Min Woo Lee became the first winner on the DP World Tour’s 2024 Race to Dubai season as he claimed the Australian PGA Championship by three shots.
The 25-year-old Australian, who started the final day with a three-stroke lead, carded a final round 68 at Royal Queensland to win his second professional title on home soil, adding to his 2020 ISPS HANDA Vic Open triumph.
He recovered from a bogey on the first hole with gains on the fourth, sixth and seventh holes, before sending the home crowd into a frenzy as he chipped in for eagle on the ninth to lead by four strokes from Rikuya Hoshino of Japan at the turn.
Lee cancelled out bogeys on 10 and 14 with birdies on 12 and 15 and he stood on the 18th tee with a four-stroke lead, as Hoshino carded six consecutive pars from the 12th. A bogey on the last didn’t dampen the celebrations as signed for a 20 under par total and bridged a two-and-a-half year gap since his last DP World Tour victory at the Scottish Open in 2021.
Hoshino matched Lee’s 68 to take second place on 17 under as he recorded his highest career finish on the DP World Tour, one stroke ahead of Marc Leishman who signed for a 64 to finish on 16 under. Curtis Luck finished fourth on 15 under, while Chilean Joaquin Niemann signed for a 67, which included a hole-in-one on the fourth, to finish fifth.
Speaking after his victory, Lee said: “Unbelievable. I’ve always thought I could win, but it took a while to get over the hump. But two wins in the last month or so, I’m really proud of my team and myself. I made it interesting early on and through the middle, but ended up hanging on, so I’m really proud. When I chipped in on 9 I think that was probably one of the best shot I’ve ever hit. I’ve had a few chip ins, but at that point it was getting close and I was in a pretty average position off the tee shot, after the tee shot, so to chip that in, it was amazing.”
What’s in the Bag – Min Woo Lee
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (10.5°)
Fairway: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond HL (16.5°)
Utility: Callaway X Forged UT ’21 (19°)
Irons: Callaway Apex MB ’18, 4-10
Wedges: Callaway JAWS Mack Daddy 5 10 S 50°
Putter: Odyssey Tri Hot 5K Double Wide
Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X