WA’s Min Woo Lee and Fred Lee will take favourable seedings into the US Boys Junior matchplay after strong performances in the 36 hole qualifying at The Honors Course in Tennessee.
Royal Fremantle’s Min Woo Lee will likely be seeded third after finishing T2 on 5-under par while Fred Lee of Royal Perth will likely be seeded 17th after finishing T16 on even par.
It wasn’t to be for Australia at the US Girls’ Junior in New Jersey with lone Aussie representative Gabi Ruffels finishing just one shot outside of matchplay qualification despite her strong start in the opening round.
The 16-year-old Victorian handled her disappointment well, tweeting “Missed cut by 1 at the US Junior Am and unfortunately that's the end of my US tournaments. Such a great experience!”
Min Woo Lee wasn’t fazed by his early start to complete the final two holes in his opening round, making birdie on the 8th to close Round 1 with a 4-under par 68.
Lee then endured a rough start with bogeys on the fourth, sixth and eighth holes in his second round to fall outside the top 10, but closed strongly to birdie five of his last ten holes to finish tied for second alongside Eugene Hong and three back of medallist Travis Vick.
Fred Lee finished a further five back of Vick after a solid 2-over par second round that featured two birdies and four bogeys.
Min Woo Lee will have to wait until tomorrow morning to know his opponent in the Round of 64, with a 13 for 7 playoff to be contested in the morning to decide the final positions.