[PHOTO: Getty Images]
Min Woo Lee says the silver lining to coughing up the halfway lead at the Players Championship is that forced a thorough examination he needed 25 days out from the Masters.
The world No.56 showed his fierce but raw talent as he blitzed his way into a share of the 36-hole lead, only to limp home on the weekend rounds, dropping seven shots over two days en route to a T-20 finish. He was left to wonder what could have been after a final round of one-over-par 73 to sink to four-under. That followed a disastrous 78 when he was paired in the final group on day three, albeit in dire winds.
Lee was at least buoyed by racing to 11-under through 36 holes at TPC Sawgrass. He will not play competitive golf until Augusta National, where the 26-year-old was T-14 on debut at the 2022 Masters and was T-22 last year. Lee knows what he needs to work on on the range at home in Las Vegas, Nevada for three weeks before heading to Augusta National.
“Yeah this is a true test of everything in your game and it’s a great course to play before the Masters, for sure,” Lee told Australian Golf Digest. The Masters is right around the corner. Bay Hill last week was the toughest course of the year and [Lee missed the cut] and this week I showed my game is trending in the right direction.”
Masters aside, Lee left Florida longing for a win at TPC Sawgrass having fallen in love with the thrilling yet stressful Pete Dye rollercoaster when he briefly took the lead in the final group with Scottie Scheffler in 2023. Lee faded that Sunday to a T-6 finish as Scheffler strode to victory. He vowed to come back to Ponte Vedra Beach a more complete player next year.
“TPC Sawgrass suits my eye and there’s something about the tee shots and the approaches that creates a look for me that I enjoy,” Lee said. “I really enjoy the course. It’s challenging but it’s fun.”
Lee was the only Australian to play the weekend rounds this week, with Jason Day withdrawing sick while Adam Scott, Cam Davis and Karl Vilips missed the cut.
