Australian golfer Min Woo Lee hangs on for first PGA Tour win at Houston Open

HOUSTON – Australia’s Min Woo Lee was in an unusual position of being chased during the closing stretch of a PGA Tour event on March 30.

But he figured it out with a dazzling par on the final hole of the Houston Open, holding off a collection of hard-charging pursuers and winning on the tour for the first time at Memorial Park Golf Course.

“This was my first time being in front trying to hold a lead. I’m glad I obviously got it done,” Lee said.

He shot a three-under 67, using a magnificent putt from off the green on the 18th that led to a tap-in par. His 20-under 260 was good enough, as top-ranked Scottie Scheffler (63) and Gary Woodland (62) finished a stroke back.

The 26-year-old began the day with a four-shot lead, but it was far from a comfortable final round.

“I’m very exhausted. It was a lot of mental grind. I’m so proud of how I handled myself,” Lee added.

Scheffler had four consecutive birdies from Nos. 13 to 16 before finishing with back-to-back pars in his bogey-free round.

“It’s hard. It’s really hard. Obviously, Scottie is a wonderful golfer, and it keeps you on your toes,” Lee said.

Woodland played the first 10 holes in five under, but seemed to have his momentum squashed with a bogey on the par-four No. 13. His birdie on the 15th and an eagle on the next hole put him back on track, and he wrapped up the round with a birdie. The 2019 US Open champion had to wait for twice Major winner Scheffler and Lee to finish to learn his fate.

But Lee had just enough in his 56th career start in a PGA Tour event. His main blunder came off the tee on the par-five 16th, with his shot going into the water. It resulted in his only bogey of the round. “I played unbelievable up until that bogey,” he said.

Lee and his 28-year-old sister Minjee are golfing royalty in Australia and became the 16th siblings to represent the nation in the same sport at the same Olympic Games at Paris 2024.

With 10 wins on the LPGA Tour, including Major triumphs at the 2021 Evian Championship and the 2022 US Women’s Open, Minjee’s trophy cabinet is a bit more stocked than her brother’s.

“I just FaceTimed her... I called my family, and my mum was crying as usual, dad was very happy,” added Lee, now world No. 22.

“I haven’t seen (Minjee) in a little bit, it’s very cool to have a sister that’s really good at golf.”

Scheffler said he needed a better start to the round, and though he went on a tear on the back nine it just was not enough.

“(Lee) played some really good golf. I think he made one mistake on 16, but I think he did some really good stuff out there, and he just went out and beat us this week,” the world No. 1 said.

Finland’s Sami Valimaki (62) finished fourth at 263, followed by Wyndham Clark (64), Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (64), Canadian Taylor Pendrith (65) and Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti (68) at 265.

It was a nice tune-up for many golfers with the Masters coming up in April.

“The last three days were really good. Saw some putts go in. I felt as I went on through the week I got better and better,” four-time Major winner McIlroy said.

Scheffler has not won yet in 2025 and is the defending Masters champion. REUTERS