Min Woo Lee jumps 21 spots following share of 2nd at Pebble Beach
Min Woo Lee – file image courtesy of USGA
Min Woo Lee’s impressive share of 2nd place in this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am will see the West Australian improve from 52nd to 31st in the revised world ranking, and while still short of his previous best of 22nd, he moves ahead of Jason Day (now 34th)as the leading Australasian in the rankings.
Lee’s final round of 65 on a windswept Pebble Beach Links course saw him move into a share of the lead with the eventual winner, Collin Morikawa, when he had finished his round after his two-putt birdie at the last completed his 9-under-par effort on day four.
Lee was forced to wait 45 minutes or so for Morikawa to birdie the last and finish one ahead, but Lee’s effort in the lucrative event secures a cheque for US$1,760 for his share of second place, and an improvement to 10th on the FedEx Cup points table.
“Yeah, great week,” said a happy Lee. “Obviously, just shy of making the playoff but I gave it my all. I think I’m very proud of the way I handled myself today. Played a lot of good golf, which is nice, and have been trending. So it’s been good, and hopefully we can keep the form going.
“I don’t know what that result gets me in, but hopefully I can make it into other Signature Events. Fell short just by a little bit last year, not making the top-50. But when we get these opportunities, we try to play our best, and I’m glad I did.”
When asked the key to staying in the hunt in today’s final round, Lee responded;
“Just not getting ahead of myself. It’s so cliché, but I think my abilities got me past that little hump. There are times when you think a little bit too ahead and are a little result-oriented. Don’t focus on the process. I think I did a good job of that today. Just executed, which is great. There’s a couple of shots there that were very tricky, and I did my best. Very happy.”
Lee shared second place with Sepp Straka, who eagled the last to steal US$400,000 from Lee’s prizemoney return, but it was clear that Lee felt no regrets about running second in the first Signature event of the season.
In winning the event Morikawa posted his first PGA Tour victory in 28 months and jumps from 19th to 5th in the world ranking after a drought of sorts.
“I think it was more just believing and knowing why I’m here,” said the winner.
“I think I’ve been trying to make golf so perfect, trying to hit these shots and trying to make these putts in a certain way that maybe others are doing it that you forget how to play the game of golf.
“And I’ve gone so far away from that, that creativity that I think the last two days I went to go play golf. I caught myself today, even after the bogey on 5, I was like, man, I love being in this position. Like I hadn’t felt that in such a long time. And you feel that in the team events, you feel that here and there, but I just told myself like, man, like it just felt so good to be in that position.”
Jason Day and Ryan Fox, the only other Australasians in the field, tied for 24th at 14 under par and 8 shots from Morikawa.
