open; and will now take a week off to prepare for the year’s first major at The Masters. |
