Golf: Maiden Major in the bag, Australia's Minjee Lee wants more

SINGAPORE - PGA and LPGA Tour professionals spend countless hours in practice and competition honing their craft in search of excellence. And in a sport where the line between good and great can be fine, it is an insatiable desire for success that separates the elite from the rest of the field.

Newly crowned Major winner Minjee Lee is one professional golfer who does not entertain the idea of resting on her laurels.

The 25-year-old had a banner year in 2021, wining her first Major title after a dramatic play-off victory over Lee6 Jeongeun at the Evian Championship last July. Lee's stellar year also included seven top-five finishes on the LPGA Tour and her second Greg Norman Medal - an annual award given to the best male or female Australian golf professional on the world stage.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Lee, who is currently world No. 6, outlined her next goal - to be in the top three of the world rankings by the end of the year.

She said: "I think playing good golf will allow me to get there. It'll come from a process of getting better at my game.

"Every year, I reflect back on what I have done. I look at my statistics and work out where I can improve. I'm working on pitching, putting and improving my short game. That's been my big focus this off-season."

The process of improving her game took Lee to her first Major success and she was not surprised by the feat.

On what it did for her, she said: "I gained a silent confidence. Now I know I can compete on the level. It's a great feeling to have. I've got a taste and I want more.

"I'm always working towards being better and there's always something to improve.

"Now I want to go on and win a British or a US Open. In golf, there are endless goals to hit. Once you get the goal, you reward yourself, then you go to the next one."

The Perth resident, who counts American golf icon Tiger Woods and tennis superstar Serena Williams as her sporting idols, also revealed that she does look to learn from fellow pros.

Lee, whose younger brother Min Woo is also a golf pro, said: "I watch highlights. I like to see what people are doing well at. Putting wise, I like to look at Inbee Park (world No. 4). I think she's an unbelievable putter."

Park and Lee will be among nine of the world's top 10 players that will feature at the March 3-6 HSBC Women's World Championship at the Sentosa Golf Club.

The Championship will be Lee's first outing of the year and her best result in the tournament was in 2019, when she finished second.

She said of her return to Singapore: "I've been home about a month now. I'm really looking forward to the first event of the year. I love the culture in Singapore and the golf course is amazing, so I can't wait to be out there."

While a triumph at Sentosa will be a big boost in her target of reaching the top three this year, Lee's answer to what she will do if and when she reaches the top of the sport, is a reminder of her appetite for growth.

Said Lee: " I'll celebrate, have a drink then I'll figure how to be No. 1 for as long as possible."