Min Woo Lee won his fifth professional event and first on the PGA Tour at the Houston Open on Sunday.
The Australian played excellently throughout the tournament to hold off the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Wyndham Clark – all of whom were in the top five.
Lee is a popular player among PGA Tour fans, largely thanks to his social media presence, and most were happy to see him lift the title.
However, some viewers thought he should’ve been penalized for something he did on the eighth hole at Memorial Park.
Golf fans discuss Min Woo Lee taking over 30 minutes on one hole
Slow play is an issue on the PGA Tour that’s talked about a lot at the moment, and Lee only added fuel to the fire on Sunday.
The 26-year-old is not normally slow but he took an age to decide whether to take a drop after driving his ball into a bush.
Lee initially wanted to attempt a shot on his knees, although he was eventually talked out of it by his caddie Brian ‘Bo’ Martin.
In the end, it took Lee’s group over 30 minutes to complete the hole, which everyone can agree is far too long, regardless of the circumstances.
Fans on social media then voiced their disapproval of the situation. One wrote: “The PGA Tour giving Min Woo Lee unlimited time to find his ball and play the hole is ridiculous. Lee should have been penalized.”
Another added: “If you’re not putting for a fourteen, you should be forcibly removed from the course and the event.”
“Ridiculous. Should definitely be penalized,” a frustrated viewer commented. “This is disgusting behavior,” one said.
On the other hand, it’s important to note that the delay was not entirely Lee’s fault. He and his playing partners did have to wait for the group in front to clear the green, as some fans pointed out.
“Out of context. Dealing with an unplayable while also waiting for the green to clear on a par 5. Not out of position. Let him cook,” someone wrote in defence of Lee.
Another explained: “Long time yes, but what is not known is that in the beginning when he arrived at this ball the group in front was still in fairway being delayed by the group on the green. So yes, long time for a hole but check the time on the group in front also.”
One fan blamed Scheffler’s group for the situation: “Playing behind Scottie’s group and they were slow as hell. Not to mention [Alejandro] Tosti’s dumb ass. MW is a fast play. He’s got to be up there with the most hated players on tour.”
Slow play is the PGA Tour’s biggest issue in 2025
The Houston Open was another huge success for the PGA Tour, as it was an exciting finish between the talented Lee, the world number one Scheffler and the hugely popular Gary Woodland.
It came after the Valspar Championship, where Viktor Hovland edged out Justin Thomas, and the Players Championship, where McIlroy stole the show.
With the Valero Texas Open up next, ahead of the Masters, the Tour product is in arguably as good of a place as it’s been from a talent perspective, despite the ongoing LIV Golf situation.
The only downside to the recent events has been the slow play. That’s not to suggest that it’s only been an issue recently, but instead that it’s become more prominent.
If only the Tour would settle on a solution, whether it be stroking players or releasing each player’s timings, it would definitely be in an even better position.
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