25 Nov 2021 | Professional golf |
Lee striving for family throne
by Dane Heverin
Min Woo Lee believes that his breakout year has brought him out of his older sister Minjee’s shadow.
Earlier in the week, the Evian Championship winner joined Adam Scott - who labelled Min Woo a “super talent” with “the modern game” and “all the attributes” - in singing his praises when she declared that “he will probably win a major”.
The backing of Australia’s most recent male and female major champions, along with the confidence gained from this year’s Scottish Open triumph and a sixth place finish in the Race to Dubai standings, has the younger Lee gunning for ascendancy in their sibling rivalry.
“I was a little bit in her shadow I guess but this year I’ve kind of proven myself,” he said.
“After the Scottish Open I was the best player in the family and two weeks later she won a bloody major!
“For two weeks I was on the throne there, but it’s a good rivalry.”
Their competitiveness dates back to their days growing up together in Perth and despite spending most of the year on different continents, they still jostle for whose trophies get pride of place at the family home or go on display behind the counter at their parents’ cafe - where Min Woo’s 2020 Vic Open trophy lived for more than six months.
“We don’t spend a lot of time together so we try to make the most of our time and enjoy our company. I got to see her a few times this year, which was awesome,” Min Woo said.
“We’re just a normal brother and sister. I do annoy her all the time and then she gets over it and repeat.
“It’s cool to have a sister that does so well and it motivates me. I’m sure I motivated her when I won the Scottish Open and she won a couple of weeks later. She didn’t have the best year before that so we try to motivate each other on the golf course and we do talk quite a bit.
“It’s a great year for the Lee family and hopefully we can keep doing that.”
Min Woo may also have an ace up his sleeve to not only move further up the world rankings - he is currently No.51 in the Official Golf World Rankings - but to claim the family throne for longer than two weeks.
“I do have a bit more in the tank,” Lee said of his driving distance (he had the 9th biggest average driving distance on the European Tour this year at 311.12 yards).
“But I’m just trying to hit it straight. Maybe I’ll get to Bryson’s level and get huge, which I doubt but you never know.”
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