Min Woo Lee Looks for Sister's Footsteps, Goes Nuclear at Rocket Classic

Newsweek

5 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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It seems that Min Woo Lee wants to extend the family party to celebrate his sister's spectacular victory at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Less than a week after Minjee Lee conquered the PGA Frisco, Min Woo is doing the same at Detroit Golf Club.
It's fair to say there's still plenty of golf left to play at the Rocket Classic, but Lee couldn't have stamped his authority more clearly at the start of tournament. Such was his dominance that he even tied the course record.
Lee started the round on the 10th tee, and at first, it seemed like nothing special would happen. He birdied the first hole and bogeyed the second, but from then on, he found his best golf and continued making birdies until he achieved one of the best rounds of his career.
Min Woo Lee of Australia during a Pro-Am prior to the Rocket Classic 2025 at Detroit Golf Club on June 25, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
Min Woo Lee of Australia during a Pro-Am prior to the Rocket Classic 2025 at Detroit Golf Club on June 25, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
Gregory Shamus/Getty Image
The 26-year-old birdied four more holes on the first nine to make the turn at 4-under. The second nine was much better for him, as he made five more birdies without bogeys to finish with an outstanding score of 9-under 63.
This score ties the course record, which had been posted by numerous players, most recently by Andrew Landry, who carded it during the second round of the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Lee gained 3.091 strokes with his putting during the first round, a crucial aspect of achieving such a remarkable result:
"Putting was nice, short game was nice, approach shot was pretty nice," he said after his performance.
"Driving was good early, got kind of shaky there probably...normally I would hit driver on 8 but didn't know where the ball was going so I hit iron and made birdie the traditional way."
"Yeah, everything was pretty solid. I think the putter was working quite nicely though."
Let. Him. Cook. 🔥@MinWoo27Lee ties the course record @RocketClassic with 10 birdies and an opening-round 63! pic.twitter.com/I4vi9h5kYb — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 26, 2025
The fact that his sister Minjee Lee won the third major of the LPGA Tour season just four days ago didn't go unnoticed during his press conference. Min Woo confirmed that his sister serves as a sort of inspiration for him:
"I don't think she learns that much off me. I try to learn off her. She's a beast when she's playing good, she just doesn't do much wrong."
The score of 63 during the first round of the Rocket Classic also ties Min Woo Lee's best round of the 2025 PGA Tour season. His previous 63 came in the third round of the Houston Open and was crucial to his eventual victory.
That win was the first for the Australian in his PGA Tour career. It is his only top-10 finish this season, in which he has earned four other top 25s.
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