Min Woo Lee has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with his performances in this year’s PGA Tour signature events, describing them as his lowest points of the season. The 27-year-old Australian shared his honest assessment while announcing his participation in the upcoming Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland this November, a key tournament on home soil.
Lee’s campaign ended at the FedEx St Jude Championship, the initial tournament of the FedEx Cup playoffs. His exit was part of a broader underwhelming performance from the Australian players throughout the 2024 season on the PGA Tour.
Australian Contingent’s Struggles Mark a Historic Break
For the first time since 1998, Australia will be absent from the Tour Championship at East Lake in Georgia, following Jason Day’s failure to secure a top 30 finish at the BMW Championship last week. Lee, who finished 57th overall in the PGA Tour standings, was actually the second-highest-ranked Australian, yet he missed the cut at the FedEx St Jude event despite starting the playoffs barely within qualifying range.
Although Lee’s season ended prematurely in the playoffs, he did capture his first PGA Tour win at the Houston Open, narrowly defeating world number one Scottie Scheffler just before The Masters. This victory remains the highlight of his year, positively influencing his overall self-assessment.
Balancing Success and Shortcomings in High-Profile Events
When grading his season, Lee rated his win highly but was critical of his performances in major or “signature” events. He stated,
“A+ for the win. It’s something that I have always wanted to do since I was a little kid,”
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
He continued,
“And then signature events, probably whatever the lowest grade is. It wasn’t a very good year in the signature events. I wish I’d played a little bit better.”
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
Still, Lee remains optimistic about his ability to improve, noting,
“I can still get into those events next year.”
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
Overall, he described his season as “probably like a B,” recognizing the security gained with another two and a half years guaranteed on the PGA Tour. He acknowledged the importance of aiming for consistent qualifications to the Tour Championship in the coming years, stating,
“So, that’s going to be the goal next year.”
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
Challenges in Majors and Signature Tournaments
Despite his headline win, Lee faced difficulties under the higher pressure and tougher course setups common to majors and premier tournaments. He missed the cuts in the last three majors and managed only a 49th-place finish at The Masters. His best showing in a signature event was tied for 17th at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, followed by a 48th place at The Genesis Invitational.
Lee noted that the demanding layouts of these tournaments exposed weaknesses in his game that need improvement. His Houston Open win came on a transformed public course known for forgiving rough, favoring long hitters. In contrast, signature events require precision and accuracy, traits that Lee admitted he struggles to deliver consistently.
Adapting His Game to More Demanding Conditions
Reflecting on the different challenges posed by signature tournaments, Lee said,
“The signature events were (played at) courses that I kind of figured out later on that they were a very robotic kind of golf,”
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
He described these courses as featuring numerous fairways and greens demanding precise shot-making, an area where he finds difficulty due to his aggressive and high-speed style of play. Lee explained,
A lot of fairways, a lot of greens and very accurate. Which is something that I obviously struggle on. I hit it long and I’m a bit fiery and wayward but I can still recover from there.
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
He emphasized the challenge of playing on “major-type” courses where missing fairways can force players into difficult recovery shots from thick rough. To succeed, Lee recognized the need to adopt a more controlled approach, saying,
“So, learning from that, they were saying lower my speed to try get a little more accurate, which is kind of backwards.”
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
Life Off the Course and Upcoming Plans
Currently back in Australia, Lee is spending time on the Gold Coast with his partner Gracie, enjoying a break before returning to international competition. He plans to compete in the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship and the French Open next month, building momentum ahead of the Australian PGA Championship in November.
Away from tournaments, Lee has become a social media star, blending his on-course skill with a lively personality that has captured a global following. This visibility even led to an unexpected friendship with pop icon Justin Bieber, with the two often exchanging messages and golf tips.
Lee recalled a spontaneous decision to attend Bieber’s golf-themed album launch party in Los Angeles, describing it as a memorable experience,
“Got to meet a couple of other celebs, and be around them, and have a golf theme party, and listen to his music too, it’s very good.”
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
Twenty-four months earlier, Lee went viral after an extraordinary chip-in eagle at Royal Queensland helped him win the Australian PGA Championship. This moment not only boosted his profile but also cemented his nickname “let him cook,” inspired by his Instagram and TikTok fans donning chef hats while cheering him on.
Lee remains down-to-earth about his rising fame, stating,
“I’m just me and JB is one of the biggest artists in the world.”
—Min Woo Lee, professional golfer
Looking Ahead to Major Competitions on Home Soil
Despite his expanding international reputation, Lee has yet to confirm whether he will compete at the Australian Open in December, where he would face top contenders such as Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott. His participation in upcoming tournaments will be closely watched as he aims to build on lessons learned from this challenging season.
Lee’s honest self-reflection, combined with his evident talent and growing experience, sets a clear direction for his career as he seeks to elevate his performances in the PGA’s most demanding events while preparing to showcase his skills in front of a home crowd later this year.