Australia’s Min Woo Lee has dreamed he won the Scottish Open then went out and did it, continuing a rush of success by Australians on the world’s big golf tours.
The 22-year-old West Australian shot a flawless closing 64 to set the benchmark at 18 under 266 at at the Renaissance Club on Sunday.
Then he coolly sunk a birdie putt from nine feet to beat England’s Matt Fitzpatrick (67) and Belgian Thomas Detry (67) at the first playoff hole to claim his second European Tour title.
Long-hitting Lee set up the triumph, which earned him $A1,871,220 and a spot in this week’s British Open at Royal St George’s, with a streak of six straight birdies in his final round.
“It was an awesome day. I was pretty proud of the way I played and six birdies in a row was pretty sweet,” said Lee.
“It’s crazy. I dreamed of it last night and to the people back home staying up late watching me and sending me messages, this one’s for you too.”
Fellow Australian Lucas Herbert (66) tied for fourth, one shot outside the playoff just a week after winning the Irish Open on the same weekend that Cam Davis claimed his first US PGA Tour title and Steph Kyriacou earned a second Ladies European Tour victory.
Ian Poulter, Ryan Palmer tied for fourth with Herbert, with US Open champion Jon Rahm another stroke back in seventh, a result which meant he loses his world number one ranking to Dustin Johnson.
Lee took advantage of a weather delay late in the final round to watch the end of the men’s singles final at Wimbledon and said: “It was nice to see Djokovic come in and do his interview. I thought that was a good feeling and I might want to do that.”
When play resumed Lee was the first to take advantage of the pivotal par-five 16th and his birdie was subsequently matched by Detry and Fitzpatrick, with Lee then leaving a birdie putt on the 18th just inches short of the hole.
“I could have made more putts in regulation and that one on the last I missed it by just a roll and that was pretty painful, but we regrouped and the tournament restarts in the play-off pretty much,” Lee added.
Lee now heads south to England for the British Open starting Thursday.
“That’s crazy too,” Lee added. “I was not really thinking about the Open because I needed to do well here first. It’s a bonus being in that but it’s awesome.”
