Of the players on the PGA Tour who have the potential to emulate Rory McIlroy and become a superstar of the game, Min Woo Lee is arguably up towards the top of the list.
Rory McIlroy is in the mix to win The Masters for the first time in his career. The Northern Irishman went into the final round at Augusta National with a two shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau. And while he got off a shaky start with a double bogey on the first, he seemed to steady himself almost immediately.
Of course, no-one needs to tell McIlroy what is at stake on Sunday in Georgia.
McIlroy is looking to become the latest player to win the career grand slam. But it is an achievement which has been within his grasp since 2014.
Min Woo Lee explains how Rory McIlroy has shocked him
The pressure of winning a fifth major has got to McIlroy on a number of occasions, particularly in recent years. And with DeChambeau seemingly developing a game-plan for the majors, it was so hard to call who would triumph.
But speaking after his own round, Min Woo Lee suggested that he was hoping to see the Northern Irishman get across the line, noting how he has been taken aback by how good McIlroy has been to him during their time on the PGA Tour.
“Yeah, he doesn’t owe me anything, but he’s been a really nice guy. I played a couple practice rounds with him. Not on the level as Jason. I see him most tournaments and I play practice rounds. But just if I have lunch he would sit next to me, and I’ll be shocked, like why are you sitting next to me,” he said.
“But he’s kind of that bloke. He’s a really nice guy, and I think he gets a lot of bad media coverage. He’s played wonderful over the last 10, 20 years, and I think what he’s done has been — is very underrated.
“Yes, he’s — I guess his expectations and everyone else’s expectation is to win everything, win tournaments when he’s up there, but it’s so tough. To be there for the last 10 years, No. 1, No. 2, top three in the world, you’ve just got to clap your hands to that.
“The longevity and also just the consistency is unbelievable. I think it would just be nice to get him over the line, get a green jacket, and I think it would be very exciting.
“I’m hoping that he gets it done.”
Lee also lauds Jason Day
As Lee noted, he has also learned a lot from Jason Day, with the former world number one taking his countryman under his wing in recent times.
And Lee explained how important the 2015 PGA champion has been in helping him take his game to the next level.
“Yeah, I think just a little nugget that he — a lot of people believe in me to be a really great player, but when you kind of hear it a couple times from someone that’s been there, it really gets into you. If you don’t want to put in an extra couple minutes or extra hour of golf, you tell yourself, hey, this is what he’s talking about,” he added.
“Sometimes when you’re tired, you’ve just got to — obviously you’ve got to listen to your body and mind, but just giving that little extra ounce I think is going to push me forward, and obviously it’s been showing. A lot of consistent golf over the last six months, a year.
“Really cool to have him as a friend and a mentor, and hopefully he finishes well and finishes top 5, top 10.”
With mentors such as McIlroy and Day, Lee undoubtedly has a phenomenal chance of realising his full potential in the years to come.
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