Get to Know Min Woo Lee, the Players Championship Contender With Golf Talent in His Blood

Lee trails Scottie Scheffler by two shots heading into the final round at the Players. Get to know this rising Australian.

American golf fans might not be familiar with Min Woo Lee, but they will be now: The DP World Tour player sits just two shots behind Scottie Scheffler with 18 remaining in his first Players Championship start.

Lee, one of the last additions to the elite Players field, posted solid first and second round scores of 68 and 70, but on Moving Day he went particularly low. With one eagle, five birdies, and an unfortunate bogey at the last, Lee fired a 6-under 66, good for solo second place heading into Sunday.

Get to know the 24-year-old Australian as he chases his maiden PGA Tour victory at TPC Sawgrass. 

Lee has golfing talent in his blood. 

The LPGA’s Minjee Lee is Min Woo’s older sister by two years. Minjee has eight wins on the LPGA Tour, including two major championships: The 2021 Evian Championship and the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open. She’s currently ranked 5th in the world, while her brother is No. 50 (that’s how he got in to the field this week). Both Minjee and Min Woo have won the USGA’s U.S. Junior, the only siblings to have done so. 

“If we had a sprint, I think I would win, but she's so consistent,” Lee said when asked who wins when the siblings go head-to-head. “So I think over 100 rounds, I think she would beat me because I can hit it sideways and she doesn't hit it off the fairway.”

He’s a two-time winner on the DP World Tour

Lee has wins at the 2020 ISPS Handa Vic Open and the 2021 Aberdeen Scottish Open so far in his young career. With top-15 finishes in his last five starts on the DP World Tour, Lee is well on his way to a strong 2023 season.

Lee has his sights on the PGA Tour

If Lee maintains his strong play at the Players, he might be in the position to earn Special Temporary Membership on the PGA Tour. Additionally, he currently stands in third place in the DP World Tour’s season-long points race. The top 10 finishers on that list will become PGA Tour members as part of a new initiative in the PGA Tour’s strategic partnership with the DP World Tour. 

“I support both tours,” Lee said. “I started on the European Tour, and they've helped me grow as a player, but obviously you want to be on the PGA Tour as a golfer. You'd obviously play like the big events in Europe, and I'm happy to be here. It's a great pathway to get out here, and it's nice that they've had that alliance.”

He had a rough start to the week

Lee made headlines on Thursday when he posted a 4-under 68 despite battling a nasty leg cramp throughout his last four holes. After the round, Lee revealed that he stopped drinking electrolytes earlier in the week because of a severe allergic reaction. Apparently, the Aussie’s face turned red and his eyes were “half shut.” Lee suspected the lack of electrolytes lead to the sudden cramp. 

Lee is a great follow on social media

Lee backs up his talent on the golf course with some serious humor on his Instagram and Twitter handles. The 24-year-old even made light of the cramp incident by making his profile picture a photo of the painful moment. 

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