Min Woo Lee’s great weekend at Wentworth
Min Woo Lee – file photo courtesy of Australian Golf Media
Min Woo Lee made a valiant attempt to contend and possibly win the BMW PGA Championship on the final day at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water in Surrey, the 27-year-old West Australian moving within two of the lead when he pitched in for birdie at the par 4 15th hole and when he also birdied the 16th he was within one.
At that point, he was 7 under for the day and with two par fives to finish at Wentworth and his power to aid his cause, it was possible that Lee could have come from near the cutline on Friday evening to win the tournament.
Unfortunately, the 17th, one of two par 5s to finish at Wentworth, is a dangerous driving hole. Perhaps looking for the extra distance he needed to set up a birdie and possibly an eagle, he pulled his tee shot out of bounds, double-bogeyed, and his bold bid for victory was gone.
Lee would, though, birdie the last after finding the green and would eventually finish in a share of 11th place, although some five shots behind the playoff between the eventual winner, Alex Noren, and Frenchman Adrien Saddier.
For Lee, however, the finish ended a run of indifferent form since his breakthrough PGA Tour win in March and, with this week’s French Open his next assignment, he could well finish off his limited 2025 European campaign in style.
Lee’s weekend total of 133 was amongst the best of the leading players.
The tournament was won by the Swede Alex Noren, who won his second tournament in his last three starts, having won the British Masters three weeks ago. He did miss the cut in Switzerland at his last start, but this win and the one at the Belfry mean he has claimed two of the European Tour’s flagship events in 2025 despite playing much of the year in the USA.
Noren is a vice captain of Europe’s Ryder Cup side so he will head to Bethpage not as a member of the team but to play a significant role in the battle in 12 days’ time and perhaps, if needed, a late and in-form replacement should the need arise.
It was Noren’s second win in this most prestigious event and his 12th European Tour victory.
For the runner-up Saddier who, despite being outside the world top 100, has, in the last three months, won the Italian Open and finished 5th in Ireland last week.
Elvis Smylie was the next best of the Australians when he finished in 31st place to maintain his 26th position in the Race to Dubai rankings.
