This one hits different. Houston Open Champions baby!!! Posted on social media Image courtesy Mon Woo Lee.
By Rahul Banerji
Australia’s Min Woo Lee won his maiden PGA Tour title, outlasting the Houston Open field by a single stroke from world number one Scottie Scheffler and Gary Woodland at the Memorial Park Golf Course ion Sunday.
The genial 26-year-old, who is a high-profile social media presence, totalled 20 under par 260 as Scheffler and Woodland shared second place a shot behind and Finland’s Sami Valimaki was third on 17 under 263.
Lee (66-64-63-67) came into the final round leading Woodland (69-64-66-62) by five shots and Scheffler (67-62-69-63) by six, and then had to grind his way to the narrow win.
“It was a very mental grinding day but I’m super proud to win,” Lee said at the post-victory press conference.
“Just a very tough week. I had a four-shot lead going down — the last round and yeah, I mean, I was obviously very tired. It was one of those where I think just everything aligned this week. I’m so proud to be the winner of the trophy.”
It made Lee the 38th Australian overall and the second this year after Karl Vilips (Puerto Rico Open) win on the PGA Tour which came in his 56th tour start and was the first time he had converted a 54-holed lead into victory.
“They always say the six inches between your ears, I think that was a big part of this week. I always felt like I had the assets to win, it was just can you do it mentally.
Wonderful golf
“Obviously a couple slip ups, especially on 16. Played very wonderful golf all week and really, really solid. I only won by one, so it’s tough. Keep doing what I’m doing. And yeah, it’s a lot of mental. These guys that win, they’re mentally strong.
“Scottie was right in front of me. It was a bit of a backup so we were waiting every hole. Scottie is Scottie. He made, I don’t know, four birdies in a row, I think three or four birdies in a row.
“I just focused on myself for a lot of it until probably 16 when I hit it in the water. I kind of wanted to know where I was. I was two shots in front, then I made bogey, he made birdie, then I was only one shot.
“Obviously he’s a great golfer, and I was just looking forward to if he made birdie on the next couple holes. I know it’s a two tough holes.
“No. 17 you can play aggressive, but I had a 7-iron in there and that’s not necessarily an easy par, but I hit it in the right spot on both 17 and 18 and yeah, got the job done. But yes, I did. That’s why Sundays are so tough, you know people are creeping and you know people are attacking.“
Record total
Lee’s 260 was the lowest Houston Open 72-hole total achieved, bettering Tony Finau’s 264 from three years ago and made him the 10th Australian to win the title after Matt Jones in 2014.
For Scheffler, it was a 10th runner-up finish on the tour and the third time he has finished in the top 10 from six starts this season,
The world number one had an opportunity to see the scores level when Lee hit into water on 17 and bogeyed while he picked up a shot, but Lee hung tough. “I pushed the drive in the water. I had a 9-iron in. It wasn’t the easiest because there was a little bit of mud on the ball. I hit it to 30 feet.
“Yeah, I saw the leaderboard between 17 and 18 — sorry, 16 and 17 and I saw Scottie, he obviously made birdie in front of me. I thought hit a good shot and two-putt, and you can make two good pars.
“Saw him make par on 17, and 18’s a very tough hole so I thought two pars will do it. But I was freaking out inside if you wanted to know, it looked like I was cool, but I didn’t want him to make birdie.”
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