[PHOTO: Lululemon/Min Woo Lee]
Min Woo Lee has devised a recipe for 2024 that he believes can fuel his quest to make Australia’s Olympic golf team in Paris and the International side for the Presidents Cup in Canada.
The big-hitting Lee – who goes by the catchphrase “Let him cook!” – kicks off the encore season to his breakout 2023 campaign at this week’s PGA Tour event in the California desert.
The 25-year-old feels refreshed, having put the clubs – and even his beloved phone – down for several weeks in his native Perth in favour of camping. Lee is determined to back up his breakout 2023, when he became a fan favourite with antics on social media and on the course, which included occasionally wearing a chef’s hat at tournaments. He backed it up, bagging a maiden top five at the majors (T-5 at the US Open) and wins at the Macao Open and Australian PGA Championship.
Now, Lee makes his debut as a fully fledged member of the PGA Tour on Thursday in the US at the American Express event in Palm Springs. He joins fellow Australians Jason Day, Harrison Endycott, Aaron Baddeley and Cam Davis in the field.
Lee has earmarked two milestones he wants to achieve.
“There are a couple of goals,” Lee told Australian media on Thursday. “The Presidents Cup for the International team and the Olympics are on the radar. I wanted to make it (the Presidents Cup) a couple of years ago, I felt like I just missed out by a couple of people, so I have a little bit of fire in my belly.
“I just want to represent Australia, the International team and just play some team sports. It’s been a while since I have played in a team environment.”
The Presidents Cup will be be held in late September in Montreal, Canada, with homegrown hero and 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir as the International team skipper. First up, though, will be the third Olympics since golf returned to the games as an event.
The top two golfers from each country will compete at the Olympics in July and is calculated from the Official World Golf Rankings.
Jason Day is the top men’s player at No.18, while Cameron Smith (30th) would join Day if the Olympics were finalised off the current rankings. However, with Smith playing on LIV Golf, which does not receive world ranking points, and Lee (37th) playing on the PGA Tour, which receives the lion’s share, he could overtake Smith should the 2022 Open champion not perform in the first three major championships of this year.
The Olympic teams will be finalised on June 17 after the US Open. Should Lee overtake Smith, he could achieve the rare feat of playing alongside a sibling at the Olympics. His two-time major winner sister, Minjee, is women’s world No.4 and is a lock to lead the women’s contingent and should be joined by good friend Hannah Green (28th).
“It would be amazing,” Lee said of being in Paris. “Just to get the family together and to especially represent Australia would be incredible. Obviously, it’s still a while away, and I’ve still got to play good golf.”
Lee, who won three times on the European Tour, has made several changes in preparation for his new PGA Tour membership. He’s moved to the tour pro hotspot of Las Vegas, living with good friend and 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational winner, Kurt Kitayama, as well as changing clothing sponsors to Lululemon. He is the Canadian activewear giant’s first golf ambassador.
“Yes, I’m ready to cook. Hopefully,” he said referencing his catchphrase. “Hopefully, I’ll be looking good as well, and if I don’t play good, then at least I’ll look good.”
For now though, Lee’s focus is on the PGA Tour regular in the lead up to the Masters in April. The three scoring-friendly courses which co-host the American Express event will demand plenty of birdies.
“I’m really excited. This week’s going to be fun. I know it’s, there’s a lot of birdies, and the scoring’s really low, so it’s, I guess it’s a nice teaser, in a way, but you still got to play really well and hit your drives well and wedge it close,” Lee said.
