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A bogey-free 2-under 70 has Jason Day inside the top 10 after Round 1 of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
History suggests that being inside the top 10 after day one is advantageous in wearing the green jacket come Sunday and, while Day is the only Aussie inside that number, two others are just one stroke behind.
With Englishman Justin Rose leading the way at 7-under and defending champion Scottie Scheffler one of three players at 4-under, the 37-year-old Queenslander is in a share of seventh, followed closely by 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith (71) and Australia’s most recent PGA TOUR winner, Min Woo Lee (71).
Cam Davis had an eagle, three birdies and two double-bogeys in his opening round of 2-over 74 while 2013 champion Adam Scott faces an uphill battle to make the cut after opening with 5-over 77.
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A superb ball-striking day that yielded 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation was not fully rewarded on the greens, yet Day remained content in his Round 1 work.
His first birdie didn’t come until Amen Corner, draining a 28-foot putt centre cut at the picturesque par-3 12th.
Day didn’t have to wait long for his second.
After laying up to 58 yards with his second shot at the par-5 13th, the 2015 US PGA champion spun back a wedge to just two feet, tapping in to go to 2-under.
He would par his way in for his first bogey-free round at Augusta since Round 1, 2023 and poised for another Masters tilt.
“I had a really good strategy out there,” said Day, who has finished top five on three occasions at the Masters.
“I didn’t get myself out of position too bad, and then when I did get myself out of position, I had a relatively easy up-and-down.
“Unfortunately, I just missed a few too many opportunities for birdies. But sitting at 2-under right now in fifth place, I’m pretty happy with it.
“The better you start, obviously, the easier it gets as long as you keep that level of play up.
“Very pleased with how everything went.”
Australia’s highest-ranked male player on the back of his Houston Open win a fortnight ago, Lee’s 71 is his best start to a Masters in his fourth appearance.
Like Day, it was a round consisting predominantly of pars, his lone bogey coming at the opening hole to go with birdies at two and eight.
The 26-year-old also hit 15 of 18 greens to build his way nicely into the tournament.
“It’s one of those things, if you’re giving yourself birdie putts at Augusta National, you’re doing a good job,” said Lee, who had a birdie putt from 14 feet lip-out on his final hole.
“It’s a tough golf course today. Very happy with 1-under.
“Obviously could have had a couple more, but again, tricky pins, and I played very solid, so that’s a plus.”
Smith did make birdie at the par-4 18th after hitting his approach shot pin-high 18 feet left of the flag.
The 31-year-old also had a round featuring two birdies, one bogey and 15 pars but was forced to lean on his stellar short game to stay in red figures.
Smith hit just six greens in regulation yet finds himself alongside Lee in a share of 11th.
“It was nice for that putt to go in on the last. That felt a little bit better,” said Smith.
“I haven’t left myself too much work.
“For how I felt out there, it felt like it was going to be a bit of a long day. All in all, pretty pleased with the score.
“If I’m going to win this thing, I definitely need to do better than that.
“Golf is such a weird game. I feel like my last round last week at Doral was probably the best I’ve hit it in a long time, and coming out here today is probably the worst I’ve hit it in a long time.
“It’s just such a weird game sometimes. I felt really good at the start of the week, just a little bit of clean-up on the range, and we’ll be good.”
Two-over through 13 holes, Davis turned his fortunes around only to take two steps back.
A monster drive set up birdie from nine feet at the par-4 14th and then the two-time PGA TOUR winner chipped in from an unlikely position 35 yards behind the green at the par-5 15th.
That got the Sydneysider to 1-under on his round but a tee shot that bounced into the water led to a double-bogey at the par-3 16th followed by a bogey on 17.
With bogeys at three of his opening five holes – along with a birdie on two – Scott was on the back foot early.
He missed the green left of the par-4 10th and then three-putted from 50 feet, making a final bogey at the par-4 17th and then missing a birdie try on the left edge on 18.
Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Turning a strength into a super-power will be the primary driver in Cameron Smith’s quest to become the second Australian to win the Masters at Augusta National starting Thursday night.
Making his ninth Masters appearance, Smith is the first Australian away from 10:52pm Thursday night (AEST) at a golf course where putting is arguably more important than at any other tournament all year.
Raised putting complexes exposed to the elements, dramatic slopes and surfaces so slick that even tap-ins are no gimmes makes Augusta National the ultimate examination of imagination and execution.
It is an environment in which Smith thrives, the 31-year-old long regarded as one of the best flatstick exponents in the game.
Conscious of not letting a strong suit dissipate, Smith and coach Grant Field have doubled down on his putting prowess, spending countless hours on the practice putting green in readiness for Augusta’s snapping breaks and downhill sliders.
“When one part of your game is kind of lacking, it’s easy to get really obsessed with that,” conceded Smith, who has well-publicised issues with his driver in recent years.
“I made a conscious effort over the past few months to really get out on the green.
“That’s really my strength. That needs to be performing at a hundred percent, particularly going into major season.
“I just wanted to make sure that all the boxes were ticked there and as well as hitting some more balls.”
Statistics from recent Masters emphasise the advantage Smith is able to take on the greens.
He ranked fifth in total putts (112) on his way to a tie for sixth in 2024, was second in 2023 with 110 and ranked first in Putts Per Green In Regulation (1.62) when he finished tied third in 2022.
The 2020 runner-up has three-putted just three times over the past two Masters and got up-and-down from the sand four of five times last year.
It instils a sense of freedom that he is eager to tap into again this year.
“There’s definitely a sense of like confidence,” said Smith, who recently became a first-time father.
“I feel like I’ve been playing good golf. I haven’t got the results that I’ve wanted at the start of this year so it’s nice coming to a place knowing you’ve had some good results.
“You think about certain shots and you kind of almost forget about your swing around here, which is kind of exactly what I need.
“You have some shots out here where the ball’s a foot above your feet or a foot below your feet or on a massive down slope, so you kind of just forget about it and you play golf.
“That’s what I love about it.”
There are Aussies in action elsewhere this week. Brad Kennedy returns for the first Japan Golf Tour event of the year, Kelsey Bennett is in South Africa for the Investec SA Women’s Open and Hayden Hopewell and Danny List are playing the UAE Challenge on the HotelPlanner Tour.
Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEST
Masters Tournament
Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
10:52pm Cameron Smith
11:47pm Min Woo Lee
11:58pm Jason Day
12:48am Cameron Davis
3:01am Adam Scott
Recent champion: Scottie Scheffler
Past Aussie winners: Adam Scott
TV times: Live 4am-7am Thursday (Par 3 Contest); Live 12:30am-5am (Featured Groups), Live 5am-9:30am Friday, Saturday; Live 12am-2am (Featured Groups), Live 2am-9am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Japan Golf Tour
Token Homemate Cup
Tokken Tado Country Club, Nagoya, Mie
8:30am* Michael Hendry (NZ)
1:05pm Brad Kennedy
Recent champion: Takumi Kanaya
Past Aussie winners: Andre Stolz (2003), Wayne Perske (2006), Brendan Jones (2012, 2019)
Prize money: ¥130m
Ladies European Tour
Investec SA Women’s Open
Erinvale Country and Golf Estate, South Africa
3:15pm* Amelia Garvey (NZ)
3:59pm* Kelsey Bennett
4:43pm* Momoka Kobori (NZ)
Recent champion: Manon De Roey
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €340,000
HotelPLanner Tour
UAE Challenge
Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club, Ajman, UAE
12:40pm Hayden Hopewell
6pm Sam Jones (NZ)
6:10pm* Danny List
Recent champion: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US300,000
Sunshine Tour
Qualifying School Final Stage
Heron Banks Golf & River Resort
Round 1
T4 Austin Bautista 67
T31 Ben Eccles 71
DQ Phoenix Campbell
A decade after mounting golf’s numerical summit, Jason Day believes Min Woo Lee now has all the tools to become Australian golf’s next male world No.1.
The Paris Olympic teammates spent Tuesday together at the Masters, playing a practice round with fellow Australian Cameron Smith as the trio all set to build on what are impressive records at Augusta National.
Day has finished top-five on three occasions, Smith boasts four finishes inside the top-six while Lee has two top-25 results from three appearances.
This year is different, though, for the 26-year-old West Australian.
This year Lee comes in as a PGA TOUR winner, a hurdle he was able to climb thanks in no small part to his friendship with Day.
Post fading from contention after holding the 36-hole lead at THE PLAYERS, Lee spoke briefly with Day on the putting green on the Tuesday of the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
The advice from the 2015 US PGA champion was simple: Trust the process and keep hitting good shots.
Five days later Lee was a PGA TOUR winner and the next day, at a career-high of No.22, was the No.1-male Australian player on the Official World Golf Ranking.
Day believes it is just the next step in becoming the best player on the planet.
“Obviously been out here a while and I can definitely tell when guys have that certain X factor about themselves and they have potential of standing out. Min is definitely one of those guys,” said Day, who spent a total of 51 weeks as world No.1.
“He hits it a mile. Has a really good short game. He does all the sexy stuff good. All the stuff that people love to see, he does that really, really well.
“It was funny. I was sitting there on Tuesday of Houston. I’m like, dude, you played great at THE PLAYERS. You had the lead through 36 holes. Obviously played good there beforehand. You just got to keep putting yourself in position and it’ll happen regardless.
“Obviously won that week.
“With Min, it’s all up to him if he wants to get to No.1 and to that next level. Obviously there is work ethic and that desire to become No.1 in the world. It’s a lifestyle change he has to understand.
“I know that he has the tools and the mental side to do it because he loves the moment, and that’s something that you cannot teach golfers in general, to love being in that moment and under the most stress.
“If he can really enjoy that and just improve over time, he’s got the best chance to become No.1 from Australia.”
Further emphasising his elevated place within world golf, Lee has been paired with good friend Collin Morikawa and 2023 Australian Open champion Joaquin Niemann in one of the feature groups for Round 1.
Twelve months ago, Lee drove down Magnolia Lane nursing a broken finger following a mishap with a dumbbell and feeling under the weather after sharing his jumper with a young fan while watching sister Minjee in the cold air of Las Vegas.
This week he arrived at Augusta ranked higher than the players he once idolised and who he shared a practice round with on Tuesday.
“It’s pretty surreal actually,” Lee said of being Australia’s highest-ranked male player at No.23.
“I mean, it’s crazy. I looked up to these guys and I still do.
“It’s awesome to be the No.1-ranked Aussie. I still feel like a little kid growing up and I don’t feel 26. I feel 18, 19, 20 as a youngster.
“But it is very cool. It’s cool to be there.
“I feel like I inspire kids and inspire people to love and play golf.
“It’s quite cool to be the top spot I guess in Australian golf and hopefully I can keep going.”
Round 1 tee times
10:52pm AEST
Cameron Smith, JT Poston, Aaron Rai
11:47pm
Min Woo Lee, Collin Morikawa, Joaquín Niemann
11:58pm
Jason Day, Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley
12:48am
Cameron Davis, Rafael Campos, Austin Eckroat
3:01am
Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland
It is a love affair that has gone largely unrequited over the past 90 years yet five Australians will seek to woo Augusta National Golf Club when the Masters Tournament tees off late on Thursday night.
The champion in 2013, Adam Scott returns for a 24th time for his 94th consecutive major championship start and will be joined by four fellow Aussies who all finished inside the top 30 12 months ago.
Runner-up to Dustin Johnson in 2020, few players have shown a greater affinity for Augusta National than Cameron Smith.
The 2022 Open champion fell just short of a win in four events on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and has just one top-10 finish in five LIV Golf starts this season.
The new father insists that the results are not reflective of the work he and coach Grant Field have done and that he is ready to match creativity with a technically superior swing.
“I feel like I’ve done a lot of really good stuff,” Smith said on Aussies At The Masters on Fox Sports.
“I feel like I haven’t been as creative. I’ve done a lot of technical work, particularly with the longer clubs.
“Augusta for me, typically brings out my creative side and hitting those weird and wonderful shots that you have to hit around there.
“I’m really looking forward to getting there to take that next step because I feel like my technique is so much better than in years past.”
Few players arrive at Augusta for the 2025 Masters with as much excitement about their prospects as Min Woo Lee.
The 26-year-old shot a record 6-under 30 on the front nine in the final round on his way to a tie for 14th on debut in 2022 and shot a Sunday 69 last year to earn a share of 22nd.
Given his win a fortnight ago at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, the prospect of ‘Chef Woozy’ having an opportunity to set the menu for the Champions Dinner has never looked greater.
He has missed the cut in his past four starts on the PGA TOUR but Cam Davis can call upon the memories of 2024 where he finished tied for 12th while Jason Day has three top-five finishes on his Masters resume.
The Masters
2024 champion: Scottie Scheffler
Past Aussie winners: Adam Scott (2013)
TV times: Live 4am-7am Thursday (Par 3 Contest); Live 12:30am-5am (Featured Groups), Live 5am-9:30am Friday, Saturday; Live 12am-2am (Featured Groups), Live 2am-9am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Aussies in the field
Cameron Davis
Previous appearances: 2 (2022, 2024)
Best finish: T12 (2024)
Last start: T12 in 2024
Low round: 69 (Rd 1, 2024)
Jason Day
Previous appearances: 13 (2011-2021, 2023-2024)
Best finish: T2 (2011)
Last start: T30 in 2024
Low round: 64 (Rd 2, 2011)
Min Woo Lee
Previous appearances: 3 (2022-2024)
Best finish: T14 (2022)
Last start: T22 in 2024
Low round: 69 (Rd 4, 2024)
Adam Scott
Previous appearances: 23 (2002-2024)
Best finish: 1st (2013)
Last start: T22 in 2024
Low round: 66 (Rd 4, 2012)
Cameron Smith
Previous appearances: 8 (2016, 2018-2024)
Best finish: T2 (2020)
Last start: T6 in 2024
Low round: 66 (Rd 4, 2018)
With the smell of major championships in the air, two Aussies in particular rose to the challenge this past week.
At the famed ‘Blue Monster’ at Trump National Doral, Marc Leishman produced some of the best golf of his life to storm home with the week’s only bogey-free round to claim the individual title at LIV Golf Miami.
It was double cause for celebration as the Ripper GC team of Leishman, Cameron Smith, Matt Jones and Lucas Herbert completed a commanding eight-stroke win in the team event, moving up to third on the overall season standings.
Although she bowed out in the quarter-finals to eventual runner-up Lauren Coughlin, there was much to like about Stephanie Kyriacou’s display at the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas.
The 24-year-old defeated her Amundi Evian Championship conqueror Ayaka Furue and Nasa Hataoka in the group stage, advancing to the Round of 16 courtesy of a halved match with Auston Kim.
There she edged A Lim Kim to reach the quarter-finals where she lost 1-down to Coughlin.
10. Kirsten Rudgeley (Last week: 9)
The Ford Women’s NSW Open runner-up is not scheduled to return to the Ladies European Tour until the Aramco Korea Championship from May 9-11. Currently ranked No.124 in Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.
9. Stephanie Kyriacou (New)
Looked focused and formidable in playing her way into the quarter-finals of the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas. Went through the group phase undefeated and, on the back of a tie for 13th at the Ford Championship looks primed for a big year. Moved up five spots to No.52 in the world ranking.
8. Anthony Quayle (7)
Looking ahead to US Open qualifying after finishing fifth on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit. His second-place finish at The National Tournament was his eighth top 10 from his past 13 starts.
7. Elvis Smylie (6)
Will resume his rookie season on the DP World Tour at next week’s Volvo China Open after claiming the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
6. Minjee Lee (5)
Made a promising start to the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas with a 1-up win over Jasmine Suwannapura. Lost to eventual champion Madelene Sagstrom 3&2 in Round 2 and then went down narrowly to Patty Tavatanakit to miss advancing out of the group stage.
5. Marc Leishman (New)
Led Ripper GC to an eight-stroke team win in taking out his first LIV Golf individual title at LIV Golf Miami. Three shots back at the start of the final round, Leishman had drawn level with 36-hole leader Bryson DeChambeau by the eighth hole. A three-metre par putt on the final hole completed the only bogey-free round of the entire week and clinched a one-shot win.
4. Karl Vilips (4)
Another week on the sidelines for the Puerto Rico Open winner who will likely next peg it up at the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links. A Signature Event, Vilips will qualify via the Aon Swing 5 ranking.
3. Hannah Green (2)
With two top-seven finishes already to her name from just four starts, will defend the second of her three titles from 2024 at next week’s JM Eagle LA Championship.
2. Lucas Herbert (3)
Bounced back from a 5-over 77 in Round 1 at Trump National Doral to play a pivotal role in Ripper GC’s team win at LIV Golf Miami. His 3-under 69 was the best of Round 2 and then backed that up with 74 in the final round for a commanding team win.
1. Min Woo Lee (1)
Popped in to see his sister and have a stint in the commentary booth at the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas in the wake of his Texas Children’s Houston Open victory. Australia’s highest-ranked male player looks primed to make a deep run at the Masters.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
An individual win for Marc Leishman, a commanding win by the team and a brand new baby boy for captain Cameron Smith made it a week to remember for the Ripper GC boys in Miami.
With the notorious ‘Blue Monster’ at Trump National Doral giving the LIV Golf Miami field all it could handle, it was the Aussie boys who navigated the wind and water best, Leishman leading Ripper GC to an eight-shot win in the teams event.
The result wasn’t so clear cut in the individual event.
Leishman made a crucial up-and-down on the final hole as he closed out his round of 4-under 68 with eight consecutive pars in what was the only bogey-free round of the tournament.
He was first in the clubhouse at 6-under and then had to watch on as Sergio Garcia went looking for the birdie he needed to force a playoff.
The Spaniard would ultimately make bogey to finish third, Charl Schwartzel finishing second one stroke behind Leishman.
Without a win since he and Smith teamed up to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2021 and coming off a tie for 51st in Singapore, the 41-year-old admitted that he’d started to wonder whether he would ever win again.
“Of course you doubt yourself, especially after a week like I had in Singapore. I played terribly,” said Leishman.
“I’ve played well in a lot of LIV events. I’ve had a chances to win, haven’t won. You wonder if you’re going to win again.
“I’ve been so happy. I’ve been the happiest person out here. I’ve loved every minute of it, but I’ve probably just missed — everyone loves winning.
“I doubted myself, but that just made it all just so much sweeter today, to be able to win and hold up another trophy and then the team winning, as well, is awesome.”
It was a truly team effort on Sunday as Ripper GC ended the week at 4-over par and eight shots clear of Crushers GC.
In addition to Leishman’s 68, Smith climbed into a tie for ninth with a 2-under 70, Matt Jones had 1-under 71 and Lucas Herbert 2-over 74.
Admitting that it was hard to drag himself away from son Remy to lead the team in Miami, Smith reflected on a truly life-changing week.
“It’s so cool. I miss him so much, actually,” Smith said of fatherhood.
“It was hard to come away this week. I mean, I’ve had a few times where it’s been hard to get away from home, but it was a different level this week. I can’t wait to see him tonight.
“He’s the winning formula for the team, obviously. One from one, Remy is.
“People express – I’ve got two great dads next to me (Leishman and Matt Jones) – how cool it is to be a father, but you really can’t put it into words.
“It’s been so awesome.”
There were Aussie top-10s elsewhere this past week.
Stephanie Kyriacou made it to the quarter-finals of the T-Mobile Match Play on the LPGA Tour, Kelsey Bennett was tied for eighth at the Joburg Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour and David Bransdon and Greg Chalmers were tied seventh at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational on PGA TOUR Champions.
Photo: Michele Eve Sandberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Results
PGA TOUR
Valero Texas Open
TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course), San Antonio, Texas
1 Brian Harman 66-66-72-75—279 $US1.71m
MC Ryan Fox (NZ) 76-73—149
MC Aaron Baddeley 75-76—151
LPGA Tour
T-Mobile Match Play
Shadow Creek Golf Course, North Las Vegas, Nevada
Quarter-finals
Lauren Coughlin def. Stephanie Kyriacou 1 up
Round of 16
Stephanie Kyriacou def. A Lim Kim 2&1
Round Robin-Day 1
Grace Kim def. Amy Yang 2&1
Stephanie Kyriacou def. Nasa Hataoka 4&3
Minjee Lee def. Jasmine Suwannapura 1 up
Hira Naveed def. Lydia Ko (NZ) 6&4
Gabriela Ruffels def. Carlota Ciganda 4&3
Round Robin-Day 2
A Lim Kim def. Grace Kim 2 up
Stephanie Kyriacou def. Ayaka Furue 4&2
Lydia Ko (NZ) def. Gabriela Ruffels 6&5
Carlota Ciganda def. Hira Naveed 2&1
Madelene Sagstrom def. Minjee Lee 3&2
Round Robin-Day 3
Jenny Shin def. Grace Kim 2 up
Stephanie Kyriacou halved Auston Kim
Gabriela Ruffels halved Hira Naveed
Carlota Ciganda def. Lydia Ko (NZ) 2 up
Patty Tavatanakit def. Minjee Lee 1 up
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Miami
Trump National Doral, Florida
1 Marc Leishman 71-71-68—210 $US4m
T9 Cameron Smith 73-74-70—217 $409,167
T9 Danny Lee (NZ) 75-71-71—217 $409,167
T18 Lucas Herbert 77-69-74—220 $250,000
T21 Matt Jones 74-76-71—221 $220,000
T53 Ben Campbell (NZ) 79-76-82—237 $50,000
Ladies European Tour
Joburg Ladies Open
Modderfontein Golf Club, Johannesburg
1 Mimi Rhodes 65-69-71—205 €45,000
T8 Kelsey Bennett 71-72-69—212 €7,350
T33 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 72-73-73—218 €2,415
T39 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 70-75-74—219 €1,665
MC Amelia Garvey (NZ) 76-73—149
Korn Ferry Tour
Club Car Championship
The Landings Golf & Athletic Club (Deer Creek), Savannah, Georgia
1 Jeremy Gandon 67-70-65-69—271
Won on first hole of sudden-death playoff
T6 Harry Hillier (NZ) 71-68-69-66—274
MC Rhein Gibson 74-71—145
PGA TOUR Champions
James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational
The Old Course at Broken Sound, Boca Raton, Florida
1 Ángel Cabrera 68-66-71—205 $US330,000
T7 David Bransdon 68-72-71—211 $64,240
T7 Greg Chalmers 69-70-72—211 $64,240
T12 Michael Wright 70-71-71—212 $44,733
T32 Cameron Percy 74-71-73—218 $14,520
T41 Stuart Appleby 73-74-73—220 $9,460
T41 Brendan Jones 73-72-75—220 $9,460
T56 Steve Allan 74-71-79—224 $4,620
74 John Senden 80-77-75—232 $1,452
PGA TOUR Americas
70th Brazil Open
Rio Olympic Golf Course, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1 Maxwell Moldovan 63-67-68-68—266 $US40,500
MC Charlie Hillier (NZ) 69-73—142
WD Grant Booth 70
Minjee Lee has revealed how she almost missed brother Min Woo’s winning putt on Sunday as she returns to the LPGA Tour for this week’s T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas.
Min Woo’s Houston Open win on the weekend made he and Minjee just the third brother-sister duo with wins on both the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour.
Big sister also has two major championships to her name, the pair now within sight of writing a new chapter in golf’s storied history if 26-year-old Min Woo can one day follow suit.
But as Min Woo was trying to hold off world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and a minor case of the shakes, Minjee was mid-air riding every one of her brother’s shots… until she couldn’t.
“It only cut out twice so that was great,” Minjee said of her in-flight viewing.
“It was just before his final putt from off the green. It kind of cut out then and I was like, Oh my God. But I just refreshed it and it worked again, so not too stressed.
“The guy sitting next to me, he was looking at me a little funny because I was fist pumping when he was making birdies and stuff.
“It was a different experience. I’ve not watched golf on a plane before. It was a first time for everything.
“It was quite fun. I really enjoyed it.”
Not only are Minjee and Min Woo the third brother-sister combination with wins on the major US tours but they now both have wins on four of the world’s seven continents.
Minjee has been without a win of her own since October 2023 but has made a bright start to her 2025 campaign.
Runner-up in her last start at the Blue Bay LPGA in China, the 28-year-old looks confident using a broomstick putter and she ranks eighth for final round scoring average (67.75).
Those numbers count for little however in the T-Mobile Match Play format where Lee will first face off against Thai Jasmine Suwannapura in Round 1 and then meet Patty Tavatanakit and Madelene Sagstrom in the remaining Group Stage matches.
Lee is one of five Aussies contesting the Match Play with Grace Kim to play former Gold Coast high schooler Amy Yang in Round 1.
There was little time for celebrating as Steve Allan backs up from his first PGA TOUR Champions as one of eight Aussies in the field for the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational while the Ripper GC boys are back in action at LIV Golf Miami.
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
Valero Texas Open
TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course), San Antonio, Texas
10:20pm Aaron Baddeley
3:41am Ryan Fox (NZ)
Recent champion: Akshay Bhatia
Past Aussie winners: Joe Kirkwood Snr (1924), Bruce Crampton (1964), Adam Scott (2010), Steven Bowditch (2014)
Prize money: $US9.5m
TV times: Live 10:15pm Thursday, Friday; Live 12am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LPGA Tour
T-Mobile Match Play
Shadow Creek Golf Course, North Las Vegas, Nevada
Round Robin Day 1
4:25am Grace Kim (Seed: 53) v Amy Yang (12)
4:55am Stephanie Kyriacou (37) v Nasa Hataoka (28)
7:45am Minjee Lee (14) v Jasmine Suwannapura (51)
8:05am Lydia Ko (3) v Hira Naveed (62)
8:15am Gabriela Ruffels (35) v Carlota Ciganda (30)
Recent champion: Nelly Korda
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2m
TV times: Live 8am Thursday on Fox Sports 503; Live 8am Friday, Saturday on Fox Sports 505; Live 8am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Miami
Trump National Doral, Florida
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones, Marc Leishman, Ben Campbell (NZ), Danny Lee (NZ)
Recent champion: Dean Burmester
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live 2am Saturday; Live 1am Sunday; Live 2am Monday on 7 Mate.
Ladies European Tour
Joburg Ladies Open
Modderfontein Golf Club, Johannesburg
5:03pm Kelsey Bennett
8:15pm* Maddison Hinson-Tolchard
9:32pm Momoka Kobori (NZ)
9:43pm* Amelia Garvey (NZ)
Recent champion: Chiara Tamburlini
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €300,000
TV times: Live 9pm Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Korn Ferry Tour
Club Car Championship
The Landings Golf & Athletic Club (Deer Creek), Savannah, Georgia
11:10pm Harry Hillier (NZ)
3:35am Rhein Gibson
Recent champion: Steven Fisk
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1m
TV times: Live 12:30am Friday; Live 11:30pm Friday; 11am Sunday; Live 6:30am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR Champions
James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational
The Old Course at Broken Sound, Boca Raton, Florida
Australasians in the field: Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Brendan Jones, Cameron Percy, John Senden, Michael Wright.
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.2m
TV times: Live 1:30am Saturday; 5:30am Sunday; Live 4:30am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR Americas
70th Brazil Open
Rio Olympic Golf Course, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
8:20pm Grant Booth
8:40pm* Charlie Hillier (NZ)
Recent champion: Matthew Anderson
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000
Before he won the Texas Children’s Houston Open this past week, it’s fair to say Min Woo Lee didn’t live a life remotely similar to most 26-year-olds from Fremantle.
Despite a constant social media presence and video gaming that helped inspire his “Chef” moniker, Lee’s profession, network of friends and even home base in Las Vegas is vastly different from most Australian 20-somethings.
Yet, even with his jet-setting lifestyle, Lee remains the same personality from his amateur days, and his own reaction to the response over his first PGA TOUR win showcases his ability to stay true to himself.
Among the well-wishers was one of the biggest stars on the planet, Justin Bieber, who Lee claims to be the unofficial golf coach of.
Lee today revealed that the relationship is unique given both feel they are the one to be proud of the friendship.
“The thing is he fanboys kind of over me, but obviously I’m fanboying over him,” Lee said of Bieber.
“We haven’t played (golf) yet, but I got his phone number and we just texted and texted quite often. He would send me videos of his swing and I would critique it and yeah, it’s very cool.”
Proving Lee’s suggestion of the mutual respect over the friendship, it was Bieber who shared an image of their FaceTime following the Aussie’s breakthrough Houston victory to his social media channels.
“He asked me if he could post it and I was like, ‘Bro, do whatever you want. You’re Justin Bieber, I don’t care’,” was Lee’s humorous retelling of how the post came about.
Beyond Bieber, Lee mentioned multiple NBA players among those who congratulated him, including fellow Aussie Josh Giddey and Steph Curry, however, despite their ongoing sibling rivalry, no doubt the support of sister Minjee meant a great deal.
In Las Vegas ahead of this week’s LPGA Tour match play event at Shadow Creek, coincidental timing meant the Lee’s could share a celebratory dinner in Min Woo’s hometown with their shared agent, Brent Hamilton, and coach, Ritchie Smith.
The younger sibling not missing his chance to throw shade at his sister when asked who paid for the Japanese meal on the Vegas ‘Strip’.
“It was me. It was me. Of course it was me. I made a nice little cheque last couple days ago,” Min Woo said. “My sister could have been nice and she could have got it, but it’s all good.”
Family will also be a theme next week for Lee when he contests The Masters for a fourth straight year.
Mum Clara will be on site at Augusta National, where Lee will hope to improve on his already impressive record of T14-MC-T22, with last year’s result perhaps his most impressive giving the preparation.
Unlike this year when he enters the year’s first major as a last start winner, in 2024 Lee teed it up with a broken finger and suffering from illness Monday to Wednesday, a sickness he blames on giving up his jumper to a young fan when watching Minjee in the cold the week prior.
Breaking the digit in the gym, Min Woo plans to be much more careful as he prepares to challenge for his first major title having now accumulated five professional wins in his burgeoning career.
“First of all, obviously just to not drop a dumbbell on your finger. I think that’s priority one. I’ll probably be a bit safer when I’m in the gym right now this week,” he joked of his preparations for Augusta.
“I mean going into it feeling good and yeah, it’s last week felt like an exhausting week, so I just relax and enjoy my time doing nothing really over the last couple days and the next day or so. And yeah, get ready for the big dance.
Adding of his new place as the highest ranked Australian men’s player in the Official World Golf Ranking heading into The Masters: “I mean, it’s crazy. I looked up to these guys and I still do and it’s awesome to be the No.1 ranked Aussie. I still feel like a little kid growing up and I don’t feel 26, I feel 18, 19, 20 as a youngster.
“But there’s youngsters that come out and are very young and you don’t feel as young anymore. But it is very cool. It’s cool to be there. I feel like I inspire kids and inspire people to love and play golf.
“So it’s quite cool to be the top spot, I guess in Australian golf and hopefully I can keep going.”
That attempt to keep going will be alongside major champions Cam Smith, Adam Scott and Jason Day, as well as Cameron Davis in a five-strong Australian contingent at Augusta.
Day continues to do his bit to help Lee become part of the Australian major winner club that his sister is already a member of as a two-time major champion.
“Jason’s been amazing help to me. I think he’s helped me the most out of any player and just advice just in general,” Min Woo said.
“I told him how I felt, really how I felt during THE PLAYERS and I just felt like I wasn’t myself and I was trying to be someone else and he just said just to trust the process and keep hitting good shots and if not, it’s okay.
“And funny, I did that and I won … it’s only love between us and it’s very cool to have a big brother out on Tour.”
The Masters is live and exclusive on Fox Sports, available via Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
Two of Australian golf’s most feted young players delivered the goods when it mattered the most in a memorable week for Aussie golf at home and abroad.
The talent that had never been questioned was paired with a greater work ethic and mental strength to clinch Min Woo Lee his first PGA TOUR win as Harrison Crowe rode the ferocious winds of the Mornington Peninsula to go bogey-free in the final round and win The National Tournament.
The 2022 New South Wales Open champion as an amateur, it marked Crowe’s first win as a professional as Anthony Quayle was rewarded for an ultra-consistent season back on home soil with his best finish of the summer.
Major champions Hannah Green and Jason Day showed promising signs in their return to action as Kirsten Rudgeley closed out her run of events in Australia with a tie for fourth at the World Sand Greens Championship.
10. Harrison Crowe (New)
Re-established his status as a player for the big occasion with a thrilling victory at The National Tournament in Victoria to round out the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season. Completed a sneaky-good season to finish eighth on the Order of Merit with top-10 finishes at the Australian Open, BMW Australian PGA Championship and Ford NSW Open.
9. Kirsten Rudgeley (8)
Tied for second at the Ford Women’s NSW Open, Rudgeley kept the competitive juices flowing with a tie for fourth at the World Sand Greens Championship at Binalong. Is now set up for her third season on the Ladies European Tour where a breakthrough win beckons.
8. Jason Day (6)
Solid return to play after Day was forced to withdraw from THE PLAYERS Championship with a stomach virus. Shot 66 in the final round of the Texas Children’s Houston Open to earn a share of 27th in a nice tune-up two weeks out from The Masters.
7. Anthony Quayle (10)
He described it as the best shot of his life and it will be a contender for shot of the season after Anthony Quayle blistered a 2-iron 215 metres at the 72nd hole for the birdie that clinched outright second at The National Tournament. It also clinched DP World Tour status for 2026 in what was his eighth top-five finish of the season.
6. Elvis Smylie (5)
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner had the luxury of taking the week off as he sets his sights on a comprehensive campaign on the DP World Tour.
5. Minjee Lee (4)
Embraced the role of cheerleader as little brother wrapped up his maiden PGA TOUR win in Houston. Returns to play this week at the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas.
4. Karl Vilips (2)
It appears to be either feast or famine for Karl Vilips, the Puerto Rico Open winner missing his past three cuts including last week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open.
3. Lucas Herbert (3)
Managed to hold on to third on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and now has a DP World Tour exemption category available to him at the end of the year should he need it. Has two top fives on LIV Golf this year along with a top 10 at the International Series Macau.
2. Hannah Green (1)
Sharpened her game for the long campaign ahead with a tie for 44th at the Ford Championship, just Green’s fourth tournament of the year. Already boasts two top-seven finishes as she seeks to follow up her three-win 2024 season.
1. Min Woo Lee (7)
The late urging from his manager to tee it up yielded Min Woo Lee’s first PGA TOUR win at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. The four-stroke lead he held at the start of the final round had been eaten into, necessitating a clutch up-and-down from the back fringe to win by one. Now Australia’s highest-ranked male player at No.22 in the world.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
It was a long-awaited PGA TOUR breakthrough for Min Woo Lee and the end to a 23-year drought for Steve Allan in a magnificent weekend for Australian golf in the US.
The 36-hole leader at THE PLAYERS Championship three weeks ago and a two-time runner-up last season, Lee’s status as a PGA TOUR winner was always a matter of when, not if.
That time is now after he produced two nerveless up-and-downs on the final two holes to complete a one-stroke victory at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
A four-stroke leader at the start of the final day, Lee (67) held off charges from major winners Scottie Scheffler (63) and Gary Woodland (62) for his first win on US soil as a professional.
“Winning a tournament was one of those goals and I’m happy to check that off,” said Lee.
“It was tough. I mean, props to the guys that win week in, week out. I mean, it is very hard even though a four-shot lead is not safe, it is tough.
“Just so proud. Let’s keep doing it.”
The 2002 Australian Open champion, Allan has had to wait more than two decades to re-enter the winner’s circle.
Only a late admission into the field for the Galleri Classic when Steve Stricker withdrew on Monday, Allan took advantage in the best way possible.
Buoyed by a swing tip on the range from close friend Cameron Percy, a superb outward nine of 5-under 31 put Allan in prime position, an even-par back nine enough to close out a round of 5-under 67 and a one-stroke win from American Tag Ridings (67).
“I won the Australian Open in 2002 and it was my second year, four years after my first win,” Allan recalled.
“I told my girlfriend, now my wife, ‘It won’t be four years until I win again.’ Unfortunately, it’s been 23 years.
“It’s a big relief to get a win. I was close on the PGA TOUR a couple of times. Didn’t get over the line.
“Once it was completely my fault. The other time Kenny Perry had a hot finish and I didn’t.
“It was really good to hang in there and finish it off.”
Results
PGA TOUR
Texas Children’s Houston Open
Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, Texas
1 Min Woo Lee 66-64-63-67—260 $US1.71m
T15 Ryan Fox (NZ) 68-65-65-71—269 $163,875
T27 Jason Day 70-66-69-66—271 $67,925
MC Karl Vilips 68-73—141
MC Aaron Baddeley 70-74—144
LPGA Tour
Ford Championship
Whirlwind Golf Club (Cattail Cse), Chandler, Arizona
T6 Lydia Ko (NZ) 68-67-68-67—270
T13 Stephanie Kyriacou 67-68-69-68—272
T27 Cassie Porter 70-68-67-70—275
T44 Hannah Green 68-72-68-70—278
T62 Sarah Kemp 70-70-74-69—283
T64 Hira Naveed 71-67-75-71—284
MC Gabriela Ruffels 73-68—141
MC Karis Davidson 71-70—141
MC Grace Kim 72-71—143
MC Fiona Xu (NZ) 73-71—144
DP World Tour
Hero Indian Open
DLF G&CC, New Delhi, India
1 Eugenio Chacarra 70-70-73-71—284 €354,641.38
T31 Jason Scrivener 72-77-73-76—298 €15,576.41
T63 Daniel Gale 76-74-80-78—308 €5,423.93
MC Austin Bautista 76-76—152
MC Cameron John 83-72—155
MC Matthew Griffin 80-82—162
MC Lachlan Barker 82-83—165
PGA TOUR Champions
The Galleri Classic
Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, California
1 Steve Allan 69-65-67—201 $US330,000
T3 Steven Alker (NZ) 71-65-67—203 $131,867
6 Cameron Percy 67-69-68—204 $88,000
T7 Stuart Appleby 70-71-64—205 $70,400
T7 Richard Green 68-72-65—205 $70,400
T15 Mark Hensby 71-69-68—208 $36,300
T29 David Bransdon 72-69-70—211 $15,934
T36 Rod Pampling 71-72-69—212 $12,144
T51 Greg Chalmers 73-72-70—215 $5,940
T54 Scott Barr 73-73-70—216 $4,510
T66 Brendan Jones 74-72-73—219 $2,253
PGA TOUR Americas
93 Abierto Telecom del Centro
Cordoba Golf Club, Cordoba, Argentina
1 Ryan Grider 65-66-68-69—268
T8 Grant Booth 70-67-64-70—271
MC Charlie Hillier (NZ) 73-69—142
