Only time will tell. One thing they can promise: the show has only just begun.
Interviewed by Brad Clifton
Scottish comedian Billy Connolly says there are two seasons in his homeland: June and winter. For 22-year-old Perth sensation Min Woo Lee, July proved to be a right sizzler.
When Lee jarred a clutch birdie putt to beat Thomas Detry and Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff for this year’s Scottish Open title, he instantly became the talk of the golf world. Lifting his second European trophy in as many years, one could hear the shellshocked Scots in the gallery screeching, “Yer just a wee bairn taking our silver!” after one of the great hit-and-run missions at North Berwick. Aye, never again will they be blindsided by this foreign raider, small in stature and baby in face, for he packs more than a wee bit of punch, both on the tee and in personality.
“At this moment, I’ve got the bragging rights,” declared the boisterous 2016 US Junior Amateur champion, taking a light-hearted swing at his superstar sister, Minjee, 25, who was two weeks away from competing in her 37th Major championship.
Rookie move, little bro.
The drinks had barely stopped flowing for Min Woo’s act of seaside sorcery when Minjee gave her right of reply. More focused on shaking off the dreaded tag of ‘best player in women’s golf not to have won a Major’ than teaching her brother a lesson in premature celebration, Minjee did both with a performance for the ages at the Amundi Evian Championship in France. Overturning an unlikely seven-shot deficit on the final day, the 2018 Greg Norman Medallist birdied her way into a playoff with South Korea’s Jeongeun Lee6, then crushed the world No.16 with some breathtaking strokeplay under the gun of sudden death.
The Major hoodoo was no more, and any territorial differences between the Lee siblings were quickly resolved when Minjee checked her phone after her victory. The first congratulatory text? A message from her little bro.
In the space of 14 days, this dynamic duo had chalked up the biggest wins of their respective careers and banked close to $2.7 million in prizemoney. In doing so, they also put the famed Korda and Jutanugarn sisters, along with the Koepka brothers, on notice that the ‘best siblings on tour’ title race had been blown wide open.
Yet for all their incredible talents, it’s the polar opposition of this brother-and-sister duo that makes them so compelling to watch, something they were happy to delve into a little deeper in our exclusive sit-down interview.
After meeting up in Texas for a whirlwind 48-hour reunion before Minjee departed for the Tokyo Olympics, the Lees found time to give us a rare and revealing insight into the life of golf’s new power family. From dealing with the pressures of the tour bubble to closing golf’s gender pay gap, this is Minjee and Min Woo Lee like you’ve never heard them before.
AGD: Golf’s latest Major winner and the Scottish Open champion meet up in Texas. Whose shout was it and what did you eat and drink?
Min Woo: It was both our shouts! We both enjoy each other’s company when we are together, so we go back and forth on paying for food and drinks. But food-wise, lots of Korean and Asian food. We miss those cuisines the most when we’re on tour.
Minjee: Honestly, we just enjoyed being together and chatting about what has been an amazing few weeks for us both.
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Can you try to put this past month into perspective?
Min Woo: Winning the Scottish Open, it means the world to win an event like that with such a strong field. Leading up to the event, I had played awesome so it was nice to see the hard work pay off with a victory. I will say that watching Minjee win her first Major brought me as much, if not more satisfaction, though. I can’t say I’ve ever felt prouder of my big sis!
Minjee: The past month has been incredibly busy for me. I’ve been travelling between Europe and the States in consecutive weeks – and then Japan for the Olympics – so it has been a really hectic month. I’ve been putting in a lot of hard work on my game so to see that pay off and win my first Major is really rewarding. But same as Min Woo – watching him get over the line at the Scottish Open made me so happy and feel so proud of him. I am sure it helped inspire me at the Evian Championship!
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Quick Tip
What’s one part of your sibling’s game you wish you had?
Minjee: Obviously I’d love some extra length from Min Woo. Maybe being able to show more emotion at times, too.
Min Woo: Patience and being a machine! Being able to hit it as straight as an arrow all the time, like Minjee, would be a huge help.
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How often do you see each other these days?
Minjee: Our paths don’t cross too often since Min Woo is mostly in Europe and I’m mostly in the US. The last time we saw each other was 10 months ago in Dallas. We try to talk to each other every week, either on the phone, FaceTime or just a quick text.
Min Woo: I think we are so lucky to have each other, sharing our experiences and learnings as professional golfers. To have Minjee on the end of the phone, anytime and anywhere, is pretty awesome.
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Do you ever try to pep each other up when one is playing poorly, or before a big tournament?
Min Woo: We do at times, although it’s mostly our coach Ritchie [Smith] helping us through our struggles. We try to give each other a bit of a confidence boost before the event.
Minjee: Yeah, I wouldn’t say it’s a pep talk as such. It’s mostly words of encouragement.
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Have you guys talked about what it would be like to become the best brother-sister duo in golf history?
Minjee: We haven’t gotten that far ahead yet. It would be an awesome achievement, but we try to approach each of our careers individually. Being a great sibling duo is more of a bonus.
Min Woo: There’s a bit of a rivalry for the top throne in the Lee house [laughs], but that just fuels the fire for one another. The fact is we are competing on different tours so it’s a lot easier to stay focused on what we are doing individually. I guess our record, as a collective, will sort itself out.
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What’s the go with your first names? Why is ‘Minjee’ one word and ‘Min Woo’ two?
Min Woo: At the end of primary school, I discovered my name was spelt with a space, so I started doing it the right way.
Minjee: My name also has a space because Korean names are mostly three syllables, including the last name, so it usually represents each sound. I just like to write it all together!
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OK, let’s go back a bit. What do you remember about growing up and getting into the game?
Min Woo: My first memory of golf is playing go-go golf at Royal Fremantle Golf Club. We chipped with those plushy, soft balls and putted with normal golf balls. Those were very fun times with friends that I still keep in touch with today.
Minjee: I think my first memory of getting into the game was going down to the local driving range where Mum used to teach. We’d tag along to hit some balls and Min Woo would be goofing off with his friends. Min Woo showed more interest in the beginning, but I started to like it more once I starting playing at Royal Fremantle.
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What was it like growing up in the Lee household, and in Western Australia?
Min Woo: I was the usual brother – annoying, and making all the jokes. Western Australia has been awesome to us, and we always love going back home.
Minjee: Since our parents are Korean, we have always been influenced by the Korean culture, which has been cool to get to know. Growing up we were always around sport: swimming, basketball and mostly golf. We were a really active family. Growing up in WA was really awesome and now that we travel so much, I really treasure my time at home and always love going back in the offseason to see friends and relax.
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Your mum has a strong golf background. Tell us a bit about her?
Minjee: She got her licence to be a teaching professional in Korea back in the day and when our parents moved to WA, she continued teaching. She’s always had an influence on us with golf, just because she knows a lot about the game and the fundamentals.
Min Woo: When we first started, she got us into the game and taught us how to swing properly, playing with us a little when we were young. That really got us hooked.
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Quick Tip
What’s one skill you didn’t know you needed to be successful on tour?
Minjee: Self-discipline. Nobody is telling you when to work out or practise. You have to find different ways to push and motivate yourself.
Min Woo: Being by yourself and enjoying time alone. We played a lot of junior and amateur events on the road but they were always as a team.
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How influential have your parents been on your careers to date?
Min Woo: My parents have been incredibly supportive throughout my career. When I was younger, I didn’t always like to practise, so they would find different way to make sure I was engaged and having fun. They would always say, “If you’re going to do something, make sure to always give it 100 percent”.
Minjee: My parents and my coach, Ritchie Smith, have been the biggest influences on me. I turned professional quite young so my mum travelled with me everywhere. For her to make that sacrifice for my career is pretty special and I wouldn’t be here without that support.
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When did you both realise you wanted to be professional golfers?
Min Woo: I loved playing other sports and golf wasn’t my first priority until about age 14. That’s when I knew I wanted to play professionally. I realised my game was going in a great direction when I won the US Junior title in 2016 when I was 17.
Minjee: I wanted to turn professional when I started travelling overseas for junior and amateur events when I was, like, 15 years old. I think I was just excited by the opportunity to travel the world and play the best golf courses.
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You both seem like the competitive type. Who’s on top of the career leaderboard in the Lee house?
Min Woo: [Laughs] We’ve only had a couple of proper matches against one another. Minjee has won once and I’ve won once, so no real bragging rights for either of us yet. We don’t get to see each other often and when we do we typically do our own thing, or we hang out away from the golf course.
Minjee: When we were younger we actually didn’t play or practise much together. We were always competitive but in our own respective tournaments. We’ve had a few matches after we turned pro but, as Min Woo said, we are 1-1 so maybe time for another match soon!
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It’s been said you are polar opposites of one another when it comes to your personalities. Why do you think this is, and how does it rub off on your respective games?
Min Woo: I think being the more extraverted one comes naturally as the younger sibling and brother. It’s my job to annoy her, right? [Laughs] I typically like to have some fun along the way, whereas I think Minjee likes to get the job done and enjoy it a bit more afterwards. She has really helped me work on controlling my emotions on the golf course. Professional golf is a marathon not a sprint, so her approach has started to rub off on me in that respect.
Minjee: Lots of people say I’m the shy one, but I think that’s mostly because Min Woo likes being social and is quite an emotional person. I’m probably a little quieter and a bit more of a listener but I don’t mind the spotlight. I think our personalities really show in our games – you could probably tell a lot from our reactions on the course.
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One thing you both clearly don’t lack is composure. Both of your respective recent wins came under intense playoff pressure. How do you prepare for such clutch moments?
Min Woo: I think a lot comes from experience. I may be young at the professional level, but I have been playing big junior and amateur events my whole life. I’ve always learned more from my failures than my wins. I just try to lean on that experience when the pressure is on. I also love the crowds and feeding off their energy.
Minjee: I’ve always been process-driven and believe a lot of tournaments are won in the off-weeks, preparing. So, I’ve always felt confident in those big moments because I know that nobody has outworked me. I just stick to my fundamentals and let the rest take care of itself.
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Athletic performance is such a key trait of the modern-day golfer. Give us an insight into your training routines and diets?
Min Woo: I was pretty skinny as a kid and my body is now starting to fill out. I love food and it’s one of my favourite things about travelling the world. I don’t have much of a diet but keeping on top of my gym work is key when you are on the road for a long time. I work out two to three times a week and stick to healthy food during tournament weeks, with the occasional burger. [Laughs]
Minjee: During tournament weeks I try to do at least two good gym sessions. During the offseason I usually focus on gaining strength so the volume of weight training increases. I usually eat pretty healthily but I have kind of a sweet tooth so I do like my desserts and sweets. But I am such a foodie – I just love tasty food!
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Quick Tip
What shot do amateurs ask for help with the most and what’s your advice?
Minjee: Most amateurs ask about chipping. Usually, they have a little too much movement off the ball when they swing so I tend to tell them to put a little more weight on the left side (for right-handers) and swing for a little more stability.
Min Woo: Well, firstly, they want to hit it out the middle. But people also love asking me how to hit stingers [below]. Everyone wants to hit stingers and enjoy the sight of the ball flying low. To do that, try moving the ball back in your stance, take a shorter backswing and make sure you make a shorter follow-through as well. Your one and only swing thought should be: hit the ball as low as you can with speed.
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What’s the biggest change to your game or fitness that you’ve made in recent seasons?
Minjee: I was tinkering around with putters over the offseason and into the first half of the year. It took a little while, but I’ve found something that matches my stroke and I’m really confident on the greens at the moment.
Min Woo: I’ve made a few key swing changes so they’re probably the most significant. My coach and I have been working on getting into a safer position at the top [of the backswing] and not getting too stuck behind. In the gym, I have stayed on top of my routine and have gotten noticeably stronger over the past few years, which has been a huge plus.
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What’s motivating you both over the next 12 to 24 months?
Minjee: I think my biggest motivation has come from winning the Amundi Evian Championship. Now that I’ve had the taste of winning a Major and got the monkey off my back, I’m out to get more wins and Major trophies. Hopefully I can make up for some lost time.
Min Woo: A few of my short-term goals are to earn a PGA Tour card, end the year top-50 in the world and focus on getting into – and having some good finishes in – the Majors.
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So the PGA Tour is the big dream for you, Min Woo? Minjee, you’d presumably love to have your brother in the same country?
Minjee: Yeah. I would love it if our paths crossed a little more. Although I have mixed emotions about him living with me again. [Laughs] Maybe somewhere close but not close to see him every minute… No, it would definitely be nice to have Min Woo on the same continent and in the same time zone.
Min Woo: Yes, the PGA Tour would be the dream. I knew my sister would love the thought of me being close by. [Laughs]
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Minjee, you mentioned getting the ‘monkey off the back’. Did that start to weigh on you at all?
Minjee: It definitely was on my mind, not because of other people’s expectations but because of my own. I think the relief of finally winning that elusive first Major came from the pressure I put on myself, not from the conversations anyone else was having about me. I also think I felt more happy and excited, as opposed to relieved. Now, I am just excited to play in the next Major.
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We joked at the start of this interview about whose shout it was. If we can be serious for a moment: what are your thoughts on prizemoney in golf? Is the gulf between the men’s and women’s purses a topic of conversation among the players?
Minjee: Personally, I am not playing golf for the money but because I love playing golf and feel incredibly lucky I get to do it as my career, I can make a good living. In terms of the bigger picture and for the sake of women’s sport in general, I think golf’s aim must be – and is – to close the gender pay gap. I think it is going in the right direction, albeit with a long way still to go.
Min Woo: What she said… 100 percent.
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Quick Tip
What’s the most important thing amateurs can do right now to improve on the greens?
Minjee: Have a nice even tempo and make sure you use your shoulders, not your hands, for the stroke. Consistency in putting comes from a proper, controlled technique.
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Is there one player, current or former, you model yourself on or who’s had a big influence on your career?
Min Woo: Tiger Woods. I have always loved the way he plays and carries himself around the course. He’s the G.O.A.T, for me. I got to meet and know him a little at the Sage Valley Invitational – something I’ll never forget.
Minjee: Another G.O.A.T: Karrie Webb. What can I say? She’s my golfing idol and mentor.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has been a huge inconvenience for everyone. How has it impacted your own lives and careers?
Min Woo: Well, on the European Tour we’ve been pretty lucky for the most part, to be able to play on during this difficult time. The hotel bubble life is tough and challenging but, as a tour pro, we have to see the bright side of things – we are lucky to be out here playing and competing again. Going home has been tough as we have to do the 14-day quarantine in a hotel. We don’t get to see friends and family as often which has been tough, but that’s the same for everyone.
Minjee: The LPGA Tour has done a great job keeping our events up and running over the past year. As professional golfers, we are constantly travelling, which has been incredibly difficult and sometimes unsettling during a pandemic. Overall, I’ve just tried to remain positive because I know how bad this has been on so many people.
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The Rules of Golf are always topical. If there’s one rule you could change tomorrow, what would it be and why?
Min Woo: Minjee and I have talked about this and both agree that being in a divot in the fairway should be a free drop because you deserve to have a good lie from a good shot, not a filet mignon from the person before.
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You’re still both very young, but have you thought at all about what you’d want to do after golf?
Min Woo: I would like to help young kids get into golf or be a coach. Hopefully I have a long career in the game and I can help youngsters during and after my pro career.
Minjee: I’ve sort of let my head wonder about what I want to do after golf, but I think I’d like to go back and study or maybe do something that works with the body.
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OK, last question. Be honest, who’s really the best golfer out of you two?
Min Woo: We might be able to determine who’s the better golfer at the end of our careers, but I’d say Minjee has been more successful to date. But I’m sneaking up… [Laughs]
Minjee: We are both good. But I think both of us have a lot more to show the world. So you’d better watch this space!
Quick Tip
What advice can YOU give amateurs looking for more distance off the tee?
Min Woo: The easy way: hit it harder and swing out of your shoes. The smart way: go to the gym and hit the weights. Combining natural strength with timing is the best recipe for more metres.
