Min Woo Lee continues to play his way on to the European Tour and give himself options for next season. The Western Australian roared into the top five at the Volvo China Open in Shenzhen on Friday, putting him within five shots of the lead.
Lee, 20, has had a sensational start to his professional career with two top-five finishes in just six starts.
Originally intending to head to the Web.com Tour in 2019, he has played so well on invitations in European Tour events that he is 56th on the Race to Dubai rankings, the highest-ranked player who is not a tour member.
A change to the rankings system confuses the issue, but the top 110 players on the points ranking are given cards for the following season. On form, he will continue to earn invitations anyway.
On Friday he shot 67 to go with his opening 69 to be eight under par, tied as the leading Australian with Jason Scrivener. Queenslander Scott Hend is also in the mix at six-under par.
Lee’s world ranking has risen more than 600 spots to 292nd, having turned professional in January.
The younger brother of world No. 2 woman Minjee Lee, he won the US junior championship and was one of the world’s best amateurs.
Meanwhile in the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, Jason Day is playing nicely after two rounds. Day made a nice par-save from the bunker at the last for a 69 to be tied-sixth at five-under par, six behind Jason Dufner’s lead.
In the LPGA Tour’s Mediheal Championship Minjee Lee fired a second-round 69 to haul herself inside the cutline after an opening 76.