If Perth’s Min Woo Lee ultimately advances to the Web.Com Tour next year, he’ll look back on half an hour of greenside brilliance today as the reason.
Lee, 20, won a share of the last available place via the second stage of Q-School at TPC Craig Ranch in Texas today with three mesmerising up-and-downs to break the heart of five onlookers who needed him to make just one mistake to keep their hopes of advancement alive.
His closing one-over-par 73, while laced with a couple of costly errors, left him nine under in total and right on the figure that advances to the Q-school finale in Chandler, Arizona, from 6-9 December, when he’ll be joined by Victorian Brett Coletta, who progressed last week.
But on so many occasions today, Lee’s plans looked dead in the water.
The Royal Fremantle member, currently No.7 in the amateur world rankings, bogeyed the third and doubled the fourth to immediately put himself outside the cut line.
A birdie on the fifth was more than erased by another doubled on the 10th and the West Australian looked in deep trouble.
A birdie on 12 regained momentum somewhat, but Lee was still two shots adrift of safety before he chipped to 4m from 125m and drilled the birdie putt on the 16th.
All seemed lost again, though, when his tee shot finished 20m through the par-three 17th green. Again, though, he made a stunning up and down for par to leave him needing a birdie up the last to avoid any prospect of a playoff.
All day, though, things didn’t come easily for the affable Lee, who was again in bother when he blocked his drive right into the sand on the closing par five.
He laid up to about 70, then calmly pitched to 5m and again drained the putt to the audible disbelief of those looking on at eight under.
“I’m pretty pumped,” Lee said.
“That was awesome. Can’t wait for the final now.”
Lee now faces the tough decision as to whether or not to make a flying visit home to play this week’s Australian Open.