Scottish Open champ Min Woo Lee is loving a best-ever Christmas gift of an invitation to the 2022 Masters.
Lee has officially ended the year as 49th on the World Rankings to secure an automatic Augusta National tee time next April.
The 23-year-old Aussie faced an anxious last few weeks before ending the year inside the top-50 of early and the assurance now in the New Year in receiving an envelope postmarked ‘Augusta GA’, and containing an invitation into the 83rd Masters.
It was Lee’s stunning showing in capturing a second European Tour title in July at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian that proved to be the springboard into his maiden Masters.
Aussie Min Woo Lee celebrates Christmas with a maiden Masters invitation (Photo – European Tour)
Lee’s Scottish success win saw him jump 179 spots on the World Rankings to World No. 61 and since then he’s improved his ranking reaching a career-high of World No. 49 last week, and moving up one place bizarrely without contesting an event.
Lee said: “It’s every golfer’s dream to tee-up at Augusta National, so it’s a dream come true to be receiving an invitation to tee-up in the Masters.
“The Masters is the big one. I’ve qualified for the other three majors next year, which is huge for me, so playing the Masters is like icing on the cake, and making it all four majors for me next year.
“I couldn’t be happier and what a super Christmas present”,
Since his Scottish success Lee posted three top-10s in succession including second in Spain, eighth in Portugal and a week later fourth in Dubai to end his third full DP World Tour season an impressive sixth on the Race to Dubai money-list and take his career earnings, and in just Tour 52 events, to £2.05m.
He said: “My win in Scotland was a huge learning curve for me as I was then playing in the elite groups and with guys who have won majors and the bigger events, so that has only helped my game.
“I’ve gotten better in every aspect and when the putter behaves, I do really well. So, everything in my game has gotten a lot better and I’ve gotten a lot more mature and my headspace is a lot better.”
On returning home for the first time in some six months to his beloved Perth, Western Australia, Lee had to undertake a mandatory 14-day self isolation. He’s now come out of that and speaks of being ‘grateful’ for the opportunity to play golf.
He said: “The good thing is that the later half of this year it became a little less restrictive compared to mid last year when the Tour resumed but with everyone having to stay in the bubble.
“I am just grateful we were able to play, so you won’t get any complaints from me though as an Aussie I couldn’t really go home for six months, so it’s just nice to be home now with my family and relaxing before heading into the New Year”.
Being home has also allowed him to catch-up with older sister, Minjee Lee and now a major winner in capturing the 2021 Evian Championship.
He said: “I was a little bit in her shadow, I guess, but this year I’ve proven myself.
“After the Scottish Open win, I was the best player in the family and two weeks later she won a bloody major.
“So, yeah, for two weeks I felt like I was on the throne there. But it’s a good rivalry. We drive each other.”
