(Photo: Getty images)
Just what the doctor ordered.
Min Woo Lee continued his hot form into what his final hit-out before the Masters with a sensational, signature chip-in en route to taking the 54-hole lead in search of his first PGA Tour victory at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
Watch the short game magic below. Lee, 26, started round three at 10-under-par at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston and made a birdie at the par-5 third. Following a brilliant par save at the par-4 fourth, and another par at the fifth, Lee had flared his approach right of the par-4 sixth green. Then, he conjured the social media persona Lee he’s become famous for, “Dr Chip-in-ski.” Lee left commentators bedazzled with a world-class pitch shot:
After the chip-in, Lee reeled off five birdies in his next eight holes during a stunning 63 at the par-70 Memorial Park. At 17-under-par, Lee ensured he would take a four-shot lead into the final round over Argentine Alejandro Tosti at 13-under with world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and New Zealander Ryan Rox among those sharing third.
After fading away on the weekend earlier this month at the Players Championship despite holding the 36-hole lead Lee feels ready and hungry to get the job done in Texas.
“Today I did an amazing job,” Lee said after his round. “It was a very good learning curve at the Players just a few weeks ago, being in the lead and I felt like I wasn’t myself. I want to be in this situation more and more, so I had to really look into it myself. I’m keeping my head down really and [I’ll] try and hit one shot at a time. It’s a long day so you can’t get ahead of yourself, and you’ve just got to keep trusting your game.”
Earlier this week, in round one in Houston, Lee – who led through two rounds at the prestigious Players Championship recently – fired a four-under-par 66 to sit T-3 after day one at the par-70 Memorial Park Golf Course. He went even deeper in round two, with a 64, setting up his thrilling Saturday (Sunday AEST) round.
Lee said on day one that he was feeling good with the Masters just two weeks away.
“Yeah, my game’s actually really good. There was a couple holes out there that, you know, kind of messed me up a little bit,” Lee said.
