[Photo: David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images]
His coach may not not be particularly enamoured by his famed ‘stinger’ yet Min Woo Lee believes the browning turf of Royal Birkdale can help make him a major contender at this week’s Open Championship.
A dry English summer that shows no signs of breaking over the following four days has players – including seven Australians and three Kiwis – experimenting with all types of shots with all manner of clubs.
Like Tiger Woods at Hoylake 20 years ago this week, the driver headcover may rarely come off.
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Who needs the big dog when a 5-iron can roll out towards the 300-yard mark.
“Firm and fast” has been the descriptor of the week, Lee’s runner-up finish at the Genesis Scottish Open last week and the nature of his swing instilling belief that the firmer turf gets, the more his ball-striking will elevate.
“It’s obviously pretty brown. It’s pretty scary how brown it is,” said Lee, who climbed to No.24 in the Official World Golf Ranking after finishing second to Tom Kim at The Renaissance Club.
“I’m somewhat of a steep player so I think being a little steep going into this type of grass is not too bad because it just bounces out. Instead of real soft American courses where it slides through and take really big divots, and you don’t really want that most of the time and especially under pressure.
“Last week was very good technically and hopefully I can just keep it going this week.”
Lee’s coach, Ritchie Smith, was on hand last week to see first-hand how his charge was looking leading into the final men’s major of the year.
But while he tuned up the mechanics of his swing to be firing on all cylinders, it was what Lee accomplished between the ears that he was most proud of ahead of his 21st consecutive major start having debuted at The Open five years ago.
“At the end of the week, I was very happy with the way I played,” Lee reflected of his week in Scotland.
“I just felt like I was playing golf kind of at home and not letting the situation get me nervous… Of course, get a little nervous, but I felt like I went through the processes really good and just mentally felt really, really pleased.
“I think that was the best I’ve done mentally, which is great. Hopefully I can bring it into this week and majors going forward.”
With a PGA TOUR win now on his resume, contending regularly in major championships is the next evolution of the 27-year-old.
He has missed the cut in five of his past six major starts and admits that – like his swing – the learning curve is steep.
“It’s a week where everything’s heightened, emotions are heightened, and you feel like you want to practise more, you feel like you want to do everything a lot more, which is obviously not the best sometimes,” said Lee.
“You learn a lot. You’re still learning. Hopefully the week is the week that you play well, but there’s a lot to debrief every week about.
“Hopefully your golf is on that week, but majority you just want to play well and golf your ball.”
Lee’s championship tees off at 6:25pm AEST alongside American Ben Griffin and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
New Zealand Open champion Daniel Hillier leads off the Australasian contingent at 3:46pm followed 11 minutes later by fellow Kiwi Ryan Fox.
Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Travis Smyth is the first of the Aussies to tee off at 5:47pm.
All four days of The Open Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports, Round 1 coverage starting at 3:30pm Thursday.
