A maturing Min Woo Lee remains in the hunt for a major championship breakthrough after a gritty fightback in Round 2 of the US PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania.
With pin positions that world No.1 Scottie Scheffler described as the toughest he has ever seen, the Round 1 co-leader was visibly frustrated as he walked off the 10th green with a second straight bogey to be 2-over on his round and 1-under for the championship.
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But a wedge inside two feet at the par-4 11th, a birdie putt from 18 feet at the par-4 15th and a two-putt birdie from 40 feet at the par-5 16th elevated the 27-year-old into a share of second at 4-under par and just one stroke off the lead.
A poor tee shot right of the green would lead to a bogey at the par-3 17th but a two-putt par from distance on 18 saw the West Australian sign for an even-par 70 and, at 3-under, just one back of Americans Maverick McNealy (67) and Alex Smalley (69).
“I did lose it a little bit out there just in the middle part,” Lee admitted.
“There’s some tough holes out there. It’s very easy to get your mind spiralling, but you can’t do that at a major championship.
“Made sure me and Shane (Joel), my caddie, had to regroup and thought I played the last seven, eight holes pretty good.”
With just one top-10 finish in 18 major championship starts to date and coming on the back of four straight missed cuts in majors, Lee says a maturity combined with a comfortability with the golf course has put him in contention.
“Definitely matured, but the game has matured as well, and that’s where we want to be,” said Lee.
“I just like the way this course shapes up for me. You have to drive it really well, and I have been driving it really well. Approach play is a lot better. The chipping and putting’s not too bad too.
“Hopefully we can keep going when the circumstances become tougher and especially at a major.”
Lee is the best-placed of the four Aussies to make the cut, 2015 champion Jason Day (70) in a tie for 16th at 1-under, Cam Smith (71) drained a bomb on 18 to advance as he advanced to the weekend of a major for the first time since the 2024 US Open, in a share of 22nd at even par alongside Kiwi pair Ryan Fox (70) and Dan Hillier (69).
Gold Coast’s Elvis Smylie made the cut at the PGA Championship for the second straight year despite three bogeys in his final four holes for a round of 2-over 72 on Friday.
In his US major championship debut, Travis Smyth (73) played the back nine in 4-over to miss the cut as did Adam Scott, who had just one birdie in his round of 6-over 76.
Australasian scores
T3 Min Woo Lee 67-70—137
T16 Jason Day 69-70—139
T22 Daniel Hillier (NZ) 71-69—140
T22 Cameron Smith 69-71—140
T22 Ryan Fox (NZ) 70-70—140
T68 Elvis Smylie 72-72—144
MC Travis Smyth 74-73—147
MC Adam Scott 72-76—148
