The two ‘unforgivable’ incidents that nearly halted Min Woo Lee’s journey to his first PGA Tour victory

Min Woo Lee strode to the tee of the par-5 16th with a comfortable three-shot advantage during the final round of the Houston Open.

However, instead of unleashing a powerful drive down the fairway, he veered significantly right and found himself in a pond. After a re-tee, he struck his second shot with the intent he had for the first.

A bogey was the result. Meanwhile, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, playing in the group ahead, narrowly missed an eagle putt but tapped in for a birdie. Just like that, Lee’s lead shrank to one stroke with two holes remaining.

The 26-year-old managed to maintain his composure, recording pars on the last two holes, including a remarkable lag putt from off the green on the 18th. This strong finish secured his first PGA Tour victory, edging out Scheffler and Gary Woodland by a single stroke.

As he made his way up the 18th, Lee appeared calm on the outside. However, he revealed to reporters that internally, he felt quite the opposite.

“I was freaking out inside … it looked like I was cool, but I really didn’t want (Scheffler) to make birdie,” he shared after the round.

When he was asked what he had discovered about the mental aspects of winning on the PGA Tour, his response was straightforward.

“It’s the six inches between your ears,” he said. “That was a significant aspect of this week. I always felt I had the ability to win, but the question was whether I could handle it mentally.”

The drive that landed in the water was not Lee’s first mistake of the final round. Earlier, on the par-5 eighth, he had again veered right, this time winding up under a bush. Initially contemplating a risky shot from his knees, he opted to take an unplayable lie after consulting with veteran caddie Brian ‘Bo’ Martin. He punched out to the fairway and salvaged a par.

“The last few days, I had been hitting it left, so I aimed to play a slight fade,” Lee explained.

“Both shots felt extremely similar. I got too far in front of the ball with an open clubface, and it went 50 yards right, which is unacceptable. That’s something I’ll be working on with my coach.”

Until that wayward tee shot on the 16th, Lee had felt confident in his game. He had taken the lead in the third round and seemed to be on track for victory.

When his ball sank into the pond, Lee could have easily lost composure, especially as he saw Scheffler make a charge, having birdied four consecutive holes and finishing strong. Gary Woodland, just ahead on the course, made two birdies and an eagle over the final three holes to join Scheffler in a tie for second.

“That was probably the one moment in the round where I faced considerable difficulties,” Lee reflected.

“I’m really proud of how I held myself together over those last two holes. They’re no walk in the park. If the tee boxes were closer on 17, it would’ve been easier to make par.”

“For the most part, I didn’t doubt myself this week; I was focused on being as mentally strong as possible. I know now that that’s what it takes. It’s a real grind.”

Looking ahead, Lee’s sights are set on The Masters, at which he achieved his best finish of tied for 14th in 2022. The prestigious event at Augusta National will commence on April 10.